Sweet and Sour Chicken

This homemade sweet and sour chicken delivers perfectly crispy, golden chicken pieces tossed in a glossy, tangy-sweet sauce with colorful bell peppers and pineapple. Skip the takeout and create this restaurant-quality dish in your own kitchen with a perfect balance of flavors that you can customize to your taste.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Chicken

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 485kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

1½ lbs chicken breasts cut into 1-inch chunks
½ cup cornstarch
2 eggs
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for frying

For the Vegetables:

1 cup pineapple chunks
1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
1 green bell pepper cut into chunks
½ yellow onion cut into chunks

For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:

½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup ketchup
4 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic minced

Instructions

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot to 350°F for deep frying.
In a bowl, whisk together eggs, cornstarch, and flour to create a smooth batter.
Coat chicken chunks in the batter, ensuring each piece is well covered.
Carefully fry chicken pieces in hot oil until golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
In a large pan, sauté bell peppers, onion, and pineapple over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened.
In a small saucepan, combine sugar, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and minced garlic.
Bring sauce mixture to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until thickened.
Add the crispy fried chicken to the pan with vegetables.
Pour the thickened sauce over chicken and vegetables, tossing to coat evenly.
Serve immediately while hot and crispy.

Notes

Use neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil for the best frying results without interfering with flavors

Maintain oil temperature at 350°F for best crispiness - use a thermometer for accuracy

Adjust the vinegar and sugar ratio to balance sweetness and tanginess to your preference

Fresh pineapple works best, but canned pineapple chunks (drained) are a suitable substitute

For extra crispy chicken, double-coat by dipping fried chicken back in batter and frying again briefly

Serve immediately after tossing with sauce to maintain maximum crispiness

Leftover sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week

Nutrition