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–+ servings
Sweet and sour chicken with glazed with sweet and sour sauce.
5 from 16 votes

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and sour chicken, one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes, is made of puffy, golden brown pieces of fried chicken nuggets with pineapple chunks, onion, bell pepper, carrot, and a side of iconic red, sweet and sour sauce. Serve it with egg rolls or some egg drop soup and egg fried rice to complete the meal!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Yield: 5 servings

Ingredients
 

For the marinated chicken:

  • 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg beaten (reserve 2 tablespoons per recipe for the batter)

For the batter:

  • 2 cups self-rising flour fluffed, spooned, and leveled *see notes
  • ⅔ cup cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder (optional) *see notes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1¾ cups water
  • 2 tablespoons egg beaten (reserved from the chicken marinade)
  • 2 tablespoons oil any neutral oil will do
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar

For the sweet and sour sauce (makes about 5 cups):

Optional ingredients for the dish:

  • ½ bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces (red or green)
  • ½ large carrot peeled and thinly sliced
  • ¼ small yellow onion cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 cup pineapple cut into chunks (fresh or can)

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients:

  • Prepare the chicken
    Trim the chicken breast to get rid of any excess fat and cartilage. Butterfly the chicken breasts so that they are about ½ inch thick. Then, cut the chicken against the grain into finger-size strips.
  • Place the prepared chicken into a large mixing bowl and add the rice wine, salt, and egg. Make sure to reserve some egg for the batter! Mix everything together until well combined. Set aside and allow the chicken to marinate for about 10 to 15 minutes as you prepare the rest of the ingredients, or overnight in the fridge.
  • Make the batter:
    In a bowl, whisk together the self-rising flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Then add the water and egg and mix until no more dry clumps of flour is visible. Add the oil and vinegar and mix until well combined. Set aside until needed.
    *If marinating the chicken overnight, make the batter when ready to use.*

For the sweet and sour sauce:

  • Into a saucepan, mix together water, pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, salt, and the red food coloring. Bring the sauce to a boil while mixing occasionally until the sugar and salt has dissolved. Reduce the heat to low.
  • Give the prepared cornstarch slurry a mix to combine. While stirring the sweet and sour sauce, slowly drizzle in the cornstarch slurry. Once added, increase the heat so that the sauce comes back to a simmer and allow the sauce to cook until it's thickened and glossy. Make sure to stir frequently.
  • Set the finished sauce aside and keep it covered until needed or transfer it to a heatproof container.
    *As the sauce cools, a film may form on the sauce. This is totally normal and is due to the cornstarch. Simply stir it back into the sauce.*

Make the sweet and sour chicken:

  • In a wok or pot, heat up 2 to 3 inches of oil to 350°F and prepare a plate or tray lined with paper towels.
  • While the oil is heating up, give the marinated chicken a good mix. Then add the prepared batter to the chicken and mix until the chicken pieces are all well coated.
  • For the 1st fry:
    When the oil is hot, gently add the chicken pieces one at a time. Make sure each piece of chicken is well coated and to NOT overcrowd the oil. Fry in batches if necessary.
    Pro move: Instead of using your fingers, use a sharp toothpick or a skewer to pick up the chicken pieces. This helps to keep the chicken completely covered with batter and not have spots of missing batter from having to pick them up with your fingers or tongs.
  • Allow the chicken to fry for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until they float to the surface and start to turn pale golden on all sides. Remove from the oil and allow the chicken to drain and cool on the prepared plate lined with paper towels for about 5 minutes.
  • For the 2nd fry:
    After resting, add the chicken back into the oil at 350°F and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove and allow the oil to drain. Again, fry in batches if necessary.
  • Cook the veggies:
    In a pot of boiling water, add the bell peppers and carrots. Allow them to cook for about 15 seconds then add the onions. Let the veggies cook for an additional 5 to 10 seconds or until they are to your desired tenderness and drain well.
  • Assembly:
    Toss together the fried chicken pieces, the blanched veggies, and pineapple chunks. Then transfer it to a serving plate.
  • Serve the sweet and sour chicken immediately and either pour the sauce over everything or serve the sauce on the side to dip. Enjoy!

Notes

Please refer to the post above for step by step photo reference, tips, storage, and FAQs!
  • Nutrition info - The nutritional label provided does not include the calories and nutrition of the optional ingredients and sauce, as it can vary depending on how much is consumed.
  • Measuring flour - It is very important that flour is measurement properly for any recipe to yield the best result. The most accurate measurement is always by using the scale. However, if you are measuring with measuring cups, please us the fluff, spoon, and level method. Please refer to the post above for more detail!
  • Baking powder - This is optional. The purpose of adding some baking powder to the batter is to encourage a smoother, airier, and crispier fry.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 52.1g | Protein: 45.8g | Fat: 12.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5.4g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 153.3mg | Sodium: 929.3mg | Potassium: 758.1mg | Fiber: 1.4g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 109.4IU | Vitamin C: 2.2mg | Calcium: 34.4mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Keywords: chinese take-out
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