This Chinese recipe for sweet and sour chicken is made of crispy deep fried chicken, homemade sweet and sour sauce, pineapple and colorful bell peppers, chock full of umami flavors!
Sweet and sour chicken is a classic Chinese recipe made of
- Fried chicken: diced cubes of chicken breast dipped in egg and in flour, then deep fried. I like to use chicken breast, deboned chicken thighs can also be used and if I need to make a large amount I’ll go for a turkey breast
- Vegetables: briefly stir-fried garlic and colorful bell peppers, I added shiitake mushrooms in today’s recipe because I like them but it’s not done in the original recipe and therefore it is optional
- For the pineapple, I always use canned sliced pineapple, so handy! Since it is already very soft I don’t cook it, I just cut the slices in chunks and add them to the finished recipe
- The sauce: A syrupy sweet and sour sauce that will really bring the sweet and sour flare and all the umami to this recipe. The first time I made this sauce I tasted it, big mistake LOL! On its own it’s a weird tasting sauce, sweet indeed, sour indeed, my mouth twitched and I got to wonder whether I was going to use it, but once it’s added to the crispy chicken and sweet bell peppers it’s just perfect and really awesome, so trust me on this, just follow the instructions and don’t taste it!
I like to proceed this way:
- Dicing the chicken and dipping it in a quick marinade
- Sauteed the bell peppers, set aside
- Making the sweet and sour sauce, set aside
- And only then I take care of the fried chicken, the longest part in this recipe. Once the chicken chunks have been dipped into the egg and flour, they need to be fried immediately or they will form a sticky mass and you really don’t want that
- Lastly re-heat the sweet and sour sauce, add the bell peppers, pineapple, crispy fried chicken, give a good toss, that’s it! Time to enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this recipe and if you do, please leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
Recipe :
Ingredients:
Chicken:
1-pound (450 g.) Chicken breast, diced in 1-inch chunks
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1 cup plain flour
Vegetables
2 tbsp. garlic, grated or chopped
2 large bell peppers, 1 red and 1 yellow, cut in 1-inch chunks
5 dried shiitake mushrooms, re-hydrated, stems removed, sliced (optional)
1 cup (or to taste) canned sliced pineapple, cut in small chunks
Sweet and sour sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tap water
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 scant tbsp. corn starch
1 1/2 tsp salt
A quart of vegetable oil for frying
Instructions:
Into a medium bowl, add the chicken, soy sauce, baking soda, toss to coat, cover with plastic wrap, set aside
Into a frying pan, heat two tbsp. of vegetable oil, add the garlic, stir fry until fragrant, add the bell peppers and shiitake mushrooms, stir fry until tender to your liking, remove from the pan and set aside
Let’s make the sweet and sour sauce, heat a small frying pan on medium/high, add all the ingredients, stir to dissolve the sugar and corn starch, cook until the sauce starts to thicken, the sauce must be syrupy but still slightly liquid, watch it carefully, remove from the pan to a small bowl to stop the cooking process and set aside
Now let’s take care of the chicken, set up your work station: whisk the 3 eggs into a medium bowl, add the flour to another medium bowl, have ready a plate or another bowl covered with a few paper towels, heat your vegetable oil to about 375°F (180°C) into a Dutch oven (to check the temperature I just dip a wooden spoon into the bottom of the pan, if it bubbles immediately, the temperature is right) or electric fryer
While the oil is heating, dip the chicken chunks into the eggs, then coat them well with flour, once the oil is at the right temperature, proceed to fry them in batches, fry the chicken until golden and crispy, remove to the readied plate or bowl
Re-heat the sweet and sour sauce briefly into a large frying pan, add the vegetables, pineapple chunks and fried chicken, toss to coat, it’s ready!
Serve immediately with some basmati or jasmine rice
Enjoy!
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FAQs
While sweet and sour can be found in diverse forms in China, the American version builds upon the simple mixture of sugar, vinegar, and spices with the addition of fruit juice—most commonly pineapple—and ketchup, giving the sauce both its red hue and uniquely Western flavor.
What is sweet and sour chicken made of? ›
This easy Sweet and Sour Chicken is made with crispy chicken, bell peppers, onion, pineapple, and a quick and easy Sweet and Sour Sauce. It's simple and a meal the whole family will enjoy. Check out more of my Chinese-Inspired recipes.
How to thicken sweet and sour chicken? ›
A corn starch slurry thickens the sauce – this sauce is a medium thickness, so depending on your preference add little more or less corn starch slurry (but go slowly – the sauce will take a little time to thicken up once the slurry is added).
What to eat sweet and sour chicken with? ›
Pan-fried chicken pieces are coated in a homemade sweet and sour sauce and baked to perfection in this easy recipe. Pair it with steamed rice, stir fry vegetables, or a homemade fried rice for a filling dinner you will want to make again and again.
What is sweet and sour dressing made of? ›
Ingredients. High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soybean Oil, Corn-Cider Vinegar, Water, Sugar, Salt, Cucumber Juice, Dehydrated Onion, Vinegar, Celery Seed, Xanthan Gum, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Calcium Disodium EDTA Added to Protect Flavor, Natural Flavors, Yellow #5.
What is sweet and sour mix made of? ›
Sour mix (also known as sweet and sour mix) is a mixer that is yellow-green in color and is used in many co*cktails. It is made from approximately equal parts lemon and/or lime juice and simple syrup and shaken vigorously with ice. This produces a pearly-white liquid with a pronounced flavor.
Do you dip chicken in egg before frying? ›
Step 1: Dredge the chicken
In a separate shallow dish, briefly beat the eggs with the water before adding the salt, remaining 1-1/3 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture and then into the flour mixture. Turn each piece until it is fully coated.
Does sweet and sour chicken contain honey? ›
In American Chinese cuisine, sweet and sour sauce is traditionally made by mixing sugar or honey (the sweetness) with rice vinegar or soy sauce (the sourness), along with a dash of spices like ginger and garlic cloves for added flavor.
Who made sweet and sour chicken? ›
ABOUT THE RECIPE
The original sweet and sour sauce originated in the province of Hunan, China. The sauce was a light vinegar and sugar mixture with very little resemblance to the bright orange dish served in our takeaways today.
What can I use instead of cornstarch in sweet and sour chicken? ›
5 Best Cornstarch Substitutes
- All-Purpose Flour. Yep, that's right — all-purpose flour is a very stable thickener. ...
- Arrowroot Powder. If you happen to have this starch on hand, you're in luck: It has the same thickening power as cornstarch, and it creates a beautiful, shiny sauce. ...
- Potato Starch. ...
- Rice Flour. ...
- Tapioca Starch.
Overcooking chicken and buying woody chicken breast are two of the main causes behind rubbery chicken. You can stop this from happening by: buying “slow-growing” chicken. cooking your chicken in moisture.
What is the best way to heat up sweet and sour chicken? ›
Reheating Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the chicken in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil.
- Heat for 15-20 minutes, until it's warmed through.
Sweet and sour chicken batter is made with self-rising flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, water, egg, oil, and vinegar. Does sweet and sour chicken have pineapples? Depending on the restaurant, sweet and sour chicken can be served with pineapples and even veggies like onion, bell pepper, and carrot.
What does Chinese sweet and sour chicken taste like? ›
It tastes amazing: it's a little tangy, salty and sweet – just like eating at the restaurant! It's kid-friendly: there's no spicy heat and it even calls for a little ketchup! This is a great dish to start getting your kids to try other cuisines from around the world.
Is sweet and sour chicken from Chinese healthy? ›
Nutrition Facts
There are 1765 calories in a 1 order (706.000g) serving size of Restaurant, Chinese, sweet and sour chicken. The calorie breakdown is 46% fat, 38% carbs, and 16% protein.
Is sweet and sour sauce actually Chinese? ›
Some authors say that the original sweet and sour sauce (traditional Chinese: 糖醋醬; simplified Chinese: 糖醋酱; pinyin: tángcùjiàng) came from the Chinese province of Henan, but the sauce in this area is a light vinegar and sugar mixture not resembling what most people, including the Chinese, would call sweet and sour.
What is the main ingredient in McDonald's sweet and sour sauce? ›
Ingredients: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Apricot Puree Concentrate And/or Peach Puree Concentrate, Distilled Vinegar, Contains 2% Or Less: Soy Sauce (water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Salt, Modified Food Starch, Sherry Wine Powder, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Xanthan Gum, Spices, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Natural ...
Why is Chinese sweet and sour sauce so red? ›
At its core, a base sweet and sour sauce is made with a balance of sugar and vinegar, and to get the bright red color, most restaurants will use red food coloring.
Why is sweet and sour sauce called duck sauce? ›
It is speculated that the name "duck sauce" came about because its ancestor, tianmian sauce, was first served with Peking duck in China. When the Chinese emigrated to the U.S., they created Chinese dishes that would appeal more to the American palate, and developed a sweeter version of the sauce used in China.
