This sweet and sour chicken is made with a sticky and tangy sauce that’s simply irresistible. You’ll be coming back for seconds.
If you’re a huge fan of getting Chinese takeout, you’ve just stumbled upon the right corner of the internet. The benefits? We can double or triple the batch to have on hand for leftovers. To this day, our version of sweet and sour chicken has been some of our best work.
What Exactly is Sweet and Sour Chicken?
Sweet and sour chicken is a Chinese dish typically made of deep-fried chicken or pork that’s covered in a simple batter of cornstarch. It’s then tossed and finished with a sweet, vinegary sauce. Sometimes, you’ll find it served with pineapple chunks or bell pepper. A true takeout go-to that tastes like heaven on earth!
Preparing Sweet and Sour Chicken from Scratch
To kick off the process, slice the chicken breasts into evenly sized bite-sized pieces (about 1-inch chunks are perfect).
- Coat the Chicken: Next, place the chicken pieces in a large bowl with cornstarch, cornstarch, black pepper, salt, and pressed garlic cloves. Toss to combine.
- Fry the Chicken: Whisk a large egg in a shallow bowl and dip each battered piece of chicken into it. Then, transfer the chicken to a skillet preheated with oil and fry each side until golden brown. Place the chicken in a single layer in a baking dish.
- Mix the Sauce Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and pour it over the chicken.
- Bake the Chicken: Finally, bake the chicken at 350°F for 30 minutes (flip it every 10 minutes to build the coating). Enjoy!
Tips to Help You Make the Best Sweet and Sour Chicken
Making authentic sweet and sour chicken is easier than you think, but a few tips will help you nail it.
- Swap in skinless chicken thighs. If you love dark meat, use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
- Fry the chicken over medium heat. You’re not looking to cook the chicken all the way through, but to get a nice crisp on the breading. Keep in mind it will cook the rest of the way through in the oven.
- Add red pepper flakes for some heat. If you like it on the spicier side, add in as many shakes of red pepper flakes as you can handle.
- Use brown sugar versus white for a deeper flavor. If you want a more full-bodied sweetness, swap the white sugar for brown sugar. Or, add a bit more fruity sweetness by mixing some of the canned pineapple juice into the sauce mixture.
- Bake the chicken with vegetables for a more well-rounded meal. Add broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, and/or onions to the baking dish for a quick serving of veggies.
What Goes Well With Sweet and Sour Chicken
Serve sweet and sour chicken over a bowl of steamed white rice or alongside any of your favorite stir fries. Veggie lo mein, beef lo mein, or shrimp lo mein are all great options. Or, if you’re whipping up an appetizer tray, pierce each chicken with a toothpick for easy snacking.
Storing and Reheating Chicken
Whether you have some leftovers to store or you’d like to have a batch on hand in the freezer, find all the storing and reheating tips you need here.
- Refrigerator: To keep sweet and sour chicken on hand for up to three days, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. This will keep the breading from turning soggy quicker. To reheat it, place it back in the oven or pop it in an air fryer if you have one.
- Freezer: The best way to freeze sweet and sour chicken is after breading and frying it. Assemble the pan-fried chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and pop it into the freezer uncovered. Once completely frozen, transfer the chicken to a freezer-safe bag. If you really want to prep ahead, you can even freeze the sauce. When you’re ready, allow the sauce to thaw on the counter and bake the chicken as directed.
FAQ
Is sweet and sour chicken the same as orange chicken?
While sweet and sour chicken and orange chicken have similar tangy profiles, they are made with slightly different sauces.
What can you use leftover sweet and sour sauce for?
You can use leftover sweet and sour sauce for veggies, stir fry, and meat marinades.
Can you use a different type of vinegar than apple cider vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar works best, as it’s much tangier and contains a subtle sweetness. Other types of vinegar simply won’t work the same.
How do you prevent hot splattering oil?
Prevent the oil from splattering during pan-frying by ensuring the heat stays at medium.
Can you bake the chicken instead of frying it?
Skipping the pan-frying step won’t yield the same crispy result. While you can bake the chicken from start to finish, it’s not recommended.
Other Asian-Inspired Dishes
- Simple Yakisoba Noodles Recipe – Japanese stir fry noodles
- The Best Beef Stir Fry Recipe – Classic beef stir fry with veggies
- Easy Korean Spicy Noodles – Stir fry sweet potato glass noodles
- Air Fryer Korean Chicken Thighs – Sweet and salty chicken thighs
Share Some Love ❤️
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 cup corn starch
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup oil for frying
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Garlic Parley Salt
Instructions
- Place the sliced chicken in a large mixing bowl, followed by the cornstarch, pepper, salt, and pressed garlic cloves. Stir until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Preheat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Dip each chicken piece into the eggs.
- Fry the chicken on each side until golden brown. Place the fried chicken in a baking dish in a single layer.
- In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and garlic salt together.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and bake it at 350°F for 30 minutes.
- As the chicken bakes, turn it over every 10 minutes to create a nice coating. Enjoy over steamed white rice or alongside your favorite noodle dish!
Hey great recipe, instead of oven baking it could I add the sauce to the chicken and finish it in a wok?
Hi Leah- I don't see why not! You could probably just fry the chicken to completion and then finish it off by adding the sauce and stirring until chicken is well coated and sauce is warm. Enjoy!
I haven’t Tryed this recipe yet, but plans to cook it soon. Could I add a small amount of pineapple juice to the sauce? How much would you suggest? Thank you
Hi Patricia- Yes, you can add a few tbsp no problem. Or do 1/4 apple cider vinegar and 1/4 pineapple juice. Please let us know how much you decided to add, and how it turns out! Enjoy! 🙂
I followed the recipe exactly and all I tasted was apple cider vinegar! Next time I think I'll only use 1/4c acv.
Hi, Meagan. Ah, sorry to hear that it was overpowering. Another commenter mentioned that the acidity was different for them depending on which brand of ACV they used, they used a different type the 2 times they made it. The one I used was from Trader Joes I believe and it's not too acidic. Otherwise, decreasing amount of ACV will totally do the trick too. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi there. This looks amazing. Is it possible to air fry the chicken? If so what is your recommendation for temperature and time? Thanks!
Hi Catherine- I have not tried air frying, so I'm not sure about temp or time. Air frying would be a unique option though, instead of pan frying it in step 3. If you give it a try, please let us know how it went!
I was skeptical when the chicken wasnt as crispy as I imagined but I was pleasantly suprised! It's a delicious must try.
Hi Ashley - Yay! So happy you enjoyed this dish. It's one of our favs to pair with a steamed bowl of white rice. 🙂
Can you make this a day ahead, do the baking part next day?
Hi Tanja- that's a great question. I haven't tried making it ahead like this, so I'm not sure! If you give it a go, let us know how it turned out!
Any recommendation adding some heat to the chicken?
Hi Ildi- you can add some red pepper flakes to the sauce to add some heat. Add to taste. Enjoy!
In your narratives you say you can add the pineapple juice to increase the flavor, but I do not see any call for pineapple in the ingredient list.
(Or, add a bit more fruity sweetness by mixing some of the canned pineapple juice into the sauce mixture. )
Hey Catherine- correct. These are just tips or swaps that are suggested, if desired by the reader. Our recipe uses chicken breast and no pineapple juice, but in the post I mention using chicken thigh and a splash of pineapple juice if you prefer, and red pepper flakes for extra heat if desired. Hope this makes sense! 🙂
30 minutes seems a long time to bake after sautéing chicken breast. Anyone find this dry?
Hi Renee- feel free to cut down the baking time if the chicken pieces are smaller or seem ready before 30 minutes are up. Pan frying the chicken is mainly for giving it that beautiful golden color and some crispiness, the baking is to finish off the cooking process. Enjoy!
SO much better than takeout! Even my picky son loved it!
That's a total win, Heather!
LOVE this recipe! Always comes out soo good!
Thanks for the feedback, Jennifer!
this recipe is amazing and I love that I can have chinese food at home! thank you for sharing
You're welcome, Amy! I love popular dishes that can be re-created at home!
Chicken was delicious!! But adding the fresh pressed garlic with the dry ingredients was not the best idea because it created clumps in the corn starch and didn't allow the seasonings to mix well. Next time I'll try using garlic powder.
Thank you for your feedback, Dina! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I loved this recipe! All the ingredients I already had at home and it was very simple to make. My husband loved it! Thank you!
Gotta love easy recipes right?! I'm happy your family loved the recipe.
Hi, can you please tell me which brand of Apple Cider Vinegar you use?
i made this recipe previously and it was AMAZING, but then i bought a new bottle of ACVinegar and now it turns very acidic, very overpowering taste. thanks
I use the one from trader joes. I think it's organic apple cider.
Have made this two times now! We love it!
Oh wow, so happy you guys love it. Thanks for sharing.
I just tried this recipe tonight! Can egg be added to the ingredients list?
Got it, thanks for catching this 😉
This looks amazing! If I do not have apple cider vinegar, can I substitute it with white vinegar? Or even not add it ? Thank you!
You would need to add vinegar for the sour taste that chicken has, apple cider works best in this situation.
Asians don't really eat desserts except at weddings. How about some fruits? melon also. Their is always fortune cookies too. I am going to try this. I have been on an Asian food kick too.
During the summer fruits are a perfect addition! Thanks for all your idea 😉
Did anyone else have an issue with the hot oil spattering while frying the chicken? I had to run after dropping a piece of chicken in to avoid being burned!
I didn't have to run but it does spatter, you could try adding a little less oil next time.
Hi, this is my 3rd time making this recipes, but my first time noticing that you add garlic salt to the sauce?? how much of it? its not in the "ingredients" list..
Thanks!
1 teaspoon of garlic salt. Thanks for pointing that out, I'll fix it 😉
thank you! 🙂 btw and chicken is great! my husband loves it and requests it often!
Thank you, we love it too. I use to go to mall food court for some but now I just make it 🙂
This chicken is AMAZING! ! Thank you for the recipe! Im enjoying a plate of it right now 🙂
Hey! So glad you love it, appreciate your feedback 😉
HI Natalya, I cant print the recipes... I really want to try the sweet and sour chicken It would be easier to have the recipe in front of me...
On top right side there is a print button, or its just not working for u?
When I click the print button it just opens the same page in a different tab..the same goes for other recipes on this site
Ok, thanks! We had our web developer fix that issue today. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Hi Natalya,
I made it today and this recipe is a bomb!!! My family loved it, no leftovers.one question though:how much exactly garlic salt do u use for the sauce? I didn't add any as I wasn't sure.thanks in advance.
Just a tablespoon, I will add it in. Thanks for pointing that out. So glad your family loved the recipe.
Can I Use Garlic Powder Instead? If So How Much?
Yes you can, I would say about two teaspoons but it all depends in a brand of powder you use.
can the chicken be baked instead of fried? (what temp and how long)
To create that coating crust you would need to fry it for just for a min or so and the chicken is baked.
Thank you for the recipe! Made and it was really good:)
Hey Galya, so great that you liked it. 🙂
Was wondering if I can replace the sugar with Stevia?
I think it would work but I haven't tried this. Please tell me if you try it, it may be useful for others.
Can I use tomato paste or salsa for this if i don't want to use a store bought ketchup?
I think tomato paste would work but I haven't tried that my self. Please let me know how it goes when you try it 🙂
This was easy & delicious. Thanks for this recipe. I made this for my birthday and it was a hit with my family. My seven year old devoured it.
Hi Valerie, thanks for sharing! With little ones it can easily be a favorite! My boys loved it too 😉