Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 120 mlhot water
• ¼ teaspoonsalt
• 2 tablespoonssugar
• 1 tablespoonketchup
• 120 mlpineapple juice (optional, reserved from canned pineapple)
• 3 tablespoonsrice wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
• 340 gboneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs
• 1–2 tablespoonswater
• ⅛ teaspoongarlic powder
• ¼ teaspoononion powder
• ½ teaspoonsesame oil
• ⅛ teaspoonwhite pepper
• ½ teaspoonsalt
• 90 g (¾ cup)plain flour
• 1 tablespooncornflour
• ½ teaspoonbaking powder
• ¼ teaspoonbicarbonate of soda
• 160 ml (⅔ cup)ice water
• 1 tablespoonvegetable oil (or rapeseed oil), plus more for frying
• ⅔ cupcanned pineapple chunks (optional)
• 1 tablespoonoil
• ¼ cupred onion, cut into 2.5 cm chunks
• ¼ cupred pepper, cut into 2.5 cm chunks
• ¼ cupgreen pepper, cut into 2.5 cm chunks
• 2 tablespoonscornflour
• 2 tablespoonswater

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the sauce

   In a bowl, combine 120 ml hot water, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon ketchup, 120 ml pineapple juice if using, and 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then set aside.

2. 2

   Season the chicken

   Cut 340 g chicken into bite-sized pieces. In another bowl, mix it with 1–2 tablespoons water, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, ⅛ teaspoon white pepper and ½ teaspoon salt. Leave it to marinate briefly while you make the batter.

3. 3

   Make the batter

   Whisk 90 g plain flour, 1 tablespoon cornflour, ½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda together in a bowl. Gradually stir in 160 ml ice water and 1 tablespoon vegetable or rapeseed oil, mixing just until smooth.

4. 4

   Fry the chicken

   Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or wok to about 175°C. Dip each piece of chicken in the batter and carefully lower it into the oil. Fry in batches for about 4–5 minutes per batch, until golden and cooked through, then drain on paper towels.

5. 5

   Cook the vegetables

   Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add ¼ cup each of red onion, red pepper and green pepper, cut into chunks, and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until beginning to soften. Add ⅔ cup pineapple chunks if using.

6. 6

   Thicken the sauce

   Stir 2 tablespoons cornflour with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Pour the prepared sauce into the pan and bring it to a simmer. Add the slurry and stir continuously until the sauce thickens.

7. 7

   Toss everything together

   Add the fried chicken to the pan and gently toss until evenly coated with sauce. Cook for a further 1–2 minutes, until heated through.

8. 8

   Serve while hot

   Transfer the sweet and sour chicken to a serving dish. Serve hot, ideally with steamed rice or noodles.

What is sweet and sour chicken?

Sweet and sour chicken is a Chinese-inspired takeaway favourite built around contrasting sweet, sharp and savoury flavours. Versions differ, but a glossy vinegar-based sauce and crisp chicken are common features.

This recipe uses pineapple juice, sugar and vinegar for the sauce, with peppers, onion and optional pineapple chunks for colour and extra sweetness. Frying the battered chicken separately helps it brown before it is coated.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 690 calories, 36g protein, 79g carbs, 24g fat.

The chicken and its flour coating provide most of the protein and carbohydrates, while the batter and frying oil contribute much of the fat. Sugar and pineapple juice add further carbohydrates. Serve with a moderate portion of rice or noodles and plenty of vegetables to round out the plate.

The sauce ingredients

Sweetness: Sugar and optional pineapple juice round out the vinegar’s sharpness. If using canned pineapple, its reserved juice is a handy choice.

Tang: Rice wine vinegar gives the sauce its characteristic acidity; red wine vinegar is offered as an alternative. Ketchup contributes savoury tomato flavour as well as colour.

Keep the batter light

Cold liquid: Ice water helps keep the batter cool as you mix it. Stir only until smooth rather than beating it longer than needed.

Leavening: Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda are included in the coating. Have the chicken ready so you can dip and fry it soon after making the batter.

Frying and doneness

Oil temperature: Aim for about 175°C before frying. If the oil is too cool, the coating can absorb more oil; if it is too hot, the outside may colour before the chicken cooks through.

Small batches: Fry in batches for about 4–5 minutes each, as directed. The coating should be golden, and the chicken should be cooked through before it is drained.

Vegetables and sauce texture

Vegetables: Stir-fry the onion and peppers for 2–3 minutes, just until they begin to soften. This keeps some bite in the vegetables when the finished dish is tossed together.

Cornflour slurry: Mix the cornflour with water before adding it to the simmering sauce. Stir continuously as it thickens so it blends evenly rather than forming lumps.

Serving and timing

Toss the chicken in the sauce only after the vegetables are cooked and the sauce has thickened. The final 1–2 minutes warms everything through, though the coating will gradually soften once it is sauced.

Serve straight away with steamed rice or noodles. The recipe takes about 40 minutes in total, so prepare the sauce and cut the vegetables while the chicken marinates.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the chicken into similar-sized pieces so they fry at a similar rate.
• Let the oil reach about 175°C before adding the first batch.
• Avoid crowding the pan when frying; work in batches as directed.
• Prepare the cornflour slurry just before you need to add it.
• Serve soon after tossing the chicken with the sauce to preserve more crispness.

Variations

• Use thigh meat: Swap the breast for boneless, skinless chicken thighs as listed.
• Change the vinegar: Use red wine vinegar instead of rice wine vinegar for the sauce.
• Add pineapple: Stir in the optional canned pineapple chunks with the vegetables.
• Skip the juice: Leave out the optional pineapple juice and use the remaining sauce ingredients.
• Choose another oil: Use rapeseed oil instead of vegetable oil in the batter.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overmixing the batter: Stir just until smooth so you do not work it more than needed.
• Crowding the fryer: Fry the chicken in batches so the pieces have room in the oil.
• Guessing the oil temperature: Bring it to about 175°C before frying to help the coating cook evenly.
• Adding dry cornflour: Mix it with 2 tablespoons water first, then stir the slurry into the simmering sauce.
• Cooking the vegetables too long: Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, stopping when they begin to soften.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly in a pan or microwave; the coating will be softer after storage, and reheating in a pan can help it regain some texture.

Frequently asked questions