You usually order sweet and sour chicken when you want something quick and low maintenance. Maybe you had a late night, maybe you want to stay in, or maybe a craving hit and you couldn’t let go of the idea of sinking your teeth into some fried chicken goodness. Whatever the reason, some part of you thought, “I can’t make it better than takeout.” But what if you could?
What Is Sweet and Sour Chicken?
Sweet and sour chicken comes from China. The name comes from the combination of sugar and vinegar in the sauce. However, unlike the Westernized version of the dish that made it to the States, typically sweet and sour sauce is just used as a dip for various meats. While the sauce still has that same sweet and sour base, the food that has made its way into our hearts is a fried chicken and rice dish.
Here are more Asian recipes we love.
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
This sweet and sour chicken recipe from Lori Burtenshaw of Terreton, Idaho makes 4 servings.
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sherry or reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup cornstarch, divided
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
Sauce:
- 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups hot cooked rice
- Optional: bell pepper
Directions
Step 1: Season the chicken
In a large shallow dish, combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sherry, salt, garlic powder and ginger. Add the chicken. Turn the chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Make the sauce
Drain the pineapple chunks, reserving the juice and setting the pineapple aside. Add enough water to the juice to measure 1 cup. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, sugar and pineapple juice mixture until smooth. Stir in vinegar, ketchup and remaining soy sauce. Set aside.
Step 3: Cook the chicken
Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade. Place the remaining cornstarch in a large shallow dish. Add the chicken, a few pieces at a time, and turn to coat.
In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken. Cook and stir until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.
Step 4: Finish the sauce
Stir pineapple juice mixture and add it to the pan. Bring to a boil and cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the chicken and reserved pineapple and make sure it’s heated through. Serve with rice.
Tips for Making Sweet and Sour Chicken
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How can you add heat to sweet and sour chicken?
Do you want a little less sweet in your sweet and sour sauce? You can add red pepper flakes for spice. Or you can even chop some red peppers into the dish.
How can you thicken the sauce?
The sauce thickens even more as it cools. But if your sauce is still watery, adding equal parts cornstarch and water will thicken the sauce. If the reverse problem occurs, and your sauce becomes too thick, add water to thin it out.
What else can you put in sweet and sour chicken?
The meal is already delicious on its own, but you can add veggies like green peppers and onion to your sweet and sour chicken. These enhance the flavor and add a bit of kick. Even more unconventional choices like mushrooms, carrots and baby corn can take well to the sauce.
How should you store leftover sweet and sour chicken?
Sweet and sour chicken is best served fresh, so it doesn’t lose any crispiness. But if you have leftovers, they should be stored in an airtight container. They’ll last 3-4 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze the chicken up to 3 months.
Reheat leftover sweet and sour chicken in the oven at 350° for 15-20 minutes or in the air fryer at 350° for 3-4 minutes.
More Chinese Chicken Recipes to Try
Mongolian ChickenCut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into small and even pieces to ensure that the sauce coats every bite. You could also use a different cut of chicken if you prefer
recipes with chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins.
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Sesame chicken is similar to General Tso’s chicken, but with less heat. If you do want to make it spicier, add chili oil or chili sauce as you cook the chicken, or drizzle the sauce on the chicken once plated.
Go to Recipe
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This takeout favorite requires breading and frying, so try it on a night when you have a bit of extra time to cook. If you like it extra spicy, add more red pepper flakes.
Nancy Mock for Taste of Home
If this sticky-sweet chicken is your go-to order, then you'll be excited to make it at home. It comes together in about 40 minutes and serves six. So invite a few friends or plan for leftovers.
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Chicken Pot StickersThe recipe makes four dozen pot stickers, and if you have leftovers, they're easy to freeze. Just cover and freeze the uncooked pot stickers in a single layer on waxed paper until firm, then transfer to
freezer containers and store until you're ready for more.
Kung Pao ChickenWarning: This dish is spicy. If you aren't that brave, go easy on the Sriracha chili sauce and serve with an extra scoop of rice. As a refresher, here's our guide on
how to cook rice so you can master a restaurant-quality base for Kung Pao chicken.
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Make this garlicky chicken in the time it would have taken for your takeout order to arrive. Serve with white or jasmine rice, or even lo mein.
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Szechuan Skillet ChickenIf you don't own a
cast-iron skillet, it might be time to invest in one. It heats evenly, it can go in the oven, and it will last pretty much forever. But even if you don't have this handy tool, you can still make Szechuan skillet chicken with a traditional frying pan.
Black Pepper ChickenUse boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the juiciest results. When you slice the chicken, cut against the grain to shorten the muscle fibers and help the meat stay as tender as possible.
General Tso’s StewIf you love General Tso's chicken, this slow-cooker soup is about to be your new favorite weekday dinner. Thanks to shredded, pre-cooked chicken, you don't even have to brown it before you pop it in the slow cooker.
Baked Egg RollsIf you thought you could never make restaurant-quality egg rolls at home, think again. Thanks to store-bought egg roll wrappers, this appetizer comes together in a flash.
Pineapple-Ginger Chicken Stir-FryHere, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are cut into bite-sized cubes. If you've ever struggled with cutting raw chicken, here's a tip: The easiest way to cube chicken is to slice it while it's still slightly frozen.
Stir-Fry Chicken Lo MeinWhile Chinese-style egg noodles are the traditional noodles used in lo mein, don't worry if you can't find them at the grocery store. You could also use Japanese yakisoba, udon noodles, rice noodles or even al dente spaghetti.
Miso Butter Roasted ChickenWhile making this dish is time-consuming (25 minutes to prepare the ingredients and another 90 minutes to cook), it makes a complete meal that serves six. It's also a great option for
batch cooking; the leftovers will keep for several days in the fridge.
Cashew Chicken with Bok ChoyThis shortcut version of a takeout classic makes things simple with boneless, skinless chicken breasts and store-bought stir-fry sauce. Your dinner guests will never believe it all came together in just about half an hour.
Asian Chicken DumplingsThese dumplings are fabulous for a special occasion, and thanks to a package of pot sticker or gyoza wrappers, this recipe is much easier than it looks. You can typically find Chinese five-spice powder at most Asian grocery stores, but if you don't see it, you can always
make your own.
Easy Fried RiceSure, you could buy the frozen, pre-made stuff. But when it's this easy to make from scratch, why would you? Add leftover chicken to make it a full meal.
Garlic Chicken & BroccoliThis takeout staple uses cornstarch to thicken the sauce. But if you add too much and find it's too thick or lumpy, just add a small amount of chicken broth or water until it reaches the consistency you like.
Slow-Cooker Sweet-and-Sour ChickenThis sweet-and-sour chicken is one of those
easy slow cooker recipes you'll want to bookmark for a busy weeknight. After browning the chicken in a skillet, pop the ingredients in the slow cooker, which does most of the work for you.
Instant Pot Sesame ChickenWe love a trusty
Instant Pot recipe, and this sesame chicken takes only 10 minutes of prep time and another 10 minutes to cook. Serve it over a bed of rice or noodles to make it a complete meal.
Asian Glazed Chicken ThighsCalling all healthy eaters: With less than 300 calories and less than 2 grams saturated fat per serving, this light and healthy dinner option also packs in a whopping 22 grams of protein. Serve with
cauliflower rice or
stir-fried veggies.
Honey Chicken Stir-FryTake this meal from fridge to table in 30 minutes with a package of frozen stir-fry veggies and a simple sauce that's made with honey and reduced-sodium soy sauce. You might want to make some extra sauce to sop up the rice.
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This crunchy, flavorful salad combines Chinese and napa cabbage, chicken, ginger and chow mein noodles in a tangy sesame oil and rice vinegar dressing. Add veggies like carrots and green onions for extra crunch.
Risa Lichtman for Taste of Home
This copycat recipe tastes pretty much exactly like the takeout version, thanks to an irresistible sauce made from oyster sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, cornstarch and hoisin sauce. If you like the sauce a bit thicker, add extra cornstarch.
Charles Brutlag/Shutterstock
You might have most of these ingredients already sitting in your pantry. In this recipe, angel hair subs in for lo mein noodles. Just make the pasta and sauce, cook the chicken, stir-fry the veggies, mix in the noodles and enjoy.
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You'll want to slather this amazing five-ingredient sauce on everything. Pineapple chunks, sugar, cider vinegar, salt and—yes—ketchup are a winning combination.
