Last updated on March 14th, 2018 at 10:26 am
Sweet and Sour Chicken at home. This chicken is so delicious it will be devoured in no time. Who needs take out, make this in the comfort of your own home.
I’m sure somewhere in the world it’s warm and sunny and people are wearing their shorts or short skirts and flip flops. I envy those people! I wonder does anyone envy me? The snow mountains in front of the house getting bigger instead of melting, snowing every day, wearing my thick winter jacket, snow boots and all? Anyone? There must be some snow bunnies out there. If you do envy my cold snowy weather can we switch?
MY LATEST VIDEOSNow I have to tell you about one of my all time favorite foods. Chicken of course, but sweet and sour chicken is right up there at the top of the list. Sweet and sour chicken is a dish I always always order whenever I go to a Chinese restaurant. But you know what? I used to be scared to make it thinking it’s so hard. Rubbish! It’s so easy, just like any other fried battered chicken you make. And I’ve been frying chicken for a very very long time. Stop it now. No need to guess my age.
Growing up my mom always made fried chicken, she’d dip it in flour then egg and fry it. Sweet and simple. The only difference with this sweet and sour chicken is that instead of flour you use cornstarch and you make a sauce with it.
My mom never made any sauce yet we still loved it. Actually that’s not true, pretty much with every fried or roasted meat and potatoes we’d have this garlic sauce, which is just to die for and so yummy when you eat it. Just don’t kiss anyone after, you’ll scare them away for good, unless you both eat it. Oh yeah we ate lots of garlic, we’re Romanians after all. Garlic keeps Dracula and vampires away? Did I ever tell you I was born in Transylvania? No? Well that’s a story for another time.
So what makes sweet and sour sauce sweet and sour, you ask? Well my dearies, the main ingredients are sugar and vinegar. Didn’t see that one coming, did you! Plus a couple other ingredients which you’re bound to have at home like soy sauce and ketchup. So you see, you can make this, yes you can! If I can do it, anyone can! Whoa! I can rhyme!
Now off to the kitchen you run and make this for dinner tonight.
For more delicious bite size chicken, try these recipes:
- Oven Fried Breaded Chicken Tenders With Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce
- Asian Glazed Chicken Fingers
- Bang Bang Chicken
- Cuban Chicharrones de Pollo
- Chicken Milanese Bites
- Baked Honey Garlic Chicken
If you guys love this recipe, and most importantly make it yourselves, please let us know. Take a picture and tag it #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!
Sweet and sour chicken at home. This chicken is so delicious it will be devoured in no time. Who needs take out, make this in the comfort of your own home.
- 1 lb chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3/4 cup cornstarch
- oil for frying
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp pepper or to taste
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- 1/2 cup vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- sesame seeds
- green onions chopped
Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the chicken and gently toss making sure each piece of chicken is coated in cornstarch.
Dip a few pieces of the chicken into the egg and gently toss the chicken around making sure they are coated completely in egg.
Heat the oil in a large skillet, start with about 1/4 cup. Add a few pieces of chicken at a time and cook just until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. You will have to do this in batches until done. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate and discard excess oil.
To make the sweet and sour sauce whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a large bowl.
Add the chicken pieces to the prepared baking dish and pour about 2/3 to 3/4 of the sauce over the chicken and toss so that each piece is coated in the sauce.
Bake the chicken for 45 minutes, turning it over every 15 minutes.
Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Use the remainder of the sauce for dipping.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
I was a little worried when one poster commented it wasn’t flavorful but, after making it exactly as recipe said tonight im not sure why the poster thought it had no flavor, It was fantasic, flavorful and easy to make. I roasted pineapple chunks and added them to the sweet and sour chicken. Yum
Thanks jo…..great recipe
My pleasure!
Hi Jo,
Made this for dinner tonight and it came out great. So delicious and my family loved it. Definitely will make this again. Thank you for sharing.
Thushani
My pleasure!
It was really easy to make with ingredients I already had in the fridge. It tasted super good and everyone in the family enjoyed. I like that there are additional suggestions below to add pineapple…I will add them.
great instructions, super easy to make and delicious. i added red peppers and pineapple to the dish at the last stirring. Super good. Definitley will make again
Glad you liked them, Susan! Love that you added red peppers and pineapple to them. 🙂
Made this last night for my husband and myself……instead of using skinless chicken breasts, I used tenderloins….and used sesame oil to sautéed the chicken…….this dish was fantastic……usually I have to tweet some recipes but this one was better than the restaurants….after cooking in the oven for the 45 minutes and tossing the chicken in the sauce every 15 minutes, the chicken absorbed the sauce which thickened so nicely…..delicious….I’m thinking of making this as an appetizer to bring to some parties….thanks, Jo……
It makes a great appetizer! Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Made this today – hubby absolutely loved it! (Amazing since he has been giving me what he calls ‘constructive criticism’ o a lot of my recent meals…but let’s not go there.)
My eggs were quite large, so only used 2 which was sufficient. Have a tiny bit of sauce left which I intend to use with some charred broccoli tomorrow.
Definitely on the meal rotation – and just what I needed today. I took a couple of pictures – wish I could post them here.
Oh of course, “constructive criticism” when it comes from them and “nagging” when it comes from us 😉 If you use instagram, post your photos and tag it #jocooks! We’d love to see your results.
I just posted 2 photos – of course we had consumed most of the chicken before I remembered to grab my phone for a picture. This was seriously good food.
HI Jo. I tried this recipe tonight and it was absolutely delicious!! I didn’t change a thing! Easy and very flavorful, this recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you!!
Janet
I’m one of those wearing shorts and flip-flops right now in Charleston, but I LOVE some sweet and sour chicken! This looks so easy and perfect for weeknight meals.
Jo, when I click the links for “garlic sauce” or “Bang Bang chicken” I get an error message:
Not found, error 404
The page you are looking for no longer exists. Perhaps you can return back to the site’s homepage and see if you can find what you are looking for. Or, you can try finding it by using the search form below.
Maybe there’s something wrong with the links as this has never happened before. Just wanted to let you know. I’ll be making this chicken on the weekend.
Sorry about that, I just fixed them. 🙂
I tried this recipe the 2 nights ago, and it was FABULOUS!!! I started following your blog about six months ago and I LOVE it! I’ve tried TONS of sweet and sour recipes- I want the Chinese take out taste quite often without the price tag. This is the best one hands down!!!! I’d give it 10/10!!! We couldn’t wait to gobble up the left overs the next day! Thanks so much for the recipe. It’s now my “go to”!
Oh Becky thank you so much, this really does mean a lot to me!!
I think I have had better but still nice 8/10. Doubled the sauce ingredients. Sauce just wasn’t that flavoursome. Maybe will try again another time. Forgot sesame seeds and spring onions. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Jo- I just wanted to say I found your recipes through instagram and just started following you. I am not a chef but ever since I have started making your recipes, everyone wants a taste! This sweet and sour chicken is hands down the favorite! Keep the recipes coming, thank you!
Thanks Jessica, I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes 🙂
I love this recipe! I make it all of the time and it is definitely one of my favorites!
This sweet and sour chicken looks delicious! Pinned! Can never have too many chicken recipes, right?
I feel for you and this never-ending winter! Just make it stop! Someone please! I can’t take any more snow, ice or winter coats!
Thanks Lindsey! 🙂
This looks so amazingly delicious, and very doable too. Pinning to try soon! PS – I would trade some of my sunny 80 degree Arizona weather with you, but only for a day or two 🙂
LOL you know what? I would do it even for a couple days. 🙂
Hello, Jo! Wow, this looks sooo appetizing! Especially with the little sesame seeds stuck to the chicken. Sweet and sour chicken was always my favourite to order from the takeaway when I was a child so it brings back great memories! Love that you can make this with so few ingredients. Pinning!
Thanks Helen!
I love sweet and sour chicken. I like this version and will be giving it a try.
I hope you like it Rina. 🙂
Thanks for all the yummy recipes…we love your website. I think we should do a holiday house swop. We live in Cape Town and are REALLLLY sick of the summer and the heat. It’s slowly coming to an end but hell would we welcome some cold, snowy weather. The minimum it reaches here in winter is maybe 10 degrees Celsius on a really cold day. But for now, yip, it’s warm and sunny and I’m wearing shorts and flip flops. But i’d give anything to swop places….
Wow Steve, are you serious?? Why would you give up flip flops for snow boots?? Sounds like a deal though!
Hello !
Now I am officially addicted to this place, this naughty tempting and luring place, it makes me look like an exprt, I am the woman who can, at a wave of my wand can come up with an impromptu idea for a fabulous meal ( a turning on of my tablet in secret )
people have been stunned at my ability to remember recipes, ( surfing your site to find a fitting meal that fits what I have in my fridge.) to without knowing I have to cook I have been able to come up with exciting snacks lunches and almost banquets!
Ashamedly I can not bring myself to let my (your) secret out the bag……. To gain some semblance of upper hand in this deception i have put my three sisters on to your site and pinterest friends, i am trying to gain friends and influence peeople, ( moved to other side of the country and am trying to find a circle of friends) so forgive me for not telling everyone about this wonderful place and keep them coming….. pleaseeee. I feel you find the meals and if I like them I can just follow it, after all you have taken the testing and trying out of the picture! Perfect every time. Until we meet again TTFN. Ellen from England!
P.s. TTFN = ta ta for now.
OMG Ellen! You have made my day! Heck you have made my weekend. I’m so so happy you love my little place on the web here and are enjoying the recipes. You’re awesome for your wonderful words. Thank you so much!