Sweet and Sour Chicken: Crispy, Colorful, and Ready in Under 30 Minutes
This homemade sweet and sour chicken recipe is bursting with color, flavor, and texture. It’s inspired by the takeout classic but made with real ingredients—no bottled sauces or shortcuts. Think juicy marinated chicken, crispy coating, stir-fried vegetables, and a glossy sweet-tangy sauce. Best of all? It comes together in under 30 minutes.
👉 Don’t miss our Ultimate Guide to Homemade Chicken Recipes for more dinner ideas!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 30 minutes or less
- Crispy and juicy, with bold flavours
- Sweet and sour sauce made from scratch
- Delicious with rice, noodles, or even homemade fries
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 850 g (about 1.9 lbs) boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 g (about 1/2 tsp) ground pepper
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce
- 100–150 g (3/4 to 1 cup) cornstarch
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 g (1 tsp) fresh ginger, minced
- Neutral oil, for frying
For the Sauce:
- 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) ketchup (or make it homemade)
- 20 ml (4 tsp) white vinegar
- 100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) soy sauce
- 80 ml (1/3 cup) water
- 50 g (1/4 cup, packed) brown sugar
- 15 g (1 tbsp) cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water
For the Vegetables:
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 5 g (1 tsp) fresh ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 250 ml (1 cup) diced pineapple (fresh or canned, drained)
- Green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish
How to Make It
1. Marinate the Chicken
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl and add the minced garlic, ginger, pepper, soy sauce, and eggs. Mix by hand to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the vegetables.
2. Prep the Veggies
Dice the onion and bell peppers. Mince the additional garlic and ginger. Cube the pineapple. Keep everything separate for easier stir-frying.
3. Make the Sauce
In one bowl, whisk together the ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, water, and brown sugar. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in a bit of cold water. Set both aside.
4. Coat and Fry the Chicken
Take the marinated chicken out of the fridge. Add 100–150 g of cornstarch and mix until you get a sticky, pasty texture. Heat 1 cm (1/2 inch) of oil in a large pan to 190°C (375°F). Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
👉 Craving more crispy chicken? Try our Homemade General Tso Chicken next.
5. Stir-Fry the Veggies
In a clean skillet or wok, heat a small amount of oil over high heat. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, then add the onion. After 1–2 minutes, add the bell peppers and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the pineapple and sauté briefly.
6. Thicken the Sauce
Pour the ketchup-soy mixture into the pan. Stir. Add the dissolved cornstarch and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy (2–3 minutes).
7. Combine and Serve
Add the fried chicken to the sauce. Stir well to coat every piece. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onion. Serve hot with steamed rice or homemade chicken fried rice.
Chef Tips
- Cornstarch slurry: Always dissolve in cold water before adding to hot sauce.
- Shortcut marinade: 10–15 minutes is enough if you’re short on time.
- Pineapple: Use fresh or canned, just make sure it’s drained.
- Extra veggies: Add carrots or zucchini for variety.
Substitutions
- Protein: Use firm tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Ketchup: Sub with BBQ sauce or plain tomato sauce with a touch of honey.
- Vinegar: Replace with rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! Fry the chicken and store it separately. Reheat in the sauce just before serving.
Can I use a deep fryer?
Absolutely. It ensures even cooking and better crispiness.
Is it too sweet?
Not at all. The brown sugar balances the acidity of the vinegar and ketchup. You can reduce the sugar slightly if preferred.
What goes well with this?
Steamed rice, noodles, or a fresh carrot salad make excellent sides.
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Sweet and Sour Chicken: Crispy, Colorful, and Ready in Under 30 Minutes
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 850 g about 1.9 lbs boneless chicken breasts or thighs
- 2 medium eggs
- 2 g about 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 30 ml 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 100 –150 g 3/4 to 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 5 g 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- Neutral oil for frying
For the Sauce:
- 100 ml 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp ketchup (or make it homemade)
- 20 ml 4 tsp white vinegar
- 100 ml 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 80 ml 1/3 cup water
- 50 g 1/4 cup, packed brown sugar
- 15 g 1 tbsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water
For the Vegetables:
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 5 g 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 250 ml 1 cup diced pineapple (fresh or canned, drained)
- Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large bowl and add the minced garlic, ginger, pepper, soy sauce, and eggs. Mix by hand to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the vegetables.
- Prep the Veggies Dice the onion and bell peppers. Mince the additional garlic and ginger. Cube the pineapple. Keep everything separate for easier stir-frying.
- Make the Sauce In one bowl, whisk together the ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, water, and brown sugar. In a separate small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in a bit of cold water. Set both aside.
- Coat and Fry the Chicken Take the marinated chicken out of the fridge. Add 100–150 g of cornstarch and mix until you get a sticky, pasty texture. Heat 1 cm (1/2 inch) of oil in a large pan to 190°C (375°F). Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- Stir-Fry the Veggies In a clean skillet or wok, heat a small amount of oil over high heat. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, then add the onion. After 1–2 minutes, add the bell peppers and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the pineapple and sauté briefly.
- Thicken the Sauce Pour the ketchup-soy mixture into the pan. Stir. Add the dissolved cornstarch and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy (2–3 minutes).
- Combine and Serve Add the fried chicken to the sauce. Stir well to coat every piece. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onion. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
Substitutions
- Protein: Use firm tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Ketchup: Sub with BBQ sauce or plain tomato sauce with a touch of honey.
- Vinegar: Replace with rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?Yes! Fry the chicken and store it separately. Reheat in the sauce just before serving. Can I use a deep fryer?
Absolutely. It ensures even cooking and better crispiness. Is it too sweet?
Not at all. The brown sugar balances the acidity of the vinegar and ketchup. You can reduce the sugar slightly if preferred. What goes well with this?
Steamed rice, noodles, or a fresh carrot salad make excellent sides.
