Description
A classic Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe featuring crispy fried chicken pieces tossed with vibrant bell peppers, pineapple chunks, and a tangy homemade sweet and sour sauce. Perfectly balanced flavors with a delightful combination of crispy texture and savory-sweet sauce that can be served over steamed rice or noodles in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, for frying
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- ½ cup rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
For the Stir-Fry:
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small onion, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned, drained)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Prep Chicken: In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken pieces with beaten eggs, salt, and black pepper. Toss thoroughly until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Coat Chicken: Add cornstarch and all-purpose flour to the bowl and toss until the chicken pieces are fully coated with the dry mixture, preparing them for frying.
- Fry Chicken: Heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken pieces in batches, ensuring they have room to cook evenly. Fry until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, usually about 4-5 minutes per batch. Drain cooked pieces on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Make Sweet and Sour Sauce: In a saucepan, combine rice vinegar, ketchup, sugar, low-sodium soy sauce, and pineapple juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once simmering, stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue cooking until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Stir-Fry Vegetables: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and stir-fry briefly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the red and green bell peppers and onion pieces, stir-frying until tender-crisp, approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Combine and Serve: Add pineapple chunks and the cooked chicken into the skillet with the vegetables. Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce over the mixture and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve hot over steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, fry chicken in small batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
- You can substitute chicken breasts with thighs for juicier meat.
- The sweet and sour sauce can be adjusted by modifying the sugar or vinegar amounts to taste.
- Serve immediately for the best texture; leftovers may become soggy.
- Can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free flour and soy sauce alternatives.
