Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe (2024)

Step 2: Season 12 ounces of chicken with salt and pepper and mix in 1 egg white. As an option, you can add more flavor by marinating them for 15 minutes with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon onion powder.

Step 3: Combine ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Coat the chicken evenly.

Step 5: Sauté 1 onion, ½ red and ½ green bell peppers, and 1 cup pineapple over high heat for 2 minutes until slightly blistered. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 6: Push the vegetables aside, then lower the heat to medium. Sauté 1 teaspoon ginger and 3 garlic cloves in a bit of oil for 30 seconds. Toss them all together.

4.80 from 5 votes

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Filipino

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Author: Nora Rey

For the sauce:

• ▢ 3 tablespoons cane or white vinegar sub:rice or apple cider vinegar
• ▢ ¼ cup ketchup
• ▢ ¼ cup sugar
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
• ▢ 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ▢ 2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the chicken:

• ▢ 12 ounces boneless, skinless thighs or breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 1 egg white lightly beaten (see note)
• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¼ cup cornstarch (see note)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder (see note)
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

For the stir-fry:

• ▢ 1 medium white or yellow onion cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ ½ red bell pepper about 1 cup; cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ ½ green bell pepper about 1 cup; cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 1 cup pineapple chunks fresh, frozen, or canned; cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 2 stalks scallions cut into 1½-inch sections
• ▢ Oil (canola, avocado, or other vegetable oils) for shallow-frying and sautéing

US Customary - Metric

• Make the sauce by combining vinegar, ketchup, sugar, ½ cup water, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Set it aside.

• Season chicken with salt and pepper and mix in egg white.

• Combine flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Coat the chicken evenly.

• Fry the chicken over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until golden brown. Drain them on paper towels and remove the oil.

• Sauté onions, peppers, and pineapple over high heat for 2 minutes until slightly blistered. Season with salt and pepper.

• Push the vegetables aside, then lower the heat to medium. Sauté ginger and garlic for 30 seconds in a bit of oil. Toss them all together.

• Add scallions and the sauce. Let it thicken for about a minute.

• Turn off the heat and toss them together with the chicken. Add ground pepper, as desired.

• Egg white: It binds the starch to the chicken. Without the yolk, the chicken turned out crunchier.
• Starch for the batter: All-purpose flour makes a robust, golden-brown crust, while cornstarch makes it lighter. Use potato starch or rice flour in place of cornstarch.
• Baking powder: It creates bubbles in the batter for a light and crispy coating. It does make a huge difference, so don't skip it.