Why wait for takeout when you can make it at home?
This sweet and sour chicken recipe combines tender chicken, pineapple and vegetables in a quick and easy sweet and sour sauce.
Serve it over rice or noodles for an easy meal.
- A frying pan that’s all you need to make this faux Chinese-style takeaway!
- Basic ingredients and simple steps ensure that this dish is on the table minutes!
- It’s versatile, swap out the veggies for your favorites or what’s in your produce drawer.
- Serve over ramen noodles or cauliflower fried rice to soak up all that delicious sauce!
What you will need for sweet and sour chicken
- Chicken – Choose boneless, skinless chicken; Both skinless chicken breasts and thighs will work in this recipe. Pork, shrimp and even tofu are all great options too.
- Pineapple – Use canned pieces of pineapple in juice (not syrup), since juice is used in sweet and sour sauce.
- Vegetables – Green peppers, red peppers and onions add a sweet crunch and pop of color to sweet and sour chicken. Any color of pepper will work.
- Sauce – This sauce is easy to make with basic pantry and fridge ingredients. If time is short, use a jar of store-bought sweet and sour sauce.
How to prepare sweet and sour chicken
- Prepare the second sauce the recipe below. Set aside.
- Dip the chicken pieces in the seasoned cornstarch and cook them in the oil.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and cook the peppers and pineapple in the sauce until tender.
- Stir in the chicken and simmer until the sauce thickens.
Serve with white or fried rice.
Leftovers?
- This recipe is even better the next day! Store it in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Heat on the stove with a little water to dissolve the sauce. Serve alone or over freshly cooked rice or ramen noodles.
- Freeze portions in zip-top bags for up to 4 months and reheat from frozen over medium-low heat on the stovetop.
More stir-fried chicken recipes
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Sweet and sour chicken
Tender chicken is stir-fried with peppers and juicy pineapple in a homemade sweet and sour sauce.
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- In a medium bowl, whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, and 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch.
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and season with ½ tablespoon cornstarch and salt.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook without stirring for 3 minutes or until browned on one side. Stir and cook for 6-7 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the onion, chili pepper, green pepper, ginger and garlic to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
- Whisk the sauce and add it to the pan with the pineapple. Simmer for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir to combine.
- Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
- Recipe from Good Fast Eats by Amy Flanigan.
- Nutritional information does not include rice.
- Leftovers can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Calories: 238 | Carbohydrates: 34G | Protein: 18G | Fat: 4G | Saturated fat: 1G | Polyunsaturated fats: 1G | Monounsaturated fats: 1G | Trans fats: 0.02G | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 576mg | Potassium: 559mg | Fiber: 2G | Sugar: 27G | Vitamin A: 779UI | Vitamin C: 52mg | Soccer: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, dinner, appetizer, main course
Kitchen American, Asian© SpendWithPennies.com. Contents and photographs are protected by copyright. Sharing this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting complete recipes onto any social media is strictly prohibited. Please see my photo usage policy here.
