Sweet And Sour Chicken Recipe

Prepare and cut chicken

Trim any excess fat from chicken and cut into 1 to 1.25-inch bite-size pieces. Pat dry with paper towels.

Season the chicken pieces with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; toss to coat evenly.

In a medium bowl, beat 1 egg. In a separate shallow bowl combine 3/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour. Dredge each piece of seasoned chicken first in the egg, letting excess drip off, then coat thoroughly in the cornstarch-flour mixture. Place coated pieces on a wire rack or sheet pan.

Pour 1/2 cup vegetable oil into a large skillet or wok and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350°F / oil should sizzle when a small piece of coating is added). Working in a single layer and in batches to avoid crowding, fry the coated chicken pieces 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F) and the coating is crisp; total frying per batch ~6–8 minutes. Transfer cooked pieces to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. If you prefer less oil, you may shallow-pan-fry with 3–4 tablespoons oil and turn often to cook evenly.

While frying the chicken, prepare sauce: in a bowl whisk together 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon soy sauce until sugar dissolves.

In a small cup mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to form a smooth slurry; set aside.

After removing the last batch of chicken, reduce heat under the skillet to medium. Leave about 1–2 tablespoons of oil and discard excess (or add 1 tablespoon if skillet looks dry). Add the sliced onion and red bell pepper and stir-fry 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften but remain crisp-tender. Add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger; cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet with the vegetables and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in pineapple chunks. Stir the cornstarch slurry again (it may have settled) and slowly pour into the simmering sauce while stirring; the sauce will thicken within 1–2 minutes to a glossy consistency. Taste and adjust: add up to 1 tablespoon more brown sugar for sweeter or 1 tablespoon more vinegar for tang.

Return the fried chicken pieces to the skillet and toss gently to coat evenly with the sauce and warm through, about 1–2 minutes. Ensure all chicken pieces are coated and heated to at least 165°F internal temperature.

Transfer sweet and sour chicken to a serving platter or individual plates. Garnish with sliced green onions. Serve immediately over steamed white rice or fried rice.

Leftovers: cool to room temperature, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat, adding a splash of water if sauce has thickened too much.