Sweet & Sour Chicken Or Pork Recipe
Make Sweet & Sour Chicken Or Pork Recipe in just 45m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Protein
Batter & Coating
Sweet & Sour Sauce
Vegetables & Garnish
Method
Protein
- 1
Prep and cut protein
Trim fat from chicken thighs or pork shoulder and cut into 1 1/2-inch bite-size pieces. Pat dry with paper towels, then season evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Batter & Frying
- 2
Make the batter
In a medium bowl whisk together 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. In a separate small bowl beat 1 egg and stir in 1/2 cup cold water, then pour the wet into the dry and mix briefly until just combined — a few small lumps are fine. The batter should be thick enough to coat pieces; add up to 1 tablespoon more water if too thick.
- 3
- 4
Coat and fry the protein
Working in batches to avoid crowding, dip the seasoned protein pieces into the batter to coat evenly, letting excess drip off. Carefully place pieces in hot oil and fry 3–4 minutes per side (6–8 minutes total) until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F/74°C for chicken, 145°F/63°C for pork). Remove to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate to drain. If desired, fry a second short time (30–60 seconds) after all batches to re-crisp before saucing.
Sweet & Sour Sauce
- 5
Combine sauce ingredients
In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup ketchup, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce (if using) until sugar dissolves.
- 6
Make cornstarch slurry
In a separate tiny bowl mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth.
- 7
Cook the sauce
Wipe out most of the frying oil from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon (or use a clean skillet). Heat over medium, add 1 teaspoon minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger and sauté 15–30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the combined sauce mixture and bring to a gentle simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to a glossy coating consistency. Taste and adjust — add 1 teaspoon sugar if you want sweeter or 1 teaspoon rice vinegar for tang.
Vegetables & Finish
- 8
- 9
Combine everything
Add the fried protein to the vegetables and pour the hot sweet & sour sauce over everything. Toss gently for 1–2 minutes until pieces are well coated and heated through. Turn off heat and sprinkle with sliced scallions and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds if using.