Sweet & Sour Chicken Recipe

Prepare chicken

Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season evenly with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp garlic powder. Toss so all pieces are lightly seasoned.

Set up dredging stations

Place the 1 cup cornstarch and 1 tbsp flour in a shallow bowl. In a second bowl, beat the 2 eggs until combined. One by one, dredge each chicken piece in the cornstarch mixture (coat all sides), then dip into the beaten eggs, and return to the cornstarch for a final even coating. Shake off excess.

Fry the chicken

Heat about 1 cup vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or is shimmering. Fry the chicken in batches so pieces are not crowded—about 3–4 minutes per side—until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F / 74°C). Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) if frying in batches.

Prep vegetables

While the chicken fries, cut the bell peppers into 1-inch pieces, cut the onion into wedges, drain pineapple chunks and slice scallions. This can be done ahead so the sauce step is quick.

Sauté vegetables

After removing the last chicken batch and leaving about 1 tbsp of oil in the pan (or add 1 tbsp if needed), return pan to medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and stir-fry 2–3 minutes until bright and just tender-crisp. Add the pineapple chunks and cook 1 minute more. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and set aside.

Make the sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup pineapple juice, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp ketchup, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp granulated sugar until sugar mostly dissolves.

Prepare slurry

Stir the cornstarch slurry by combining 2 tsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water until smooth; set aside.

Cook the sauce

With the pan over medium heat, pour the sauce mixture in and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any brown bits. After simmering 1–2 minutes, slowly whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Continue to simmer and stir until the sauce thickens to a glossy coating consistency, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust: add a pinch of salt or 1/2 tsp more vinegar if you want brighter acidity, or 1/2 tsp more sugar for sweetness.

Combine chicken and vegetables

Return the fried chicken and sautéed vegetables/pineapple to the pan. Toss gently to coat everything evenly with the sauce and heat through for 1–2 minutes so the chicken stays crisp but is fully sauced.

Garnish and serve

Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls. Sprinkle sliced scallions and 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional) over the top. Serve immediately with steamed white rice or fried rice.