Sweet and Sour Chicken – NOT Deep Fried but SO Good!

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This Chinese sweet and sour chicken recipe is like the classic takeout dish, but better! With a simple homemade sweet and sour chicken sauce made with pineapple juice, ketchup, brown sugar, and a few other basic ingredients, this easy Asian chicken recipe is perfect for feeding your family on a budget!

True story – We had Chinese takeout last week for our family of four and the total cost was over $70… and we only ordered three entrees because our kids shared. But with prices climbing, we don’t want to give up our family-favorite Chinese food either.

So we decided to try our hand at some homemade sweet and sour chicken, and now we’re tossing those to-go menus in the trash!

We’ve made a number of Chinese recipes at home, including Beef and Broccoli and Lo Mein, and this popular sweet and sour chicken recipe is just as good as those copycat takeout recipes, too! This post will walk you through the steps to make our family’s new favorite Chinese chicken dish at home.

What is Sweet and Sour Chicken?

Sweet and sour chicken is a classic Chinese-American dish that features bite-sized pieces of chicken, battered and fried to a crispy golden brown. The chicken is then coated in a vibrant sweet and sour sauce made from vinegar, ketchup, sugar, and sometimes pineapple juice, giving it its characteristic tangy and sweet flavor profile.

This popular Chinese chicken dish is typically served with bell peppers, onions, and pineapple chunks, adding a delightful crunch and additional layers of flavor.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken Sauce

Our homemade sweet and sour chicken sauce is super easy to make, and most of the ingredients are probably already in your pantry. Just whisk together the following ingredients, and set aside until the chicken is almost completely cooked through:

• pineapple juice – We used a 6 ounce can of 100% pineapple juice. You can also use the juice from a can of pineapple tidbits if you prefer, but we like to use fresh pineapple chunks for this recipe.
• ketchup
• sugar – We used regular granulated sugar.
• apple cider vinegar
• soy sauce – This recipe only calls for a small amount, so it really doesn’t matter if you use regular or low-sodium soy sauce.
• minced garlic and ginger – We prefer to use the squeeze bottle of minced ginger, often found in the produce section with the jarred garlic. This type of ginger is a staple in our fridge for Asian recipes, because it’s super convenient and perfect for sauces and dressings.
• cornstarch – Add a bit of water to the cornstarch to make a slurry. This will help to thicken up the sauce.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken without Deep Frying

Here’s a look at the flow of this recipe with some step-by-step guidance:

Step 1: Prep the chicken.

Start by cutting the chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes that are about 1″ in size. While you’re cubing the chicken, go ahead and trim off any excess fat or gristly bits.

Then, velvet the chicken by massaging a bit of cornstarch and an egg white into the meat. Velveting is a popular technique used in Chinese cooking to help tenderize meat. We did a variation of this when we made Mongolian Beef as well, and it turned out perfectly – the beef was tender and juicy on the inside with a crispy exterior.

Set the prepared chicken in the fridge while you’re prepping the other ingredients, like cutting the pineapple and bell peppers, and preparing the sauce.

Step 2: Prep the vegetables and sauce.

Next, cut the fresh pineapple into chunks and chop the bell peppers and onions into bite-sized pieces. Then, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients.

Step 3: Cook the chicken on the griddle.

Since this sweet and sour chicken recipe is NOT deep fried like the traditional dish, you’ll need to do a few things to still achieve that crispy chicken coating.

• First, toss the velveted chicken in a bit of cornstarch so that it is evenly coated. This will act as the “batter”.
• Add some high-heat cooking oil to the heated griddle or skillet. We prefer to use avocado oil, but peanut oil or even canola oil will work as well.
• Place the coated chicken in the heated oil, making sure that the chicken pieces are in an even layer so they can shallow fry and get crispy. Allow the chicken to cook on the first side untouched for about 3-4 minutes.

Then, add a bit more oil to the griddle surface if needed, and flip the chicken pieces to the second side to continue to cook. *You can also add a bit more oil to the griddle if needed, or use your scraper to pull any excess oil towards the chicken pieces to help the frying process (shown below).

Your chicken should look something like this:

Step 4: Cook the pineapple and vegetables.

When the chicken is about 80% cooked through, add the chopped vegetables and pineapple chunks to the griddle. Cook until the vegetables are a tender-crisp, and then toss together with the chicken.

Step 5: Add the sweet and sour sauce to the chicken.

Slowly pour about 1/2 to 3/4 of the sauce on the chicken and vegetables. The heat from the griddle or skillet will cause the sauce to bubble up and begin to reduce. Gently mix the chicken and sauce together, and allow the sauce to heat and reduce some before adding the rest.

After about 4 to 5 minutes (depending on the temperature of your griddle or skillet), the sauce will be done and you can transfer the sweet and sour chicken to a serving bowl. Remember, as the chicken dish cools the sauce will thicken as well.

Serve your homemade sweet and sour chicken over white rice, and garnish with some sliced green onions, and you’re done!

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