This Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe brings crunchy pan-fried chicken with sweet bell peppers and pineapple chunks in a lightly sweetened tangy sauce. It tastes much better than Chinese takeout and comes together quickly and easily for a tasty family meal. Serve over brown or white rice or with Chinese noodles.
I add just a couple of pinches of crushed red pepper, which perfectly balances the sweetness of the pineapple and adds just a touch of pizzazz. If you like this dish, try my Hawaiian pizza, chicken fried rice, Szechuan beef, and chicken yakisoba.
This scrumptious recipe is one of our favorite stir-fries. The chicken pieces are pan-fried, so this recipe does not require deep frying. The chicken has a nice mellow crunch and is moist and tender on the inside. The sauce is full of flavor and is not overly sweet, which is perfect for bringing out the natural sweetness of the onions and peppers.
Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Pineapple juice: for the sauce. I like the 100% juice with no added sugar.
- Apple cider vinegar: rice vinegar can be substituted
- Soy sauce: preferably low-sodium
- Ketchup: organic does taste better
- Chicken: boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Vegetable oil: or canola oil
- Pineapple: I like to use fresh pineapple, but you can use canned as well
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
Whisk together the pineapple juice, garlic, water, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Simmer the mixture on low to medium heat until slightly thickened. Cover the sauce and remove it from the heat.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken and cornstarch. Toss with tongs to coat. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, shaking any excess cornstarch off the chicken. Cook until nicely browned on all sides. Remove the chicken and put it on a plate while you cook the vegetables.
Add a little more oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions and peppers until slightly tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the chicken back to the pan with peppers and onions. Pour the sauce into the skillet, and add the pineapple, crushed red pepper, and salt to taste. Gently stir to combine and heat until warmed. Serve over cooked rice or Chinese noodles. Garnish with green onions or toasted sesame seeds.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Cut your chicken into small bite-size pieces so they cook through when browned.
- Cook the sweet and sour sauce until slightly thickened, as it will thicken more upon cooling.
- Use fresh bell peppers and, when seasonably possible, fresh pineapple.
- For a little kick, add 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Serve this dish immediately so the chicken and peppers remain crunchy and crisp. Please do not mix them until you are ready to eat.
- I love pineapple, but it can quickly overpower this dish, so don’t get carried away.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
- Starch: brown or white rice, Chinese noodles, and rice noodles
- Appetizers: classic egg rolls, pork fried dumplings, cream cheese wontons, and lettuce wraps
- Soup: egg drop soup, wonton soup, hot and sour soup
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh pineapple juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Sweet and Sour Chicken
- 1 1/4 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts or bonelss skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2-3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 medium onion large dice
- 1 green bell pepper seeded large dice
- 1 red bell pepper seeded large dice
- 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
- 2 pinches red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Cooked Rice or Chinese noodles
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine pineapple juice, garlic, water, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. On low heat, simmer until thickened, whisking frequently. Cover and remove from heat.
- In a large Ziploc bag, combine chicken and 1/3 cup corn starch. Shake until coated.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, shaking any access cornstarch off the chicken. Cook until nicely browned on all sides and cooked through about 4-5 minutes. Reduce the heat if needed so the chicken does not over-brown or stick to the pan. Remove the chicken to a plate.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the peppers to the skillet and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Reduce heat to low; add the chicken back to the pan with the peppers and onions and cook for 1 minute. Pour the sauce into the skillet, and add the pineapple, crushed red pepper, and salt to taste. Gently stir to combine and heat until warmed. Serve over cooked rice or Chinese noodles.
Video
Notes
- Cut your chicken into small bite-size pieces so they cook through when browned.
- Cook the sweet and sour sauce until it is slightly thickened, as it will thicken more upon cooling.
- Use fresh bell peppers and, when seasonably possible, fresh pineapple.
- For a little kick, add 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Serve this dish immediately so the chicken and peppers remain crunchy and crisp. Therefore, do not mix them until you are ready to eat.
- I love pineapple, but it can quickly overpower this dish, so don’t get carried away.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
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Sonia
This Recipe sounds absolutely delicious! I love the combination of crunchy pan-fried chicken with sweet bell peppers and juicy pineapple chunks, all coated in a tangy and sweet sauce. And the fact that it’s so easy to make at home means that I can enjoy it anytime I want without having to order takeout. I can already imagine serving it over some fluffy white rice or slurping it up with some Chinese noodles. Thanks for sharing this mouth-watering recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sonia! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Connor
The best sweet and sour chicken I think I have ever had. I don’t think I will ever go back to takeout. There is no
comparison. Thanks for the sharing the recipe, Beth
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Connor. I am so glad that you liked it.
Mary
I like all the elements you chose for this dish. So colorful and a great mix of flavors. Easy to change things up or swap in tofu or another veg substitute in the place of chicken.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Mary! Enjoy!!
Deborah
Yum! I skipped my usual trip for Chinese takeout this week. I made your sweet and sour chicken and it was excellent. It was pretty easy to make and tasted so much better. I really enjoy your recipes.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Deborah! I am so glad that you enjoy me recipes!
Renata Feyen
It sounds great, and it looks so great too. However, I can’t eat it anymore since my stomach doesn’t cope well with sweet things since my Gastric Bypass Surgery
Karlee
The best sweet and sour chicken recipe ever! In less than 30 minutes we had crunchy chicken bites with bell peppers and pineapple in mouthwatering good sauce. This is a must try for anyone who loves sweet and sour chicken.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Karlee! So glad that you liked it!
Shelby
Super delicious and way healthier than take out!
Beth Pierce
So true!
dana
We love sweet and sour chicken, and this is a great option for at-home instead of doing takeout! So easy and delicious!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Dana! So glad that you enjoyed it!
Holly
I love Chinese food, but I am always disappointed when we order take out. Making it at home is so much better and your recipe was delicious and easy to follow. My family really enjoyed this meal. We will be making it again soon. Thanks for sharing.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Holly! So glad that you liked the sweet and sour chicken!
Ann
It was so good and better than take out. Thanks!
Ray
The only thing wrong was the chicken I bought. Apart from that it was extremely tasty
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Ray. What was wrong with the chicken? Curious minds want to know.
Lee-Ann Lavender
Delicious!!
Leia
This was so delicious! Fairly easy to make, and I had most things on hand.
I had crushed pineapple and that may have been even better then cubed. I also didn’t have apple cider vinegar, so I left it out, and it was just as good.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lela! So glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for the tip on the pineapple!
Sangeetha S
The combination of crunchy chicken, sweet bell peppers, and tangy pineapple chunks in a lightly sweetened sauce is mouth-watering good. I love how easy it is to make and that it only requires one skillet – perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Thanks for the great recipe!
Rose Ann Sales
This is a really great recipe that I must try! It looks absolutely delicious and tasty I love it
Nayna Kanabar
The sweet and sour chicken was delicious and it was a lovely dish with some rice. It was an easy to follow recipe.