You can pull this Sweet and Sour chicken together in about thirty minutes. It is a tasty dish all by itself, but you can serve it over rice or Chinese noodles.
Course main meal
Cuisine Asian
Keyword chicken sweet and sour, chicken sweet and sour chinese, how to cook sweet and sour chicken, how to make sweet and sour chicken, sweet and sour chicken recipe, what is sweet and sour chicken
Prep Time 10 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 30 minutesminutes
Servings 4
Calories 391kcal
Author Beth Pierce
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
¼cupfresh pineapple juice
2clovesgarlic minced
2tablespoonswater
2tablespoonsapple cider vinegar
1tablespoonlow sodium soy sauce
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
2tablespoonsketchup
1tablespooncornstarch
Sweet and Sour Chicken
1¼lbs.boneless skinless chicken breasts or bonelss skinless chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces
⅓cupcornstarch
2-3tablespoonsvegetable or canola oil
1medium onion large dice
1green bell pepper seeded large dice
1red bell pepper seeded large dice
1½cupsfresh pineapple chunks
2pinchesred 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.