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Spoonful of chinese sweet and sour chicken recipe

Homemade Sweet and Sour Chicken

4 from 1 vote
Created by Mariam Ezzeddine
Homemade Sweet and Sour Chicken brings your favorite Chinese takeout dish right to your kitchen without being intimidating. The easy sweet and sour sauce has an authentic taste and the dish is loaded with peppers, onions, pineapple and delicious chicken that is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4 servings
servings

Equipment

  • Deep Fryer

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. chicken tenderloin cubed into 1 inch pieces
  • ⅓ cup corn starch
  • 2 whole eggs beaten
  • 1 large red bell pepper cubed
  • 1 large orange bell pepper cubed
  • 1 large green bell pepper cubed
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks
  • 1 medium sweet onion cubed
  • 2 tbsps. olive oil light tasting
  • neutral oil for deep frying
  • sesame seeds for garnishing

Chicken Flour Coating

  • ½ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ tsp salt

Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce

  • ⅓ cup ketchup
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsps. lite soy sauce
  • 3 tbsps. rice vinegar
  • 3 cloves garlic large, minced
  • 1½ tbsp. corn starch
  • 2 tbsps. light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup pineapple juice from chunk can
  • 1 tbsp. neutral oil

Instructions

  • In a large deep pan, preheat the oil to medium heat.
  • Pat dry the chicken tenderloins, cut into one inch cubes and transfer to a bowl.
  • Add the corn starch to the chicken and toss around to coat well. Set aside.
  • In two other small bowls, beat the eggs in one and mix together the flour coating mix ingredients in another.
  • Dip one piece of chicken into the egg bath and then into the dry flour coating mix. Transfer the piece on a cookie rack and repeat steps for the remainder of the chicken pieces.
  • Fry the chicken pieces in the heated oil for about 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Do not overcrowd the pan. Cook them in two batches if your pan is small.
  • Remove the chicken from the frying pan and set on a plate lined with paper towel. Set aside.
  • In a bowl or cup, mix together the sweet and sour sauce ingredients.
  • Heat another pan over medium heat, add in the light tasting olive oil. Pan sear the cubed veggies (not the pineapple) until tender. Remove and set aside. About 3-4 minutes.
  • In the same pan, add in the sweet and sour sauce mix. Simmer on medium low heat, mixing constantly until the sauce thickens up. About 2-3 minutes.
  • Once the sauce has thickened up, add in the chicken, veggies and pineapple chunks. Mix together to coat well and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and garnish with some sesame seeds if desired.

Notes

  • Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breast.
  • Cut your chicken into even sized pieces. This helps it to cook evenly. 
  • Heat the oil well before frying the chicken.
  • Add a bit of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a bit of heat. 
  • Add more vegetables like carrots, broccoli, mushrooms or zucchini.
  • Don’t overcook the veggies. They should still have some bite to them.
  • The sauce will thicken while cooking but will continue to thicken as it cools. 
  • This dish is best served right away. 
  • Serve with a side of rice. 

Nutrition

Calories: 675kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 54g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 730mg | Potassium: 1453mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 3171IU | Vitamin C: 153mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg
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