This sweet and sour chicken recipe is the perfect mix of crispy, juicy, and downright delicious. With tender chicken, colorful veggies, and a tangy sauce that hits all the right notes, it’s like bringing the best of take-out to your kitchen—minus the delivery wait. Quick, easy, and full of fresh flavor, it’s a dish you’ll want on repeat.

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This recipe has become a go-to in my kitchen because it’s so satisfying and versatile. The crispy chicken stays juicy, the veggies add a nice crunch, and the sauce ties everything together with a sweet, tangy kick. With a homemade sweet and sour sauce, it’s a crowd-pleaser any time of year, but there’s something especially comforting about it on a chilly evening. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll wonder why you ever ordered takeout.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll need all the ingredients in the photograph below.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Ingredients. Photo Credit: Hungry Cooks kitchen

How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken

A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

I love how simple this recipe is, even on the busiest days. Follow these steps, and you’ll have a flavorful dish ready to impress in no time.

Start with the Sauce

Whisk together the cornflour and water, then set it aside. In a small pot, combine pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Bring it to a gentle boil, then stir in the cornflour mixture. Let it simmer until it thickens—just a few minutes. Reserve it for later.

A hand holds a spoon over a bowl of white liquid, reminiscent of the creamy base for sweet and sour chicken. Nearby, a bowl of pineapple chunks and a small cup of brown liquid rest on a textured surface, painting a culinary scene. — Mix the cornflour and water and set aside.

A person stirs a pot of sweet and sour, reddish-brown liquid on the stove with a metal spoon. — Combine pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and rice vinegar in a small pot.

A metal pot on a stove contains a swirling mixture of brown and red liquid with visible spices, reminiscent of sweet and sour chicken. — Let it simmer until it thickens.

Prep the Chicken

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Toss them in cornstarch, then coat each piece in cornflour. The cornstarch creates a light base for a crispy finish.

A bowl of raw chicken pieces topped with flour, ready to transform into sweet and sour chicken, is surrounded by bowls of sesame seeds, pineapple pieces, and chopped green onions on a light surface. — Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper and toss them in cornstarch.

Sweet and sour chicken begins with raw pieces coated in flour, resting in a white bowl on a gray surface. Nearby, green onions, pineapple, and sesame seeds hint at the delightful flavors that await. — Toss everything until every piece is evenly coated.

Fry Until Golden

Heat oil to 350°F (180°C). Fry the chicken in batches until it’s golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper-lined sheet to drain.

Sweet and sour chicken pieces sizzling in a pan with oil, surrounded by bowls of juicy pineapple, chopped green onions, and fluffy rice. — Fry the chicken in batches.

Pieces of chicken frying in a pan with oil, transforming into sweet and sour chicken, surrounded by bowls of pineapple cubes, chopped green onions, and rice on a light surface. — Cook until golden brown and crispy.

Stir-Fry the Veggies

In a wok or large skillet, heat a bit of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking just until fragrant.

Toss in pineapple, bell peppers, and onions, stirring until the veggies are tender yet crisp.

A frying pan with oil, chopped garlic, and ginger hints at an upcoming dish. Surrounding it are bowls of rice, pineapple chunks, sliced green onions, and seasoning—perfect ingredients for a flavorful sweet and sour chicken. — Sauté garlic and ginger.

A frying pan sizzles with diced red and yellow bell peppers, pineapple, red onions, and tofu, offering a vegetarian twist on sweet and sour chicken. Nearby, small bowls hold chopped green onions and sesame seeds. — Toss in pineapple, bell peppers, and onions.

A pan filled with sweet and sour chicken, featuring stir-fried chicken, pineapple chunks, and mixed bell peppers. A small bowl of chopped green onions is nearby, along with a bowl of rice and a pepper shaker. — Add the fried chicken and sauce.

Bring It All Together

Add the fried chicken to the pan, pour in the sweet and sour sauce, and toss everything together until coated evenly.

Serve hot over fluffy white rice garnished with sesame seeds and green onions, and enjoy!

Pan of sweet and sour chicken stir-fried with bell peppers and sauce, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions. Served with a bowl of white rice. — Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.

Recipe Notes and Tips

I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to make sure your sweet and sour chicken turns out perfectly every time:

Cut evenly: Chop your chicken and veggies into similar-sized pieces for even cooking and the best presentation.
Don’t overcrowd the oil: Fry in small batches so your chicken stays crispy, not soggy.
Test the oil: Drop in a small piece of bread—if it bubbles gently and floats, you’re good to go.
Make it your own: Swap pineapple chunks for mango or add a splash of apple cider vinegar for extra tang.
Go easy on the salt: Use low-sodium soy sauce to control the saltiness of the dish.
Chicken thighs: Skinless chicken thighs work great and add extra juiciness to the dish.
Make ahead: The sauce and veggies can be prepped ahead and stored in the fridge. Fry the chicken fresh for the best texture, but you can reheat it in the oven to crisp it up again.
No pineapple juice: Orange juice works as a substitute, giving a slightly different but still delicious tang to the sauce.
Make it thicker: If needed, mix an extra teaspoon of cornflour with a splash of water, then stir it into the sauce while simmering.

A sizzling skillet of sweet and sour chicken brimming with vibrant bell peppers, all crowned by a sprinkle of sesame seeds and fresh green onions. — Sweet and Sour Chicken. Photo Credit: Hungry Cooks kitchen

How to Store Leftover Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and sour chicken tastes just as amazing the next day. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

When reheating, use a skillet over medium heat for the best texture—no one loves soggy chicken! Add a splash of water or extra sauce to keep things saucy and delicious.

What to Serve With Sweet and Sour Chicken

This dish is great on its own, but it also pairs wonderfully with some simple sides. Serve it over steamed white rice, fluffy jasmine rice, fried rice, or even cauliflower rice if you want something lighter.

Noodles are also an option: rice noodles, egg noodles, or even spaghetti can work well. Add a side of egg rolls, a bowl of egg drop soup, or some stir-fried greens to round out the meal.

Bowl of rice topped with sweet and sour chicken, red bell peppers, pineapple, and sprinkled with sesame seeds and green onions, next to a small dish of green onions and pepper shaker. — Sweet and Sour Chicken. Photo Credit: Hungry Cooks kitchen

More Takeout Recipes You Will Love

If you’re a fan of this sweet and sour chicken, you’ll love these fake-away recipes too:

Sweet and Sour Chicken

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 35

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: sweet and sour chicken

Servings:

Calories: 1445kcal

Ingredients

For the sweet and sour sauce:

1 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons water
1 cup pineapple juice
½ cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

For the chicken:

2 chicken breasts cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
Salt and pepper
¼ cup cornstarch
½ cup cornflour
2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Sweet and Sour Chicken

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tablespoons ginger grated
1 cup pineapple cubed
½ cup green bell pepper cubed
½ cup red bell pepper cubed
½ onion diced big (about the same size as the peppers and pineapples)

To serve:

Sesame seeds
Green onions
White rice

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Dissolve the cornflour in 2 tablespoons of water and set aside. Add the pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and vinegar to a small pot and bring to a slow boil. Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes, or until it thickens. Reserve.
1 tablespoon cornflour, 2 tablespoons water, 1 cup pineapple juice, ½ cup brown sugar, 4 tablespoons ketchup, 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Mix with the cornstarch and mix until fully combined—the chicken juices should make the cornstarch wet enough to use as a base for coating with the cornflour afterwards. Coat all the pieces with the cornflour.
2 chicken breasts, Salt and pepper, ¼ cup cornstarch, ½ cup cornflour
Heat the oil at 350°F (180ºC) (if you want to test the temperature, throw a piece of bread – it should float and start softly bubbling immediately). Start frying the chicken in batches and transfer to a paper-lined sheet as soon as each piece is golden on every side.
2 cups vegetable oil
Heat a wok to medium-high. Add the vegetable oil, garlic and ginger. Cook for a couple of minutes.
2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons ginger, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Add the pineapple, peppers, and onions – sauté for a few minutes, until they start to get tender.
1 cup pineapple, ½ cup green bell pepper, ½ cup red bell pepper, ½ onion
Add the chicken and the sauce and toss to combine everything.
Serve immediately over white rice with sesame seeds and green onions.
Sesame seeds, Green onions, White rice

Video

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Notes

Cut evenly: Chop your chicken and veggies into similar-sized pieces for even cooking and the best presentation.

Don’t overcrowd the oil: Fry in small batches so your chicken stays crispy, not soggy.

Test the oil: Drop in a small piece of bread—if it bubbles gently and floats, you’re good to go.

Make it your own: Swap pineapple chunks for mango or add a splash of apple cider vinegar for extra tang.

Go easy on the salt: Use low-sodium soy sauce to control the saltiness of the dish.

Chicken thighs: Skinless chicken thighs work great and add extra juiciness to the dish.

Make ahead: The sauce and veggies can be prepped ahead and stored in the fridge. Fry the chicken fresh for the best texture, but you can reheat it in the oven to crisp it up again.

No pineapple juice: Orange juice works as a substitute, giving a slightly different but still delicious tang to the sauce.

Make it thicker: If needed, mix an extra teaspoon of cornflour with a splash of water, then stir it into the sauce while simmering.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Fridge: Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: When reheating, use a skillet over medium heat for the best texture—no one loves soggy chicken! Add a splash of water or extra sauce to keep things saucy and delicious.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

About the Author

A woman with long brown hair is smiling and standing with her arms crossed. She is wearing a sleeveless, black and white diamond-patterned dress.

Hey there! I’m Mandy

Mandy Applegate is a home cook, food blogger, and writer who believes the best meals are the ones shared with the people you love.

She’s all about easy recipes that taste amazing, the kind that make ordinary days feel a little more special and remind you why cooking at home matters.

She has been published on NBC, the Daily News, the Boston Herald, and the Chicago Sun-Times, amongst many others.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need