Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

This just might be my favorite recipe on the blog!  Packed with so much flavor, this sweet & sour chicken recipe tastes even better than take out, and uses simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.  And, since the chicken is coated with cornstarch instead of flour, it’s naturally gluten free.

The chicken is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and so flavorful! And the sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, with just a little bit of spiciness from the crushed red pepper to wake up your taste buds.

This amazing recipe is the perfect solution for those times when a craving for Chinese food strikes. Not only does this homemade version taste better than any sweet and sour chicken you’ll find at good Chinese restaurants, it’s healthier and takes less time to make from scratch than ordering takeout.

Because this sweet and sour chicken stir fry recipe is partially stir fried, then baked, it allows the flavorful sauce to infuse the chicken with additional juiciness and tenderness. This truly is the easiest and best way I’ve found to create amazing sweet and sour chicken at home–and I hope you’ll give this recipe a try!

Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

Serves: 3 to 4

Prep time: 20-25 minutes

Bake time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (you can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe)

salt and black pepper

1/2 cup corn starch

2 eggs, beaten

1 red bell pepper (or green bell pepper) — chopped onion and canned or fresh pineapple chunks are great additions, too

oil for frying (sesame oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, or refined coconut oil are great options)

Sauce ingredients:

1/2 cup of sugar (can use white or brown sugar)

1/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce (use tamari sauce or coconut aminos if you need this recipe to be gluten free)

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more to taste, if you prefer a spicy sweet and sour sauce)

Rice for serving (I like to serve white jasmine rice with this dish, but brown rice works well, too)

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. If using the red bell peppers and/or onion, chop into roughly 1″ chunks.
4. Place the cornstarch in a large Ziploc bag. Add the chicken pieces to the bag, seal it shut, and shake gently to coat the chicken evenly with the corn starch.
5. Place the beaten eggs in a medium bowl. Add the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces to the bowl and gently turn to coat with the egg.
6. Add enough oil to a large skillet to fully cover the bottom of the pan and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not yet shimmering.  Add half of the chicken pieces and cook, turning with tongs, until golden brown on both sides. The chicken doesn’t have to be cooked through at this point, just browned.  If the oil is hot, it should only take about 2-3 minutes per side to brown the chicken.
7. Remove the browned chicken from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place briefly on a paper towel to drain some of the excess oil. Then place the chicken in a single layer in a 9 x 13″ baking dish coated with cooking spray.
8. Fry and drain the remaining chicken pieces and combine with the first batch in the baking dish.
9. In a small bowl, whisk together the sweet and sour sauce ingredients:  sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic salt, and crushed red pepper. Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken. Turn the chicken a few times so it’s evenly coated with the sauce.  (If you’re adding pineapple chunks to this dish, you can stir them in at this point.)
10. Saute the red bell pepper (and onion, if using) for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat in the same large frying pan you used to fry the chicken pieces. Spread the red pepper pieces on top of the chicken.
11. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes; remove the pan from the oven and gently stir the chicken and bell peppers together. Return the pan to the oven and continue baking, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.
12. Remove the pan from the oven, stir well, and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Serve your sweet and sour chicken stir fry over white or brown rice.  And, if desired, garnish each serving with a sprinkling of green onions and/or sesame seeds.

Enjoy! xo Jane

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