Best Sweet and Sour Chicken
Crispiest sweet and sour chicken with glossy red sauce, pineapple, and bell peppers — restaurant quality at home.
Ingredients
- Crispy Chicken:
- 1½ lbs 680 g boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 1 tsp kosher salt · ½ tsp white pepper
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup 65 g cornstarch
- ½ cup 65 g all-purpose flour
- Oil for frying peanut, vegetable, or canola
- Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- ¾ cup 150 g granulated sugar
- ½ cup 120 ml rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup 60 ml ketchup
- 2 tbsp soy sauce low-sodium
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce optional depth
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water slurry
- Stir-fry Veggies & Pineapple:
- 1 red bell pepper 1-inch chunks
- 1 green bell pepper 1-inch chunks
- 1 medium onion 1-inch chunks
- 1 cup 165 g fresh or canned pineapple chunks
- Sesame seeds + sliced green onion for garnish
Instructions
- Double-coat chicken → double-fry (350 °F → 375 °F).
- Make sauce → simmer & thicken.
- Flash-cook veggies + pineapple.
- Toss everything in sauce → serve immediately.
Notes
- Double fry = restaurant crunch that lasts
- Sauce keeps for 2 weeks in the fridge
- Reheat leftovers in a 400 °F oven to re-crisp
- The baked version works great in an air fryer
- Day-old sauce = even better flavor