This Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe tastes just like your favorite Chinese takeout. Made with crispy, bite-sized pieces of chicken, bell peppers, and pineapple, all coated in a flavorful sweet and sour sauce. Serve over steamed rice or noodles for a takeout-style meal loved by the whole family.

Large wok filled with vibrant sweet and sour chicken with bell peppers and pineapple.

Sweet and sour chicken is one of the best Chinese-American chicken stir-fry recipes. Made with crispy breaded and fried chicken pieces coated in a glossy, tart, and tangy sweet and sour sauce – my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

What is Sweet & Sour Chicken?

Sweet and sour chicken, as we know it today, is typically associated with Chinese cuisine, particularly Cantonese cooking, however, the specific version popular in Western countries has been adapted to suit local tastes.

The concept of combining sweet and sour flavors is a classic part of many world cuisines. The Chinese version, “tangcu” (糖醋), which means “sugar vinegar,” has been a part of Chinese cuisine for centuries. In China, dishes with sweet and sour sauces are typically made with pork, fish, or shrimp. However, the addition of pineapple, bell peppers, and onions is more of a Western adaptation.

The specific dish “sweet and sour chicken,” as we recognize it today, with breaded and fried chicken pieces in a thick, sweet, and tangy sauce, likely originated in the United States as part of the development of American Chinese cuisine in the early to mid-20th century. Immigrant Chinese chefs adapted their recipes to accommodate the ingredients and tastes of their new environment, which led to the creation of new dishes that combined elements of traditional Chinese cooking with American preferences.

All of the ingredients needed to make sweet and sour chicken measured and set aside in individual white bowls.

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients

Soy sauce: This adds an umami flavor and a bit of saltiness to the sauce.
Vinegar: Here, we’re adding a combination of rice wine vinegar and white vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is often used.
Ketchup: Ketchup adds both sweetness and a tangy tomato flavor, and it helps give the sauce its characteristic red color.
Lemon juice: The lemon juice adds a bright, tangy flavor that enhances the flavor of the other ingredients in the sauce.
Sugar: For sweetness, of course! This recipe calls for granulated sugar, but brown sugar may also be used.
Water: Some people will use pineapple juice in place of the water.

Chopsticks picking up a piece of sweet and sour chicken from a plate filled with white rice and topped with sweet and sour chicken.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken

1. Season the chicken: Toss the chicken pieces with black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Set aside.

2. Mix together the batter for frying: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, chicken broth, vegetable oil, egg, vinegar, and baking powder. The mixture should have the consistency of a thin pancake batter. If it’s too thick, add one tablespoon of chicken broth at a time until the right consistency is reached.

3. Preheat the frying oil and coat the chicken in batter: Use a large pan with tall sides or a Dutch oven and use enough oil to fill the pan by 2-3 inches. Toss the chicken in the batter, then remove one piece at a time, allowing any excess batter to drip off.

4. Fry the chicken (first fry): Fry the chicken in several batches for 5-6 minutes or until the batter is cooked but still pale in color. Remove the chicken from the oil and place them on a baking rack with a sheet pan underneath to catch the excess oil. Repeat until all of the chicken has been fried.

5. Fry the chicken (second fry): Reheat the frying oil and fry the chicken in batches again, a second time, until golden brown and crispy. Remove the chicken to the baking rack and set aside.

White bowl filled with chopped up chicken seasoned with black pepper and salt.

Bowl filled with cornstarch, flour, chicken broth, vegetable oil, egg, vinegar and baking powder.

Bowl filled with frying batter and raw chicken pieces.

Battered chicken pieces frying in a large Dutch oven.

Baking rack topped with fried chicken pieces.

Chicken pieces frying for a second time in a large Dutch oven.

Baking rack topped with golden brown fried chicken pieces.

6. Stir fry the vegetables: Stir fry the onion and bell peppers in a large wok or skillet set over high heat. Cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften.

7. Combine the sweet and sour sauce: Mix together the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, sugar, and white vinegar in a small bowl. Add the sweet and sour sauce to the skillet. Cook for an additional 2 minutes, then add the pineapple.

8. Prepare the cornstarch slurry: Whisk together the water and cornstarch. Slowly pour it into the pan with the sauce and vegetables. Allow it to cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

9. Add the chicken: Add the fried chicken to the pan with the vegetables and carefully toss to coat in the sauce. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.

10. Garnish and serve: Serve over cooked rice or noodles and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, sugar and white vinegar added to a wok filled with stir frying onions and bell peppers.

Cornstarch slurry in a small white bowl.

Cornstarch slurry added to the simmering sweet and sour sauce with red onion and vegetables.

Pineapple and veggies simmering in a thickened sweet and sour sauce.

Fried chicken pieces added to a large wok filled with veggies, pineapple, and sweet and sour sauce.

Optional Additions

Sweet and sour chicken is versatile enough to handle all kinds of optional veggies and garnishes. Here are some recommendations:

Zucchini
Broccoli florets
Peas
Mushrooms
Carrots
Water chestnuts
Peanuts
Fresh pineapple

What to Serve with Sweet and Sour Chicken?

I always serve this sweet and sour chicken recipe with either white rice or brown rice or with cauliflower rice as my go-to for a lightened-up version. Sometimes I’ll make an additional one or two recipes to go along with it.

Storage and Freezing

Leftovers: Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.

Freezing: For best results, freeze the breaded and fried chicken pieces separately from the sauce. This can help maintain the texture of the chicken and prevent it from becoming soggy. Place the chicken and sauce in separate freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Freeze for up to 2-3 months.

Reheating: If frozen, thaw the sweet and sour chicken in the refrigerator overnight. Next, reheat the chicken in the oven or in a frying pan to help it regain some crispiness. The sauce can be reheated in a saucepan over medium heat or in the microwave. Be sure to heat the food to an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) to ensure food safety.

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If you try making this Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.