Name: Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: serves 4 people
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (15g) cornstarch; 2 tbsp (30g) packed light brown sugar; 3 tbsp ketchup; 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 2 tbsp rice vinegar; 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (optional); 250 ml (1 cup) pineapple juice or water; 1 garlic clove, finely diced; 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely diced; 450 g (1 pound) chicken breast, skinless and boneless; 1 egg; 3 tbsp (35g) cornstarch; 1/4 tsp baking powder; 240 ml (1 cup) canola oil, for frying; 2 tbsp peanut or canola oil, for veggies; 2 tbsp unsalted peanuts; 1/2 yellow pepper, 1/2 red pepper, 1/2 green pepper, cut into smaller chunks; 1 onion, cut into strips; 100 g (1/2 cup) canned or fresh pineapple, cubed; 1 spring onion

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple

Mmm, those colorful veggies and that crispy, golden-brown chicken that bathes in a shiny, lip-smacking sweet and sour sauce. The Sweet and Sour Chicken is a well-known Chinese takeout, and now you can make it at home following this easy recipe. It only takes about 30 minutes from start to serving and you can still squeeze cooking rice in those 30 minutes too. This is the perfect Asian family lunch or dinner for a simple midweek meal. Stress-free, fuss-free, and incredibly tasty. Just what we need, right?

Lip-smacking Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple

Soooooo delicious and easy to make. It will soon become your favorite weeknight family dinner. These are the top reasons why we love it so much:

Rich, aromatic, shiny sauce that's intensely (in a good way) sweet and sour
Perfectly fried chicken, with a golden-brown exterior and a juicy interior
The peppers create a gorgeous rainbow and add freshness, while the pineapple adds a fruity aroma and sweetness
The peanuts add crunchiness and nuttiness
This recipe is made in one wok pan only
A wonderful main dish for any day of the week
Made in just 30 minutes

How to make Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple at home

Making Chinese takeout at home has never been easier. It's quick, it's easy, and it's super delicious. You will find the whole recipe with step-by-step instructions below, but let's walk through the recipe together.

Make the sweet and sour sauce. Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
Fry the chicken. It's coated in a beautiful cornstarch mixture and deep-fried to get a beautiful golden exterior.
Pan-fry the veggies. Use the same wok pan to cook the veggies for a couple of minutes.
Add the sweet and sour sauce, pineapple, and chicken. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes.
Serve with your favorite side (like basmati rice).

Essential ingredients and substitutes for this chicken recipe

This recipe will only take about 30 minutes from start to serving, but there are a few essential ingredients that make a big difference, especially the homemade sweet and sour sauce. Sure, you can always use some substitutes, and make this recipe your own.

Homemade sweet and sour sauce - It's made as quick as you can say 1, 2, 3, well, almost. You simply combine all of the ingredients (cornstarch, sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, pineapple juice, garlic, and ginger) in a bowl. It's simple to make and you can adapt the flavor to your taste. However, if you really don't feel like making it, then choose your favorite from the store.

Chicken - We always use boneless and skinless chicken breast. However, feel free to use pork to make sweet and sour pork. We would use pork tenderloin in that case.

Vegetables - In this recipe, you will find colorful peppers, onion, and spring onion. Carrots, bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts will work wonderfully as substitutes or additions too.

Pineapple - Use fresh or canned cubed pineapple. Both will work in this recipe. The pineapple creates a beautiful, sweet, fruity aroma that takes it to the next level.

What to serve with Sweet and Sour Chicken

My goodness, we love serving this dish with one of the following:

basmati rice (our fave)
egg noodles
sprinkled with chopped chili for some extra character
sprinkled with chopped chives for freshness
sprinkled with chopped unsalted peanuts for texture

How to store this Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe

Feel free to store this amazing Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple in the fridge. Keep the chicken sealed in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 3 days. Reheat well before serving.

Try these amazing Asian recipes too

Ingredients

sweet and sour sauce

2 tbsp (15g) cornstarch

2 tbsp (30g) packed light brown sugar

3 tbsp ketchup

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (optional)

250 ml (1 cup) pineapple juice or water

1 garlic clove, finely diced

1 tsp fresh ginger, finely diced

Chicken

450 g (1 pound) chicken breast, skinless and boneless

1 egg

3 tbsp (35g) cornstarch

1/4 tsp baking powder

240 ml (1 cup) canola oil, for frying

2 tbsp peanut or canola oil, for veggies

2 tbsp unsalted peanuts

1/2 yellow pepper, 1/2 red pepper, 1/2 green pepper, cut into smaller chunks

1 onion, cut into strips

100 g (1/2 cup) canned or fresh pineapple, cubed

1 spring onion

Tools and equipment

bowl

whisk

kitchen knife

cutting board

wok pan

thermometer

paper towels

METHOD

sweet and sour sauce

Add cornstarch, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, Chinese cooking wine (optional), pineapple juice, diced garlic, and diced ginger to a bowl. Stir to combine using a whisk. Set aside until needed.

Tip

Feel free to use canned pineapples in this recipe. Use the pineapple liquid in this step, instead of pineapple juice.
deep fry the chicken

Cut the chicken breast into larger pieces. Add to a bowl, season with salt, and pepper. In a separate bowl, stir to combine the egg, cornstarch, baking powder, pinch of salt, and two tablespoons of cold water. Coat the meat by dipping it in the cornstarch mixture. Place a large wok pan over medium-high heat. Add the canola oil. When the oil temperature reaches 175 °C / 350 °F, carefully drop half of the chicken into the hot oil and fry for 3 - 5 minutes, or until the chicken is golden-brown and crispy. Transfer to a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain any excess fat. Repeat with the rest of the chicken. Discard the rest of the oil and clean the wok using a paper towel.
Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple

Add peanut oil or canola oil to the wok. Place the wok over high heat. Add the unsalted peanuts, peppers, and onion. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes for the vegetables to cook slightly. Add the cubed pineapple. Stir the sweet and sour sauce, then pour into the wok. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes on medium heat or until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the chicken, season with salt, then stir and serve with cooked rice and chopped spring onion or scallions.

—

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple