Description
A classic Chinese American sweet and sour chicken recipe featuring crispy chicken pieces coated in a tangy, flavorful sauce with bell peppers and pineapple chunks. This easy stovetop recipe is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner and can be served over rice for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Vegetables and Fruit
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (cornstarch slurry)
Instructions
- Coat the Chicken: Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and evenly coat them with cornstarch. Dip the coated chicken pieces into the beaten eggs, ensuring each piece is well covered.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coated chicken pieces and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: In the same skillet, add the chopped red and green bell peppers. Cook for about 3 minutes until they become slightly tender but still crisp.
- Make the Sauce: Stir in the pineapple chunks, rice vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and ginger powder into the skillet. Bring this mixture to a gentle simmer to combine the flavors.
- Thicken the Sauce: Stir the cornstarch slurry to recombine, then add it to the simmering sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens nicely and becomes glossy.
- Combine Chicken and Sauce: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet and toss to coat it evenly with the sweet and sour sauce. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes to heat everything through thoroughly.
- Serve: Serve the sweet and sour chicken warm, ideally over steamed rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- For extra tenderness, substitute chicken thighs for breast meat.
- Add additional vegetables like onion chunks or snap peas for more variety and nutrition.
- This recipe can also be baked by placing the fried chicken and sauce in a baking dish and baking at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese American
