Sweet, sticky, easy to make, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is perfect to serve over rice or noodles and is kid-friendly as it is not spicy and made without deep-frying. The dish comes together in 30 minutes!
I have added the classics like bell peppers, pineapple, onion to the dish but you can also make it just with chicken on its own which will reduce the prep time even more!
It is for sure better than take-out, healthier, and you can control all the flavors and balance the sweetness if you like. This is not the typical battered deep-fried sweet and sour chicken but a lighter version and quicker.
The chicken pieces are mixed in cornstarch which adds a unique and delicate tenderness to the chicken and makes it really juicy when simmered in sauce.
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Ingredients
- Chicken Breasts - use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or alternatively, chicken thighs will work too. Just more prep on your side and smaller strips/chunks.
- Cornstarch - makes the chicken extra tender and thickens the sauce.
- Ketchup - you can also use tomato paste but the flavor will be different. You might need to add extra sugar to balance it off.
- Vinegar - you can use both White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
- Soy Sauce - makes the sweet and sour sauce taste as it should be! Use the low sodium option. Use Tamari or Coconut Aminos for GF option.
How To Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sweet and Sour sauce. In a small saucepan over medium heat add oil and saute garlic and ginger for about 1 minute.
Stir in sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce. Simmer until sugar dissolves.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and water and pour the mixture into the saucepan.
Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes until the sweet and sour sauce starts thickening. Set aside.
Chicken prep. In a medium bowl add chicken, season with salt and pepper and stir in the cornstarch.
Make sure all the chicken pieces are covered in cornstarch. Set aside.
Cook. In a large skillet or wok over medium to high heat add 2-3 tablespoon of vegetable oil and cook the chicken until golden brown on all sides (about 3-4 minutes.)
Remove from pan and set aside in a plate lined with a paper towel.
In the same skillet add vegetables, cook for a few minutes until they get almost tender, and throw in the pineapple.
Stir well and return chicken to the pan, pour the sauce on top.
Stir and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasoning, add salt and pepper if needed.
Serve with scallions, sesame seeds and rice, noodles or other favorite side.
🥢 Make Next: Asian Cabbage Stir Fry
Tips
- Make it spicy - the sweet and sour chicken has ginger in the mix which may add a little spicy flavor to it, but I also prefer adding chili flakes or thinly sliced hot peppers in the sauce or on top of the finished dish when serving.
- Sweet and sour sauce - The dish has plenty of sauce to pour on your side dish later as well. I just like my sauces this way! One more thing to note: when the cornstarch is added, the sauce turns very light and pale in color, which is normal, after simmering for a while it will start thickening and hence will change the color to red-orange.
- Pineapple - canned or fresh. is totally optional, and adds extra sweetness to the dish. You can also leave the bell peppers out and make the sweet and sour chicken just with onion and chicken too.
- Fresh produce - Use fresh bell peppers and pineapple if possible.
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Recipe Card
How To Make Sweet And Sour Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
Method
- Sweet and Sour sauce. In a small saucepan add oil over medium heat and saute garlic and ginger for about 1 minute. Stir in sugar, vinegar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce. Simmer until sugar dissolves.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and water and pour the mixture into the saucepan. Simmer on low heat for 10 minutes until the sweet and sour sauce starts thickening. Set aside.
- Chicken prep. In a medium bowl add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the cornstarch. Make sure all the chicken pieces are covered in cornstarch. Set aside.
- Stir fry. In a large skillet or wok over medium to high heat add 2-3 tablespoon of vegetable oil and cook the chicken until golden brown on all sides (about 3-4 minutes.) Remove from pan and set aside in a plate lined with a paper towel.
- In the same skillet add vegetables, cook for few minutes until they get almost tender and throw in the pineapple. Stir well and return the chicken to the pan, pour the sauce on top. Stir and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasoning, add salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve with scallions, sesame seeds, and rice, noodles, or another favorite side.
Nutrition
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Jessica
Hi! How would you meal prep this: do you think the sweet and sour sauce be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a few days?
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
yes I think a few days is fine!
Julia
A delicious gluten free and healthy sweet and sour chicken!
Terry
When does the honey go in the pot?
Julia
hi Terry, my apologies. Adjusted now, it is in the first step when making the sauce. Thank you for pointing this out!