The Asian inspired sweet and sour chicken with perfect balance of sweetness and tartness is my ultimate go-to dish on a busy weeknight!
This recipe of sweet and sour chicken was first published on Feb 15, 2013. Today I am sharing an updated version of this tasty sweet and sour chicken using homemade sweet & sour sauce.
Asian inspired recipes like Chinese stir-fries are your real saviors on busy weeknights as it enables you to enjoy great food at home with minimal work; this sweet and sour chicken is no exception and will become a staple in your home once you try it.
Just few mixes of sauces and this sweet and sour chicken is ready in a jiffy; start to finish it’s ready under 30!
Keeping some chicken thigh fillets handy in your freezer is a really useful tip I got while exploring various blogs; only because of that practice I could make this tasty sweet and sour chicken to save our dinner during my crazy last week as we already have had enough outside food.
This sweet and sour chicken is a perfect example of how to impeccably balance the flavors in your food; it shouldn’t be overly sweet neither overpoweringly tangy.
If any of the flavors become too evident, then it will kill the real essence of sweet and sour chicken. So, I suggest you to taste the sauce before adding too much to have greater control on the final outcome!
Even though I have used ready-made sweet & sour sauce, you can make your own sauce by mixing few basic sauces. I will have finally created my own version of sweet & sour sauce and am sharing the ultimate recipe of the perfect sauce which you can use with anything – meat, seafood or veggies.
I am sure you are fond of eating out as much as we do. Who doesn’t like the idea of being served good looking as well as delicious food without moving a finger? I definitely do.
But you will also admit that having outside food too frequently makes everything taste the same eventually. Haven’t you felt that ever?
I even feel out of option about what to order though there are various cuisines available and at that very moment homemade food feels like divine!
That is why I desire to share as many as quick and easy yet tasty recipes with ya’all that you never go out of option while deciding what to cook for dinner!
If you haven’t yet planned your dinner tomorrow, definitely give this sweet and sour chicken a go; I bet you will love it. Like any other Asian dish, this sweet and sour chicken pairs best with plain white rice.
Or you can make your sweet and sour chicken as an appetizer if you plan to replicate a Chinese fine dining experience at home for your special someone!
Follow it up with some delicious shrimp fried rice and restaurant style chili chicken! After experiencing this extravaganza, you will think twice before ordering from your favorite Chinese food corner ever again! Trust me!
More delicious Chinese recipes from Flavor Quotient
- Chicken thigh – 500 gms, boneless & skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Light soy sauce – 1 tbsp
- Garlic – 10 cloves, minced
- White pepper powder – ½ tsp
- Chinese five spice powder – ½ tsp
- All-purpose flour – ½ cup
- Onion – 2, medium, cut into wedges and scales separated
- Red bell pepper – 1, small, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Green bell pepper – 1, small, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Spring onion/scallion – 4 stalks, chopped
- Vegetable oil – ½ cup
- Brown sugar – ¼ cup
- Tomato ketchup – 2 tbsp
- Light soy sauce – 1 tbsp
- White vinegar – 3 tbsp
- Pineapple juice – 200 ml (3/4 cup)
- Chinese five spice – ¼ tsp
- Cornstarch/ corn flour – 2 tsp
- Take the chicken cubes in a bowl and add light soy sauce, minced garlic, white pepper powder & Chinese five spice powder to it. Give a good mix and let the chicken marinade for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Next prepare the sauce by mixing all the ingredients listed under sweet & sour sauce except cornstarch in a small saucepan and heat it over medium flame. Let the sauce simmer for 2 minutes.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup of water and pour it to the simmering sauce. The sauce will thicken almost instantly. Remove the saucepan from heat and set it aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan. While the oil is being heated up, take the flour in a large bowl and drop the marinated chicken cubes into it. Toss the chicken cubes in the flour to coat each piece with flour on all sides.
- Next drop the chicken pieces into hot oil and fry them on medium flame for 3-4 minutes each side. Do not overcrowd the frying pan; fry them in batches if needed.
- Once the chicken cubes are browned on all sides, take them out and place on a plate lined with absorbent kitchen towel to soak excess oil.
- Once all the chicken cubes are fried, take out the excess oil from the frying pan retaining only couple of tablespoons of oil in the pan.
- Tip in the chopped onion and bell peppers. Fry them on high heat for 2-3 minutes. Don’t overcook the veggies; they should remain crunchy to complement the succulent chicken cubes.
- Next return the fried chicken cubes to the frying pan and drizzle the prepared sweet & sour sauce on top. Stir well to coat everything with the sauce. (If you want to have extra sauce to spoon over rice, add half a cup of water and bring it to boil.)
- Finally sprinkle the chopped spring onion on top and remove the frying pan from heat. Serve the sweet and sour chicken warm with rice or as a yummy appetizer. Enjoy!
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