Crispy Sweet and Sour Chicken
Skip the takeout and make this sweet and sour chicken at home! Pan-fried chicken pieces are coated in a homemade sweet and sour sauce and baked to perfection in this easy recipe. Pair it with steamed rice, stir fry vegetables, or a homemade fried rice for a filling dinner you will want to make again and again.
Confession: I was a serious late bloomer when it came to eating Chinese food.
I went to college, lived in a dorm, lived in an apartment, and yet never did a morsel of Chinese food touch my lips. I’m not exactly sure how this happened – we did our fair share of take-out, but it seemed to always be pizza or the leftovers from a friend’s shift at Kentucky Fried Chicken. We were partial to the potato wedges and chocolate cake, naturally.
It wasn’t until I started dating my husband that I gave it a try – he suggested ordering it one night when I was visiting him, and he was (of course) stunned when I told him I had never had it, so I’d just get whatever he was having. That day, we had General Tso’s and egg rolls, and I was in love. Since then, I’ve eaten Chinese takeout countless times, have tried tons of different dishes, and have made many of them in my own kitchen.
This oven-baked recipe is my favorite riff on sweet and sour chicken!
Sweet and Sour Chicken
The hallmark of a good sweet and sour chicken comes down to two things. Crispy, well-fried chicken, and a sticky sweet and sour sauce. Oh, the sauce… It’s the absolute perfect balance between sweet and tangy and the way it clings to the chicken is just glorious!
How to make Sweet and Sour Chicken
Do not let the longer-than-usual bake time worry you, this sweet and sour chicken recipe is really easy to make and worth the extra time it takes to cook in the oven.
Sweet and Sour Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken – I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe. You can also use a combination of chicken breasts and thighs, or all thighs if you’d prefer.
- Salt + Pepper – Seasons the chicken to taste before pan-frying.
- Cornstarch – Helps to keep the outside of the chicken slightly crisp, while the egg will give the exterior a bit of a puffy texture.
- Eggs – Slightly beaten for dipping the cornstarch coated chicken.
- Oil – Vegetable or canola oil is used for pan-frying the chicken.
- Sweet and Sour Sauce- This homemade sauce is made from a mixture of sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic powder.
Now that you have your ingredients let’s break it down into pan-frying the chicken and baking the sweet and sour chicken to perfection.
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Batter + Fry the Chicken
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 325°F.
- Season the chicken: Cut the chicken into 1-inch chunks and season with salt and pepper.
- Prep the batter: In a shallow bowl or pie plate, place the cornstarch. Beat the eggs slightly in a separate shallow bowl.
- Batter the chicken: Working in two batches, toss the chicken pieces in the cornstarch and then coat with the egg.
- Pan-fry the chicken: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Again working in two batches, brown the chicken, turning it so that all sides are browned.
Sauce + Bake
- Transfer chicken: Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Make the sweet and sour sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients and pour evenly over the chicken. Turn the chicken to ensure each piece is coated in sauce.
- Bake the chicken: Bake for 1 hour, turning the chicken every 15 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve this baked sweet and sour chicken with steamed rice and broccoli. Some other ways you can serve this dish include:
- Brown rice, cauliflower rice, or fried rice.
- Stir-fried vegetables such as carrots, snow peas, bell peppers, onion, etc.
- Switch it up with pineapple chunks and diced red and green peppers mixed in with the chicken.
Recipe Notes
- The recipe calls for rice vinegar (an Asian pantry staple), but you can substitute white vinegar or apple cider vinegar if necessary.
- For a slightly different flavor, use pineapple juice instead of vinegar in the sauce.
Tips for Doubling the Sauce
The amount of sauce is enough to coat the chicken, so if you prefer a much saucier dish (enough to coat the rice, too) then you will want to double the sauce for sure. To double the sauce:
- Double the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce.
- Pour half of the sauce over the chicken, and stir to coat.
- Reserve the other half of the sauce and cook on the stove-top for 8-10 minutes until reduced.
- Drizzle over the baked sweet and sour chicken and rice.
Alternate Cooking Methods
Air fryer
- Instead of pan-frying the chicken, air fry the chicken pieces in batches for 7-9 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Then place air-fried chicken in the baking dish and coat with the sauce.
- Cook 1 hr tossing every 15 minutes.
Slow cooker
- For this method, begin by pan-frying the chicken.
- Line a slow cooker with a slow cooker liner and place chicken in.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
It’s important to note the sauce won’t reduce and thicken as much as it would in the oven, so take that into consideration.
Storing, Reheating, Meal Prepping
- Storing – The sweet and sour chicken can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating – I suggest baking the sweet and sour chicken to reheat. Bake in an oven-safe dish for 10-20 minutes at 325°F. It can also be microwaved to warm up, as well.
- Meal Prepping – I love this sweet and sour chicken for an easy lunch meal prep recipe. Divide the cooked sweet and sour chicken into 4 meal-prep containers with rice and stir-fried vegetables and you are ready for better than takeout lunches!
If You Like This Sweet and Sour Chicken, Try These Next:
- Sesame Chicken
- Chinese Beef and Broccoli
- Scallion Pancakes with Ginger Dipping Sauce
- Crab Rangoon Recipe
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Get take-out quality sweet and sour chicken from the comfort of your own home! Crispy, pan-fried chicken beautifully coated in a homemade sweet and sour sauce are so good you’d think you ordered this dish from the neighborhood Chinese restaurant.
If you make this recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating - it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1½ pounds (680.39 g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup (128 g) cornstarch
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- ¼ cup (54.5 ml) canola or vegetable oil
For the Sauce
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 g) ketchup
- ½ cup (127.5 ml) rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- Place the cornstarch in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Place the eggs in a separate shallow bowl. Working in two batches, toss the chicken pieces in cornstarch and then coat with the egg.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Again working in two batches, brown the chicken, turning it so that all sides are browned.
- Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients and pour evenly over the chicken. Turn the chicken to ensure each piece is coated.
- Bake for 1 hour, turning the chicken every 15 minutes. Serve with rice and steamed broccoli, if desired.
Notes
- Chicken: You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts.
- Vinegar: You can substitute white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. You can also use pineapple juice for a different flavor!
- Pineapple and Bell Pepper: Add chunks of pineapple and red/green bell pepper to the chicken mixture in the pan before baking for even more flavor.
- Extra Sauce: If you like a super saucy dish, I recommend doubling the sauce, using half as directed, and simmer the other half in a small saucepan while the dish is baking, then toss with the baked chicken when it comes out of the oven.
- Serving Suggestions: Steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or fried rice, along with steamed or stir-fried vegetables (broccoli, carrots, snow peas, etc.).
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Air Fryer: Air fry the chicken pieces in batches for 7-9 minutes, flipping halfway. Then place air-fried chicken in the baking dish, coat with the sauce, and proceed with baking as directed.
- Slow Cooker: Pan-fry the chicken, then line a slow cooker with a slow cooker liner and place chicken in. Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir to coat. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Important Note: The sauce won't reduce and thicken in the slow cooker the way it will in the oven, so you may want to transfer it to a saucepan and reduce on the stovetop before serving if you prefer a thicker sauce.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Photography by Lauren Grant.
Hey Michelle! Just tried this last night- it was so good :) Thanks for sharing!!!
Hi Debbi, Yay! So glad you liked it!
I tried this the other night and it was fabulous! Do you happen to have a delicious fried rice recipe as well? This recipe went straight into my recipe box and I can’t wait to make it again!
Hi Courtney, so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I haven’t mastered fried rice yet, but it is definitely on my list. Stay tuned! :)
The sweet and sour chicken was a huge hit!!! i was really surprised at how tasty it is!! This recipe is a keeper.
My kids love sweet and sour chicken so I am hoping to make this tonight. One problem – I used all my white sugar baking sweets! Would brown sugar work? Thanks so much!
Hi Jessica – I think you could sub brown sugar, just know that it will be a little sweeter than if you used regular white sugar.
I made it last night and it turned out great. I browned the chicken in 4 batches instead of 2 to get a nice crust on the pieces. I doubled the sauce, and cooked half of it on the chicken and half on the stove top. Served with rice and veggies. Even though BF had to work late, and his dinner had to sit for a while until he he got home – he said it was better than take out.
too funny…just finished the dinner dishes from chinese takeout…thinly sliced white meat chicken with snow pods & water chestnuts in a brown sauce…it is always great takeout.
i will defintely plan on making your recipe!
I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for months, finally gonna try it out tonight with some brown rice/veggie stir fry! Looking forward to eating it.
Making this right now … smells wonderful and had a great time making this with my 2 1/2 yr old son … he help cover the chicken in cornstarch … was messy but great!
Thanks so much for this delicious recipe! I made it recently and just posted it on my blog here- everyone loved it and its SO easy! :)
http://www.noraisinsonmyparade.com/2010/11/sweet-and-sour-chicken-takeout-style.html
Thanks!!
Marissa
noraisinsonmyparade.com
Marissa – Your chicken looks awesome! Isn’t this delish? So glad you loved it!
I really like reading your blog and haven’t seen a recipe I didn’t like. Upon coming across this sweet and sour chicken recipe I knew I had to try it. Delicious! Thanks.
I saw this recipe yesterday and decided to make it for dinner – huge problem, I now want to make it for dinner every night! My husband loved it, my in-laws dropped in when we were having dinner and even though they already had their dinner my FIL had a plate of this too. My FIL invited us to dinner at their house next week and said he’d get the ingredients then I can make this again :)
It’s totally worth the time it takes to make.
Loved this chicken, it was so easy and the sauce is amazing..my husband was skeptical but we both loved it and definitely would make again!
@Shelly Knight – I made this last night and used the frozen Steamfresh Brown Rice. A-mazing! If you’ve ever been to PF Changs the rice comes out very similar..very nutty and goes great with this recipe, and quick and easy.
I made this last night, and while it’s not an easy, weeknight meal it was really good! I added diced onions and peppers and that was a nice addition. What type of rice does everyone use with Chinese food? I only had long-grain and that wasn’t a good fit. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe, Michelle!
This was really good! I think I will make a second batch of the sauce next time and cook it down on the stove cuz it needed more sauce for the rice. It took me probably closer to 45 minutes to cook the chicken prior to the hour bake. The best part of it was when my 6 yr old son said “wow, that looks good!” He normally has everything looks gross and doesn’t want to try it. Both kids (3 and 6) ate it all up and said to keep the recipe!
Hi Amanda,
So glad you and your clan enjoyed this! And I agree – you can never have too much sauce!
Wonderful recipe and one I will make again. The only thing I would do different is to double the sauce recipe.
I made this last night and it was unbelievable!!! Definitely restaurant quality. My husband and daughter loved it. I would definitely make this for a party. I doubled the sauce and it was the perfect amount to serve over the rice. Thanks for the amazing recipe.
This was so awesome. even my 15 yr old cousin asked if I could cook this atleast once a week. A big hit in our house thanks to you.,
Tried this tonight to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We loved it. thanks for the easy, great tasting recipe!
I had this recipe bookmarked and just got around to making it. My whole family absolutely loved it! The sauce was perfect. Thank you so much!
Thanks so much for this recipe. It came out perfectly. The other thing I wish I could have done was make extra sauce. It’s perfect the it is and was a hit with my family they couldn’t believe I made something like this and I will make it again it was simple and easy
this is incredible! i couldn’t believe how easy it was to make. i can’t wait to change it up and make it orange or lemon chicken. thank you for the recipe!!!
Wow! I made this tonight for my dear husband, a man who did grow up on fast food because his dear Mother didn’t cook, and guess what he said? He said it was better than LeeAnn Chin, our local Chinese, and also that he could eat it EVERY DAY because its that good. What praise!
I would agree with others that I would at least 1 1/2 or DOUBLE the sauce. I was scraping the bottom to get a few last drips of sauce.
The cornstarch coating scares me and a lot of it fell off in the oven, but I think it was due to my technique and I’ll be more careful next time!
Thanks so much for a great recipe! I can’t wait to try the others from your Top 20 of 2009!
We made this for New Year’s Eve, and it was wonderful – so good that we couldn’t eat more until the next year came ;)
We ended up doubling the sauce after seeing the first batch of sauce, though, and the next time we’ll probably triple it. We added a bit less vinegar and a bit more sugar, to the second batch, as the first turned out a bit too sour for our taste.
It was yummy, though, and a shame there were so few leftovers.
I ended up with scrambled-eggs chicken. : (
Tried this last night and loved it! Always a good thing when the hubby approves! ;) Can’t wait to try it with orange juice!
Fantastic recipe!!! Thanks for sharing!! This was an absolute hit with the family. :o) No more take-out Chinese when I can make just as good if not better here at home for super cheap!
Next time, I’m going to lessen the sugar by a bit and add a 1/2 cup or so of fresh squeezed orange juice and zest so that we can have orange chicken!
OOo that looks great. You should try crab meat rangoons and chicken and broccoli. I have been trying to find good recipes for these for years!
I just posted about this recipe! Absolutely loved it!!! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you SO much for this recipe. I’ve made it 2 times now, and it is a rare “5/5” (5 people in the 5 people of my family enjoy the same meal). Now the problem is doubling, quadroupling, etc.-ing my batch next time…
Hi Luke – I’m so thrilled that this is a winning recipe with your family! I think that doubling or quadrupling should be relatively easy and can’t see that it would cause any issues with the ingredients. Let me know how it turns out!
What an amazing discovery, eating Chinese for the 1st time! Recipe looks great, and although it’s not Chinese, but Japanese, if you’re looking for a quick and easy fix for the weeknight, check out my blog for a simple Chicken Teriyaki recipe!