Skip the take out – this Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe is so good that you’ll put it on the permanent rotation. Chicken is coated in a sweet and sticky sauce and baked to perfection.
Years ago, I worked in an office where they would bring in lunch every day. I mostly skipped that lunch and opted to head home for my lunch hour instead, but every once in awhile, I’d stick around and have some of the lunch that was provided that day.
I remember one day, (I was pregnant with my first child, so let’s blame this on pregnancy haha), the lunch was from a local Chinese restaurant. And it smelled so good. So I decided to have lunch at work that day. I chose out an egg roll and some sweet and sour chicken, then went to my desk to eat – only to be completely disappointed. It was not good at all, and I don’t think I even ended up eating it.
That is what led me to this recipe so many years ago. It has now been here on Taste and Tell for over 10 years and remains a favorite for a good reason – it’s so stinking good. It’s one of those rare meals that everyone in my family likes. And yes – it’s so much better than that takeout sweet and sour chicken! I think I’ll forget the take-out Chinese from now on and make this Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe!
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
This recipe is a little different, but trust me here!
- Start by cutting the chicken into bite sized pieces and seasoning them with salt and pepper.
- Place the cornstarch in one shallow bowl, and the eggs in another shallow bowl. Beat the eggs lightly.
- Take each piece of chicken and dredge it in the cornstarch. Then dip it in the egg. Transfer that to a skillet with oil that has been heated over medium-high heat. And yes – you dip in the cornstarch then the egg – this is a little different than a lot of other recipes.
- Cook the chicken in batches, just until it is browned. The chicken will bake in the oven, so this is just to brown and crisp up the chicken, not to cook it through. Transfer the chicken to a baking dish.
- In a bowl, combine your sauce ingredients – sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and garlic powder. Pour this mixture over the chicken in the baking dish.
- Bake the chicken at 325ºF for an hour, stirring it every 15 minutes.
- Serve the sweet and sour chicken over rice and be prepared to never want to get it for take out again!
More Chinese Recipes
Daddy Wu’s Chinese Chicken
Pressure Cooker Cashew Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken Recipe
Easy Lo Mein Recipe
Easy Egg Roll Recipe
Orange Chicken
General Tso’s Chicken
Tools Used to Make this Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
- My favorite skillet, especially for this recipe, is my cast iron skillet.
- I like to use tongs to dredge the chicken into the cornstarch, eggs and oil.
- I love my rice cooker and rarely cook rice any other way.
LOOKING FOR MORE FREE RECIPES?
Subscribe to my free recipe newsletter to get new family friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more family-friendly inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 3 eggs ,lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoon ketchup
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
- Put the cornstarch in a shallow bowl. Put the eggs in a separate bowl. Place the oil in a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, dredge the chicken in the cornstarch, then dip in the egg. Add to the hot oil and brown on all sides. You do not need to cook the chicken through, just brown the outside to get a crispy exterior. Transfer the chicken to a 9×13-inch baking dish and continue with the remaining chicken.
- In a bowl, combine the sugar, ketchup, cider vinegar, soy sauce and garlic powder. Pour the sauce over the top of the chicken.
- Bake the chicken for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Serve over prepared rice.
Lori says
I have made this several times because everyone loves it.
Madison says
Oh my god this is the best sweet and sour chicken I’ve ever had i was not expecting it to be this bomb. Thank you so much for an amazing recipe with a unique approach. 🥰
Melody says
Loved this! My whole family loved it as well!
Anja Radenkovic says
I cooked this today and I just have two words to say….
SO DELICIOUS
Susan says
My family loved it and apparently it’s a “make again”. My youngest asked me to pack the leftovers for lunch tomorrow
jordan rubin says
the was very easy to follow and very good you did a great job at explaining things and breaking it down to our understanding
Cheryl Fey says
Sweet and sour chicken is so good thank you for sharing it
Michelle says
This recipe was so good!! I added a little more seasoning to the chicken prior to dipping but I will for sure make this again! The sauce set nicely after coming out of the oven, the chicken was so juicy and perfect! I can’t compliment you enough on this recipe lol. Thank you!
Sherrie Wilkerson says
I made this yesterday, it was really good. The cornstarch and egg made a nice tempura like fried texture. I was skeptical of the sauce because of the ingredients and as I was mixing it up, all I could smell and taste was apple cider vinegar , lol, but after cooking for an hour, wow! The flavors came together and it was a hit .I’d love to try an orange chicken version of this.
Andrea says
I noticed the ACV as well, but not after it cooked
Ingvild Lopez says
I love this!, just made it actually came out awesome instructions are easy to follow. Thank you for sharing this.
Alana Nwamba says
I tried this recipe out last night and it was amazing! Thank you so much for sharing! Will definitely be trying out more of your recipes soon 😉
Home cook says
The recipe was easy and great! My husband really enjoyed it! I have tried other sweet and sour recipes, this is the best! Like eating at a fine dining Chinese restaurant! I hallowed out a pineapple and served it in the hull. Very good. I also made the pineapple chicken. Both recipes were great!
Shameka Morgan says
Making this again today for the 2nd time.. my family loved it.. the chicken was soooooooo tender it melt in your mouth.. I cooked it with homemade fried rice..
Kathie says
I made this recipe and then shared leftovers with my daughter and family. Everyone loved it. Next time will try adding sweet peppers, pineapple and water chestnuts. Requested by the kids. Thank you for a great recipe!
Alexis W. says
I wanted to love this dish so much!! I love the flavor but I definitely would not pour the sauce on the fried chicken again and bake. It made it too soggy for our liking. Ill make again but dip our chicken into the sauce
DONNA WHITING says
My whole family loved this dish and it was very easy to make!