Home > Recipes > Main Dishes > Chicken Recipes > Crispy Sweet and Sour Chicken
by Michelle
February 23, 2021
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4.71 (92 ratings)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.
Batter + Fry the Chicken
- Preheat the oven: Set the ovento 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
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr
Total Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Homemade sweet and sour chicken is pan-fried and coated in a homemade sweet and sour sauce before baking to perfection in this better than takeout recipe.
4.71 (92 ratings)
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.
Nutritional values are based on one serving
Calories: 520kcal, Carbohydrates: 72g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 191mg, Sodium: 620mg, Potassium: 728mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 41g, Vitamin A: 247IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 28mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Author: Michelle
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Photography byLauren Grant.
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Anita Smith — Reply
I make something similar to this, and use two gal size zipper bags for the egg and cornstarch. Makes clean up a breeze, and your hands aren’t all caked with egg and cornstarch.
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Caren — Reply
Could you substitute potato starch for the corn starch?
Thanks!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Caren, I’ve not used potato starch before, but if you’ve successfully substituted it for corn starch in the past, then I would give it a go!
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Suzanne H — Reply
This looks amazing. I would love to see an orange chicken and/or General Tso’s recipe too!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Suzanne, I do have a General Tso’s recipe! You can find it here: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/general-tsos-chicken-recipe/
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Beth Swanberg — Reply
I just made this for the first time, and my husband loved it! He told me to “mark the page in the cookbook! ” The recipe was very easy, and the results were great. I used boneless chicken breasts, doubled the sauce, but simmered half of it on the stove, as suggested, served with rice and broccoli, with a side of fresh pineapple. Thank you for another great dinner option!
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Alexis — Reply
Saw this on Pinterest and it was so simple with very few ingredients and looked super easy so had to give it a try!! This is the best sweet and sour chicken I’ve ever had. I’m a lover of sweet and sour things and this was the perfect balance and definitely silenced my cravings 😍😍
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Louise — Reply
Hello!
What can I use instead of soy sauce? I am not a big fan…..Thank you!
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Suzanne H — Reply
Have you tried coconut aminos? They don’t have a strong coconut flavor.
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Helen Walker — Reply
I love the colors in this! That is so exciting!
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Renee — Reply
This was amazing! My husband said it was better than the sweet & sour chicken at restaurants. I was a little hesitant about how the ketchup would work out in the recipe, but the flavors blended really well. Thx for sharing this recipe!
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Karen B — Reply
Fabulous recipe. Cant wait to try it as it was posted. But I couldnt wait and had chicken that was already cooked so I diced it, coated it, fried it with some sesame oil and set it aside. For the sauce I used half pineapple juice half vinegar and omitted the sugar and used a tsp of brown sugar instead, and added a little corn starch to thicken it then heated that until it thickened. Served it over the cooked chicken, leftover broccoli and cauliflower rice. Quick, easy and delucious! Mmmm!
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Sally — Reply
I was in my mid-40s before I ate Chinese food. The problem was lack of access to it. My first meal was also Gen. Tso’s and egg rolls. I haven’t had Thai yet, but I have had Japanese and Vietnamese food — both of which I like.
Have you attempted or perfected egg rolls yet? I have two recipes for egg rolls. One I use for the filling and also for “crack slaw”/egg roll skillet and the other has great tips for making egg rolls.
The sweet and sour chicken looks great!
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Michelle — Reply
I haven’t tried making egg rolls yet; feel free to email me your recipes if you’d like!
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Nina — Reply
I never ate Chinese food growing up either. My husband loves it and this recipe looks so good!!!
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Simple Abode — Reply
This looks so good, I should try this recipe soon!
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Ivara Roth — Reply
Just made this for dinner with some rice, carrots, and snow peas! I used apple cider vinegar and half chicken thighs half breasts, and it turned out great!
Really delicious, and easy enough an 18 year old like me can do it c: Accurate cook time, cost me less than $10 which is great! I cooked the snow peas and carrots in the last 15 minutes in the same pan as battering the chicken.
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Christine Stickley — Reply
This is the best sweet and sour recipe. I have been making the sauce alone since I found your recipe back in 2009. My husband says it is better then any restaurant sweet and sour sauce. So when I go buy Chinese food we use your sauce recipe instead of their sauce.
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Courtney — Reply
This is my favorite recipe of yours. I tried it back in 09′. And have been using it ever since. I make it with white rice and broccoli. It is a family favorite. Tonight I’m pairing it with your pavlova :)
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Leona — Reply
Very delicious. I have made this many times and have been asked for the recipe.
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Bea — Reply
I made the recipe it is very good. I have one comment, I found it to be a little too sweet.
The next time I will cut down on the sugar.
I am diabetic and this recipe isn’t diabetic friendly. So I will start by adjusting the sugar on the next go around.
I will also add some crushed red peppers for a little more of a kick.Instead of have brown or white rice I served the dish with cooked bulgur. My kids enjoyed the whole dish and wanted more.
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Kaden — Reply
I can tell you having made Sweet and Sour chicken
a dozen times or more it is delicious and so easy -
Tricia — Reply
I was looking for something different and came upon this recipe. I’m so glad I gave it a chance because I had my doubts about it, but it is a wonderful recipe and easy to make.. So good that I am making it again today.
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Jenn — Reply
This was a wonderful tasting recipe, well worth the time to get it to the table. The only thing I did different was use olive oil instead of canola and I didn’t have any chicken breasts so I used thighs.. Using thighs, I didn’t need to bake it for an hour to finish the chicken. If I had sriracha, I would have added a bit of that as well as it could use a touch of heat! This is a keeper and I will make again.
I see that some of the comments are from 2010 so I thought I would let you know that I found this recipe on Yummly. :) -
Ayserezli — Reply
Looks tempting. Could you please tell if this works for other parts of the chicken, or this HAS to be a breast. And also, how much is a “cup” in terms of grams? Cornstarch is a must? What if I can only get potato starch?
thanks-
Michelle — Reply
You can use other parts of the chicken. I think potato starch would work; tapioca starch would be even better! 1 cup of cornstarch = 112 grams. (There is no cups to grams equivalent, as each ingredient has a different volume)
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Ayserezli —
Wow, thanks a lot! What I guess I couldn’t make clear is that how much water (as a most common thing in the world) does a cup you are referring to holds. I am relatively new to cooking, so I am just learning this.
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cecilia — Reply
Thanks so much for this recipe! It was a definite hit with my husband who happens to be a big fan of Sweet and sour chicken.
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Shelley — Reply
I just made this but substituted tofu for the chicken for my vegetarian daughter…still scrumptious
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Bran — Reply
I came across this recipe the other day while looking for sweet and sour chicken on Pinterest. My family (husband, in-laws, son) LOVED IT. It was perfect on plain white rice. I am a vegetarian so I followed the exact same recipe but used extra firm tofu instead of chicken and it was incredible. I only had to bake it for about 40 mins for the tofu. With thin sliced tofu you could barely notice that it wasn’t chicken. I will use this recipe again and again.
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Diana — Reply
I am looking for a recipe I had a few years ago and cannot find it.
It is ramen noodles,chinese cabbage(napa cabbage),sunflower seeds
Then there is a sauce with veg oil,soy sauce and sugar but I forget the amounts of these ingredients. any help would be greatly appreciated.-
Michelle — Reply
Hi Diana, What you’re describing sounds like my family’s Chinese coleslaw recipe, I have the recipe here: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/06/19/chinese-coleslaw-recipe/. Hope that helps!
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Danielle — Reply
I just cooked this tonight and my family likes it. :D (They’re picky, so yay for finding food they like).
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Tammy — Reply
Why does the chicken have to be cut up in chunks. Can’t we make this with whole breasts and legs and thighs? Thank you.
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Tammy, Because that’s the way that the dish (sweet and sour chicken) is traditionally served – chunks of chicken, coated in sauce. I do not know how this particular recipe would work using whole pieces of chicken; I have never tried it that way.
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Jolene — Reply
I have never made anything like this before. And it was SO GOOD!!! And relatively easy to make! THANK YOU FOR THIS RECIPE! Love love loved it!
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Jolene — Reply
Oh yea, I added red & green peppers as well as pineapple! Served over rice and ate with broccoli too! Yum!
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Laura A. — Reply
Oh my good gravy best stuff ever! Made for my family and I could eat the entire pan myself! Next time I think I am going to add some red pepper flakes to spice it up!
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Kate — Reply
This is the best!! Way better then take out. My boyfriend requests it over and over!
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Sharon — Reply
My fav. Chinese is boneless almond chicken,can’t seem to find a receipt. any ideas?
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Angela — Reply
I made this tonight and it was MEGA hit with my family, and let me just add I have the PICKIEST mother in the world!!! Thanks so much for your recipe!
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Theresa — Reply
Made these as a “trial run” for my husband’s 50th birthday celebration…as good or better than any I’ve ever eaten. Husband agrees; they will definitely be a hit at his party!
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Kathryn — Reply
OMG I thought I lost the recipe for your sweet and sour chicken we adore! Panic and then I had it Favorited on my bar but it was another website and kept telling me there wasn’t a recipe there ARRG Then I looked at the websites I favored and there you were THANK GOD! My family kept asking me when I was making it and when I said I lost the recipe I got some dirty looks : )
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Amanda — Reply
We made this for the second time tonight. The first time we made it as written and I thought the chicken was a bit over cooked and dry. Tonight we got the chicken browned and realized our kids didn’t have the patience to wait an hour while it cooked. So we put the chicken in a skillet with the sauce and reduced it for about 5 minutes and cooked the chicken through and made the sauce sticky and perfectly done! I think this is how we will make it from now on.
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Kathryn — Reply
We tried your sweet and sour chicken. I have to admit I was not sure because of the ketchup, but it was delicious! I can see us getting addicted to this recipe. Thank you.
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Sarah Jane — Reply
My husband and I love this recipe, when we started dating, he told me that he did not like Chinese food! But he loves stir-fry, chicken lo mein, egg rolls, and this sweet and sour chicken, so I am pretty sure that he just had never had Chinese food and was just scared of it lol, thanks for the great recipe.
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Evonne — Reply
Can a substitute the chicken for pork?? Would I have to change cooking time??
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Evonne, Are you asking if you can use pork instead of chicken? You could try it, I have not, so I can’t advise on cooking time.
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Evonne —
I used pork instead of chicken. Followed your directions the same, I had pork chop suey cuts. I cut the time to only 30 mins because I didn’t want the pork to dry out. Turned out really good! My family loved it!
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ashley — Reply
love this added a little more sugar to the sauce and made it sessem chicken:)
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Liz — Reply
Just made this tonight, and it was/is DELICIOUS!!! The first words out of my fiancé’s mouth (after greeting me, lol) when he home from work was “Holy cow it smells great in here, when is it ready? Then, after his first bite, a simple “wow”, said it all! A definite make again, and (I think) a great dish to keep in mind for winter “potluck” dinners!
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Alicia — Reply
I just discovered your blog today and let me tell you I am amazed. But I couldn’t imagine growing up without Chinese food (although I grew up in a predominantly Asian area). I would suggest hot pot as one of my favourite Asian dishes, so delicious and very healthy!
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Meghan — Reply
I LOVE Chinese food. My husband and I moved to a small town with no good Chinese restaurants. This recipe is so good I don’t even miss take out. I use pineapple juice instead of vinegar and ginger instead of garlic powder. Seriously lick your plate clean delicious!
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Mehak — Reply
I made this today and it came out amazing!!! My younger brothers/picky cousins loved it…AND I’m terrible in the kitchen..85% of what I try never comes out right but this was perfect…I followed your recipe exactly as it is! Thanks so much!!!!
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Christina — Reply
This looks great! Any thoughts on how to spice it up some?? I love spicy food!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Christina, I would add some red pepper flakes to the sauce!
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Harshad — Reply
and yeah, added some chilli flakes as well… since i like it hot.
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Harshad — Reply
Hi,
Amazing recipe…. Im eating it as im typing. Just made a few ammendments…
Added Worcestershire sauce and baked for 30 min…. Yummy.
Thanks…. -
Marie — Reply
Simple and easy. I tried this recipe but the only variation I did was adding pineapple.
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Andrea — Reply
I made this tonight and it was amazing! Definitely keeping this on the monthly rotation. Thank you!
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Linda — Reply
This was sooo good. I mixed the eggs and cornstarch together to avoid “fried” eggy chicken and it came out crispy and delicious! Double the sauce, heck double the recipe it is THAT good! A much more economical way for my family to enjoy chinese food…Thank you!
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Bonnie — Reply
I had high hopes but I was really disappointed with this recipe. It was OK, not great.
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Sarah — Reply
I made this last night and it was so good! I’m not the most experienced cook, so it probably took me longer than most people to make this. I was halfway hoping that my boyfriend wouldn’t like it so I wouldn’t make it again (lol), but he said he thought it was really delicious and the best thing I’ve ever made! Guess I’m stuck now! LOL. I thought it was a little time-consuming to make for a weeknight meal, so I may try to make the sauce and fry the chicken ahead of time as mentioned in some earlier comments…that would make it a super EASY weeknight dinner. I was wondering two things though: (1) do you have any nutritional/fat/calorie information for this receipe, and (2) I probably will double the sauce next time (so there is more to use with rice on the side) and saw some references in the comments to “cooking down” the sauce…can you tell me the purpose of doing that, and how you would do that? Thank you so much for this recipe!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Sarah, Unfortunately right now I don’t have any nutritional info on the recipe, but that’s something that I’m working on adding to all recipes on the site, so stay tuned! Cooking down the sauce refers to simmering it, uncovered, until it thickens and reduces in volume. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
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Lily — Reply
I made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic! I underestimated the amount cornstarch I had, so I dredged in a mix of cornstarch and flour. This didn’t seem to make a negative difference. I also added about 2 teaspoons of Sriacha to the sauce and it added just the right amount of heat.
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Heather S. — Reply
I made this last night, and the sauce was too thin on the trial batch I made. It ended up just burning all over the dish and not properly coating the chicken. I doubled the sauce and I added about a cup of cornstarch with water to the sauce, heated the sauce, then added it to the chicken. I also reduced cooking time to only half an hour. It turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
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Mahogany — Reply
The best sweet and sour chicken recipe ever! I made one little adjustment, I add 1 tbsp of sweet chilli sauce to the sauce.
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Joan — Reply
This came out so good!!! Of the many recipes I’ve tried from cooking/baking blogs, this is the first one that I felt I had to comment on – it was that delicious! Thanks so much :)
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Ash — Reply
BEST RECIPE EVER!!!!!!!! I tell everyone about it. It is by far better than any restraunts!! DEFINITELY my familys favorite.
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Jessica Riina — Reply
This was AAAAAAAmazing. My husband was so impressed! Definitely a keeper in our family. I will make extra sauce for rice. Thanks!
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Natalie — Reply
I’m sure America has its own special Chinese food, but COME TO CHINA!!!!!! I’m Chinese and I’ve never had General Tso’s chicken. Egg rolls aren’t that common here but I promise, if — no, WHEN — you come to China and/or Hong Kong, I will give you real Chinese food that’s amaaaazzzziiiiiiiinggggggggg. :)
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Anne Marie Bluhm — Reply
Can the sweet and sour chicken be made earlier in the day and then reheated? If so, what temperature and time to reheat. Having an appetizer party and need to have food ready to reheat.
Thanks!-
Michelle — Reply
Hi Anne, I’d say you could fry the chicken before hand and make the sauce, and then combine the two and bake as directed.
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sam — Reply
i dont know whats wrong with me, but every time i fry with oil it splatters everywhere and i am so scared. the chicken browned decently but when i took it out of the oven, it was dry and overcooked. the sauce was nice though.
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Cindy — Reply
Looks wonderful! My Star wanted a sweet and sour chicken meal for tomorrow’s dinner and I do not have one, as I have never attempted to make this dish. This is what’s for dinner tomorrow night :)
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Nicole — Reply
I am so happy that I tried this recipe last night! My boyfriend absoulty loved it and so did I! Tonight Im going to try the beer and brown sugar kielbasa and sauerkraut. I think you should try making those eggrolls next!
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Hg — Reply
Made this for dinner tonight with fried rice… It was a huge hit!!! Absolutely delicious!!!
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chloe — Reply
this turned out great and i didnt have to go to the store to get anything i had all the ingredients already!
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Suzanne — Reply
Would love to try this………wonder if it can be cooked totally on a stove in a skillet? My oven is broke… :-(
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ren — Reply
i just made this and its AWESOME. i never want to order chinese with the crappy red glaze on the side ever again!
just one thing… i made a half batch of this, and it came out very well except there are some hard blackened bits of the sauce on the chicken that are burned/caramelized and kinda chewy? i put it in the oven for an hour but i have a gas stove which might be hotter, do you think i should take it out sooner next time?
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Michelle — Reply
The oven could definitely be running hot. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend an oven thermometer!
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Anna — Reply
The reward at the end of this recipe was dead silence as my dad and brother ate. This was really delicious and easy to make. I used a frozen vegetable mix similar to yours but used brown basmati rice which is my new fav. My brother hates brown rice but he liked this. It only took 30 mins. in the oven and next time I’ll double the sauce for sure. Definitely will make again! Thanks a bunch!
See AlsoSweet and Sour Chicken -
Jen — Reply
Made this last night, it turned out great! I used two smallish chicken breasts (about 3/4 of a pound), a red bell pepper, two carrots, and some fresh pineapple chunks I had in the fridge (maybe 1 – 1.5 cups?) Also doubled the sauce, but I only used 1 cup of sugar total, which was plenty. We liked how the “sour” in “sweet and sour” really came out, unlike a lot of take-out Chinese sweet and sour which is just overbearingly sweet. Will definitely make this again. Only thing I’d do different is to add the veggies half way through instead of at the beginning so they don’t cook down quite so much. :)
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Amanda — Reply
Absolutely deliscious!!!! Will definately make again though I think I will double the sauce next time!!!
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Brittney — Reply
We are making this dish tonight! Excited to see how it turns out! Will let you know!
Brittney
Peoria, AZ -
Lizi Z — Reply
Oh, wow! This was AMAZING! I’ve made zillions of recipes from blogs, but this is the first time I’ve ever jumped online right after dinner to post a comment about how good the food was! To make it easier for frying and flipping, I cut the chicken into large strips instead of small pieces, which I will definitely do again. I also doubled the sauce and am very glad I did. We had ours with brown rice and broccoli. We’ll be having this again! Thanks!
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Kacey — Reply
Just made this tonight along with my homemade fried rice…very good! Thanks for this recipe. I used 1/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar as I was low on granulated sugar…yum!
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Erin — Reply
Hi!
We love this recipe! It is exactly what we were looking for. Thanks so much for posting it. The only slight changes we made were: adding a tbspn of toasted sesame oil into the oil for frying them off to add a little more asian flavor and we use egg beaters rather than whole eggs for the dip (which doesn’t change the chicken in anyway, we just prefer egg beaters). Thanks again! -
Tyonni — Reply
Found this recipe and love it! Making it again right now :) I have been using egg white’s only because I felt with whole eggs it was coming out like scrambled egg coated chicken, at least for me. Next time I am going to add orange juice, orange zest and chili pepper flakes to make a spicy orange chickenversion. Thank you for the recipe.
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Maopa@Luscious Deals — Reply
I loove Chinese food!! We’re definitely trying this recipe for dinner tonite, I like that it’s simple and not a ton of oil to fry it in..thanks so much for sharing!
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Jennifer G. — Reply
I came across this recipe as few days ago and made it for dinner last night. Can I just say…OH. MY. GOODNESS. Thank you so much…it was awesome!
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Lynn G. — Reply
This was fantastic! We had it tonight and it’s already made it’s way onto my blog. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Mallory @ total noms — Reply
I just made this last night after you posted it in your top 10 dinners- and it was PHENOM! Thank you!
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CatherineH — Reply
I just discovered this recipe and I made it last night. I am definitely making it again. It’s so simple and delicious!! Thanks so much!!
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Reeza — Reply
Okay so I was a little skeptical about this recipe. I thought,’Can it really taste like take-out?’. Was I ever WRONG – this tastes exactly like take out but better because it’s homemade! It is a definite make again – plus it’s super easy to make! Since I am on a gluten free diet, I converted it to gluten free ingredients and it was delicious! Thank you, thank you!
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ShopCookMake — Reply
I just made this! Delicious!
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Chelsea — Reply
I served it with homemade crab rangoons and broccoli. This one is going into the weekly rotation! Absolutely amazing!
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Rachel — Reply
This was delicious! Taste was spot on and it disappeared VERY quickly.
My sauce didn’t seem to completely thicken up though, any suggestions?-
Michelle — Reply
Hi Rachel, Hmm the only thing I could think is that the oven wasn’t hot enough, but any oven should be hot enough to cook down that sauce. Perhaps accidentally too much vinegar or soy sauce thinned it?
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Rachel —
Hmm… I made multiple batches at once, so there was plenty of room for a math error there. Thickened sauce or no, I’ll be making this again. I’ll make sure to pay a little extra attention to how much liquid I put in next time. Thanks!
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Heather S. —
I had the same problem. I added about a cup of cornstarch with water to the sauce and heated it before adding to the dish and it ended up thickening up nicely. I also only cooked it for half an hour
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Amy — Reply
Ok, THIS is amazing!! My husband said it was the BEST Chinese he has ever had. Definitely a keeper.
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Beth — Reply
Thank you so much for such a great recipe. I just made it tonight and my husband said it was the best meal I have ever made! I cooked snowpeas and water chestnuts to go with it, and served it with short grain brown rice. It tasted better than any Chinese takeout I have had. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes! Thanks again.
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Renee — Reply
I bookmarked this recipe to try someday. Today was the day! I LOVE it! Yummy! I made it for tonights dinner, but I think I’ll be having it for today’s lunch first LOL. Thanks for posting this recipe, I will be making it again and again!
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Debbi — Reply
Hey Michelle! Just tried this last night- it was so good :) Thanks for sharing!!!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Debbi, Yay! So glad you liked it!
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Courtney @ The Cozy Home — Reply
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!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Courtney, so glad you enjoyed this recipe! I haven’t mastered fried rice yet, but it is definitely on my list. Stay tuned! :)
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sally — Reply
The sweet and sour chicken was a huge hit!!! i was really surprised at how tasty it is!! This recipe is a keeper.
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Jessica — Reply
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!
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Michelle — Reply
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.
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Jessica — Reply
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.
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linda — Reply
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! -
Lyss — Reply
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.
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Erin R — Reply
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!
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Marissa — Reply
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-
Michelle — Reply
Marissa – Your chicken looks awesome! Isn’t this delish? So glad you loved it!
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Tanya — Reply
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.
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Ciska — Reply
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.
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Holly B — Reply
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.
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Shelly Knight — Reply
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!
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Amanda — Reply
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!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Amanda,
So glad you and your clan enjoyed this! And I agree – you can never have too much sauce!
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Joan — Reply
Wonderful recipe and one I will make again. The only thing I would do different is to double the sauce recipe.
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Lisa — Reply
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.
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amanda — Reply
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.,
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Amy — Reply
Tried this tonight to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We loved it. thanks for the easy, great tasting recipe!
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Amy — Reply
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!
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Chanelle — Reply
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
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nori — Reply
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!!!
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Lisa T — Reply
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!
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norwegianne — Reply
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.
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DerKommissar — Reply
I ended up with scrambled-eggs chicken. : (
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Belle — Reply
Tried this last night and loved it! Always a good thing when the hubby approves! ;) Can’t wait to try it with orange juice!
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Shannon Wallace — Reply
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!
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Jodi Ann — Reply
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!
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Lauryn — Reply
I just posted about this recipe! Absolutely loved it!!! Thanks for sharing!!
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Luke — Reply
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…
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Michelle — Reply
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!
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Peggy — Reply
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!
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Suz — Reply
This is so good. makes me wonder why I never made sweet and sour myself before. A co-worker shared your blog with me and this recipe but I didn’t know it was yours until I was scrambling trying to remember the sauce and your blog came up in a google search. I know she got the recipe here!!! My husband thanks you :)
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Debs — Reply
You’re right, I don’t believe it. Chinese food is my favourite and anyone who knows my blog also knows I cook it regularly and could eat it every day. As chinese food is new to you, why not take a look. If you like sweet & sour, you’ll love my crispy shredded beef recipe. Love your blog BTW, I’m just starting to get to grips with bread baking and hoping to take inspiration from you, Debs.
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Jennifer — Reply
I just made this for dinner and it was absolutly delish! Just like chinese takeout! I wanted a short cut, so I cooked the chicken at 400 degrees for 30 min and they turned out great. Thanks for the great recipe!!
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lilslim — Reply
You’re just now trying chinese food! It’s one of my favorites…your version looking tasty! The sauce looks rich and the texture of the chicken (though in sauce) looks crisp. What a plus! I’m very impressed that you chose to use brown rice instead of white rice in your recipe. My daughter and I make chinese food at home and let me tell ya…it’s a winner! We use Kikkoman soy sauce and LaChoy sweet and sour sauce from our local grocery for an authentic chinese food flavor. Would you happen to have a recipe for Hot Braised Chicken sauce? Thanks!
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Eileen — Reply
We made this for a family gathering over the weekend and it was a HUGE hit! It is delicious! Thanks so much for all these amazing recipes, our family is eating very well these days :)
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Eileen,
So happy to hear that your family enjoyed this dish. Thanks for coming back and letting me know! So glad that you’re enjoying the blog :)
-Michelle
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Mary Teresa — Reply
Just found your site while touring food blogs. Totally trying this recipe first of all. Second of all. Egg rolls are totally not as tricky as they seem. I haven’t made traditional chinese style yet, but make southwestern ones all the time. They’re a snap!
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Michelle — Reply
Hi Mary Teresa, thanks for the encouragement on egg rolls. I can’t wait to give them a try!
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Debby — Reply
For someone who is a virgin to Chinese food, this recipe rocks! I have lots of firsts to conquer myself… one bite at a time. I am SO making this. Thanks! I’ve been looking for a simple recipe and this one sounds wonderful.
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Amber — Reply
Looks delicious Chelle. I am glad you finally ate some Chinese food. :)
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pigpigscorner — Reply
I’m glad you like Chinese Food! Your dish looks so delicious! I can’t wait to have some with rice!
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Elinoar — Reply
Your dish looks great. Going to prepare it next weekend.
wowElinoar – Israeli food blog
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Kerstin — Reply
Oh no, you’ve been missing out – Chinese is soo good! I’ve never had Taco Bell, which seems to shock people for some reason.
Lovely sweet and sour chicken, it’s making my tummy grumble!
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Michelle — Reply
Kerstin – It is surprising that someone hasn’t had Taco Bell! I guess I’m not completely alone in missing out on some things. But really, you’re not missing out, Taco Bell is pretty bleh ;-)
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pixen — Reply
Oooh yes, I believed you. There’s always new things we haven’t tried since its existent but better late than never! I never tasted Blue cheeses, goat cheese or Camembert (au lait cru) even though it’s available in my local supermarkets until 11 years ago. Now, everyone has to fight with me :-D You can count me in your group!
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Heidi — Reply
I love wonton soup. . . the broth is so clear, the wontons so rich, and the container so reusable.
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Tammy — Reply
I can’t believe someone managed to live her life without Chinese food! I’m bookmarking this. It looks scrumptious, as does your delicious photography. Love your colorful picture.
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HoneyB — Reply
Love this!
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kim — Reply
mm! that just looks divine. :)
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lola — Reply
wow, i can’t imagine living 29 years without chinese food! you definitely have to try dim sum and for greasy takeout, orange chicken and eggplant tofu are my favorites. your sweet and sour looks great, thanks for the recipe!
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s. stockwell — Reply
Well check you out! Just what we all need. Sweet & sour chicken better than take out? fun post, thanks, s
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Malcolm — Reply
I hope your newfound love of Chinese takeout leads you to discover some more clone recipes, and that you will share them. We have been trying to duplicate Steamed Pork Dumplings for years with limited to no success.
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Steph — Reply
YUM! This looks delicious; I cannot wait to try it!!
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Danielle — Reply
You definitely have to try pan fried dumplings (or steamed). You could easily make a meal out of those (even though it’s an appetizer).
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Suzanne — Reply
My husband’s favorite take-out is sweet and sour chicken. I can’t wait to try this recipe!! Now, could you post a recipe for moo shu vegetable? ;) :) :)
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Michele — Reply
You don’t know what you’ve been missing!!! I loove chow fun, sesame chicken, egg drop/wonton mix soup, spring rolls, chicken or beef with brocoli, beef with oyster sauce, moo shu chicken…i can keep going. Your chicken looks perfect!!!
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Michel — Reply
Congrats! Chinese is great. I love wonton soup, chicken low mein, and crab ragoons. The kids love S&S chicken. Looks like an easy recipe. I ought to give it a try.
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michelle — Reply
I love this recipe, thanks for posting I need to make it again soon!
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Julie jams — Reply
Wow! That’s a long time without Chinese. Great pictures and recipe. Well done.
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Erin @ One Particular Kitchen — Reply
How on earth did you get through college without Chinese food? :) I would have STARVED.
This looks great!! I made a variation of it this year and I was amazed at how yummy it was. And no take-out-induced finger swelling! Thumbs up!
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Chris — Reply
Nope. can’t believe you’ve never had Chinese before. Next up – I think you should branch out to Thai! :) There’s a whole world out there!!!
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Michelle — Reply
Chris – I actually tried Thai for the first time back in February (I’m so lame, I know), and I loved it!!
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Meghan — Reply
You’re right – I can’t believe you had never had Chinese! I LOVE Chinese food. My favorites are General Tso’s, orange chicken, hot braised chicken, chicken potstickers, and lo mein. Your pictures are gorgeous – I really like these. I love that this recipe only uses 1/4 cup of oil, because so many recipes call for cups and cups of oil for deep frying. Cant’ wait to try this!!
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sunita — Reply
Oooh! That looks so mouthwatering. Chinese is one of our favourite cuisines.
