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Chinese · Dinner

Sweet and sour chicken

Non-vegMedium

Diet: Non-veg · High-protein

Pan-fry lightly coated chicken and toss it with peppers, pineapple and a sweet-sour sauce. Serve promptly after coating.

Prep
25 min
Cook
25 min
Total
50 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Medium
Cuisine
Chinese
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of sweet and sour chicken
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 4

Chicken

Sauce

Vegetables

Equipment

Wide pan; bowls; whisk; tongs; thermometer.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed recipe, not every substitution.

Steps

Prepare · About 10 min

  1. Coat 600 g chicken breast, cubed with 50 g cornstarch and ½ tsp salt. Whisk 60 g ketchup, 30 ml rice vinegar, 25 g sugar, 60 ml water, 15 ml soy sauce, 10 g cornstarch in a bowl. Do not wash raw chicken.

Pan-fry · About 12 min

  1. Heat 60 ml neutral oil in a wide pan. Cook chicken in batches for 8–12 minutes, turning until golden. Transfer to a clean plate.

    Check: Check thick pieces reach 74°C / 165°F.

Cook vegetables · About 5 min

  1. Leave a thin film of oil in the pan. Stir-fry 200 g bell pepper, diced and 120 g onion, diced for 4 minutes; add 200 g pineapple chunks.

Glaze · About 3 min

  1. Stir the sauce; pour it into the pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Add chicken and toss for 1 minute.

    Check: The sauce thickens and coats the pieces.

Tips

  • Use drained pineapple so the sauce stays thick.
  • This is pan-fried; its coating differs from deep-fried restaurant versions.

Substitutions

  • Use cider vinegar instead of rice vinegar.
  • In Sweet and sour chicken, replace soy sauce with labelled gluten-free tamari.

Storage

  • Get perishable Sweet and sour chicken into the fridge within two hours, or within one hour above 32°C / 90°F. Eat Sweet and sour chicken within two days, keeping it covered at 4°C / 40°F or colder.
  • Bring cooked Sweet and sour chicken to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning it for even heating. When Sweet and sour chicken is part of the meal, serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts straight from safe refrigeration.
  • If Sweet and sour chicken includes a thick sauce or soup, loosen it with a little water during gentle reheating. Any crisp coating on Sweet and sour chicken becomes softer in storage.

Make ahead

  • Mix the sauce one day ahead and refrigerate it.
  • Cut vegetables ahead; coat chicken immediately before cooking.

FAQ

Can I use canned pineapple?

Yes. Drain it and use the measured weight of chunks.

Why did the coating soften?

Sauce softens starch coatings. Toss briefly and serve at once.

Can I omit pineapple?

Yes. Add more pepper and taste the sauce for sweetness.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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