This simple sweet and sour chicken dinner is the perfect weeknight meal. Juicy chicken pieces with pineapple and peppers are ready on your table in 30 minutes!
Today I have for you this simple sweet and sour chicken recipe. I don’t know why it took me so long to make this recipe because truth be told sweet and sour chicken has been my favorite since I tasted it for the first time 13 years ago in Scotland.
It’s not like it’s a Scottish national dish but until then I had no idea there was such thing as sweet and sour chicken. Well, what can I say! I was young…
Speaking of Scotland… Guys, I highly recommend putting this place on your bucket list! There are several reasons why you should visit Scotland but I tell you that searching for Loch Ness monster should definitely be one of them! I was not lucky enough to see “Nessie” but you might!
So when living in Scotland we would make sweet and sour chicken almost every week. But to be honest with you we would just buy the sauce and add chicken.
Well, back then I didn’t know making it from scratch was so easy! So guys, if you have 30 minutes to spare you must try this simple sweet and sour chicken.
If you are looking for more chicken meal ideas have a look at these easy recipes:
- Honey Lemon Grilled Chicken
- Baked Curry Chicken Wings with Mango Chutney
- Whole Wheat Crispy Popcorn Chicken Wraps
- Mango Chicken Puffs
How to make sweet and sour chicken?
How do you make sweet n sour sauce?
Would you believe me that if I told you that it is easier than you think? Well, then you must trust me because making homemade sweet and sour chicken IS EASY.
The sauce is made of water, tomato ketchup, pineapple juice (sweetened), vinegar and brown sugar. First you will fry the quartered onions, diced bell pepper and ginger for about a minute. I like to separate the layers of each quartered onion. That way they need less time to cook.
Now it’s time to add the sauce ingredients. Simmer this for a minute, throw half-cooked chicken pieces in and continue cooking until the chicken is ready and the sweet and sour sauce has thickened. This will take about 5 minutes.
How to half-cook/pre-cook the chicken:
Get a large frying pan. Heat up some oil and throw in chicken breast cubes that you have coated in corn starch and seasoned with some salt. You don’t want to cook the chicken completely as you want to end up with juicy pieces. That is why we half-cook it. This will take about 2 minutes. Don’t forget to stir the chicken.
Ingredient substitutions:
- Brown sugar – regular granulated sugar.
- Sunflower oil – you can use olive oil.
- Rice vinegar – white wine vinegar or any other will do.
- Bell pepper – you can omit this, if you don’t like it or don’t have it on hand.
Simple Sweet & Sour Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Breasts (450g)
- 2 tbsp Corn starch
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 tbsp Sunflower Oil
- 2 Onions , medium (quartered & layers separeted)
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger , shredded (roughly the size of your thumb)
- 1½ cup Pineapple Pieces
- 1 Bell Pepper green, yellow or red
Sauce:
- ¼ cup Water
- ½ cup Tomato Ketchup
- ½ cup Pineapple Juice
- 1½ tsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Mix diced chicken breasts with corn starch.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and fry chicken until half-cooked. Transfer in a bowl and set aside.
- Again heat 2 tablespoons of oil and add quartered onions, diced bell peppers and grated ginger. Fry for a minute before adding pineapple pieces, water, ketchup, pineapple juice, vinegar and brown sugar.
- Simmer 1 minute and add the chicken. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is ready.
- Serve with rice.
- Enjoy!
Jagruti says
A very colourful dish,your pics are awesome well done.
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you!
Michelle | The Last Food Blog says
I love sweet and sour chicken and haven’t had it in ages! It looks so appetising, will have to make it soon. Thanks for the reminder :)
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
You are welcome! :)
Vicky @ Avocado Pesto says
Love how easy this is to make! YUM! And also Scotland is the best – I traveled around there for 2 weeks in 2013 and absolutely loooved it!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Oh, Scotland is definitely the best!!! :) :)
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
This sounds like such a delicious dish — I think I may add a few drops of hot sauce — cause we like a little kick in this house!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
Thank you! I haven’t tried adding hot sauce but you go for it :)
Ginny says
Sweet and sour is such a fabulous flavor and I am intrigued by your recipe. It sounds so delicious and especially with rice!
Julia | Happy Foods Tube says
It is very tasty, Ginny. Hope you’ll give it a go!