This delightful Spicy Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe brings the authentic taste of Chinese cuisine right to your home kitchen. The perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors combined with crispy chicken and crunchy vegetables creates an irresistible dish that rivals any restaurant version.
While this dish is best enjoyed fresh to maintain the vegetables’ crunchiness, the preparation can be divided into stages, with some components prepared ahead of time. The recipe focuses on three main elements: perfectly cooked chicken, a flavorful sauce base, and fresh, crisp vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 cup corn flour
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, sliced
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper, large diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, large diced
- 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
- 8-10 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lime juice
- 1 cooking spoon vegetable oil
- Chicken seasoning to taste
- Dry pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
- Salt to taste
Steps to Follow
- Step 1: Cut chicken into bite-sized cubes and marinate with salt, dry pepper, minced garlic, black pepper, and chicken seasoning for 30 minutes or overnight
- Step 2: Prepare all vegetables by chopping peppers, onion, and ginger; set aside
- Step 3: Make sauce by combining sugar/honey, ketchup, vinegar, and 4 tablespoons corn flour dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
- Step 4: Simmer sauce for 4 minutes, stirring constantly until it turns translucent
- Step 5: Coat marinated chicken pieces in remaining corn flour and fry until golden brown
- Step 6: In the same oil, sauté chopped onion and ginger for 2 minutes, then add peppers and pineapple for 1 minute
- Step 7: Return sauce to heat, add fried chicken and vegetables, stir for 2 minutes
- Step 8: Serve hot with rice or spaghetti
Additional Instructions
- Prep time: 30 minutes (plus marination time)
- Cook time: 25 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Best served immediately to maintain vegetable crunchiness
- If using canned pineapple, add the juice to the sauce for extra flavor
- Adjust sugar and lime juice ratios to achieve desired sweet-sour balance
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days
General Nutritional Values
- Approx. Calories: 350 kcal per serving
- Approx. Protein: 25g
- Approx. Carbohydrates: 42g
- Approx. Fat: 12g
