Love homemade takeout-inspired recipes? Try my skillet Orange Chicken recipe, this Vegetable Lo Mein or this Chicken Chow Mein recipe! I love my crockpot sweet and sour chicken recipe and this Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken when I need something hands off. But they do require me to plan ahead a little bit. Which I don’t always do. 😉 This stovetop Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe is perfect for when you’re craving Chinese takeout but also craving a home cooked meal. Why? Because it’s ready in about the same amount of time as it would take to order and pick up your food. It’s win-win! This Sweet and Sour Chicken is ready in 30 minutes and packed with tender chicken, veggies, and pineapple all covered in a delicious homemade sweet and sour sauce. Serve it over a bed of rice and dinner is served! Got pork? Try this Sweet and Sour Pork instead!
Sweet and Sour Chicken Ingredients:
This simple recipe is packed with basic pantry staples!
Pineapple Juice, Brown Sugar, Ketchup, White Vinegar, and Cornstarch: makes up a simple and delicious homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce recipe! Canola Oil: used to sauté the veggies. You can substitute with any neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point. Veggies: I use a blend of red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and onion. Feel free to add in other veggies like sliced carrots, zucchini, snap peas or broccoli (keep in mind that you’ll want to add softer veggies at the end) Chicken Breast: you’ll need 1 pound of boneless and skinless chicken breasts cut into 1″ chunks. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs also work great! Cornstarch: absorbs moisture from the chicken as it cooks for a crispier exterior. Seasonings: salt and black pepper to season the chicken Minced Garlic and Ginger: use fresh for the best flavor. Powdered or jarred can be used in a pinch! Pineapple Chunks: I use canned pineapple so I can save the juice and use it in the sweet and sour sauce. Canned pineapple is less acidic than fresh and will create a more stable sauce.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
This classic Chinese takeout dinner is ready in a total of 30 minutes!
Mix it up:
Add more veggies. If you want to kick the nutrition up even more, feel free to cook more veggies along with the peppers and onion. Try broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas, etc. Use another meat. You can totally use the sweet and sour sauce to flavor another meat. Try it with pork, shrimp, or try my Sweet and Sour Meatballs Recipe or my Sweet and Sour Slow Cooker Smokies Recipe. Spice it up. Take the heat up a notch by adding red pepper flakes or a drizzle of Sriracha. Swap the vinegar. My preference is white vinegar for the sweet and sour sauce, but apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar will both work as well.
Serving Suggestions
I recommend serving Sweet and Sour Chicken right away for the best flavor and texture. I love to serve my sauce and chicken over a bed of Jasmine rice, instant pot brown rice, or noodles. If you want to add to your meal, serve it next a couple of classic Chinese takeout side dishes such as edamame, egg rolls, or egg drop soup!
More Asian-Inspired Recipes You’ll Love
One Pot Chicken Chow Mein Recipe + VIDEO
Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken & Rice Recipe (pressure cooker)
Vegetable Lo Mein – 6 ingredients!
Easy Orange Chicken recipe
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again. Register Now Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
