Name: Sweet and Sour Chicken
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British Chinese
Ingredients: 600 g chicken thigh (3 cm pieces); 35 g cornstarch (divided between the chicken and sauce); 45 ml light soy sauce (divided between the marinade and sauce); 60 ml rice vinegar (for the sauce); 90 g ketchup (for the sauce); 45 g Brown sugar (for the sauce); 3 cloves Garlic (finely minced); 15 g fresh ginger (finely grated); 1 red bell pepper red bell pepper (seeded and cut into 3 cm pieces); 1 yellow onion yellow onion (chunky wedges); 250 g Pineapple (drained if canned); 30 ml vegetable oil (for stir-frying); 120 ml Water (cold)

How to prepare

Whisk 15 ml of the soy sauce with 15 g of the cornstarch in a bowl until smooth. Add the chicken and turn to coat evenly; set aside for 10 minutes while preparing the sauce.

Whisk the remaining 30 ml soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, 20 g cornstarch, and water in a second bowl until no lumps remain. Keep beside the stove.

Heat half of the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chicken in a single layer and saute for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through to 74°C at the center. Transfer to a plate.

AI-generated image

Add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until the onion begins to turn translucent while the pepper remains lightly crisp.

Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Pour in the prepared sauce and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Return the chicken to the wok and add the pineapple. Toss and simmer for 2 minutes, until the chicken is fully coated, the pineapple is hot, and the sauce clings to every piece.

Taste and adjust with a splash of rice vinegar for more sharpness or a pinch of sugar for more sweetness. Serve immediately while the vegetables are bright and the sauce is hot.

Sweet and sour chicken with peppers, pineapple, and rice

AI-generated image

Why this recipe works

A light flour coating helps the chicken brown while thickening the sauce, and the combination of vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and brown sugar creates a rounded sweet, sour, salty, and savory balance.

Storage and reheating

How to store it

Refrigerate cooled leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Store rice separately when possible.

How to reheat it

Reheat the chicken and sauce in a skillet over medium heat until steaming hot throughout, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. Reheat rice until steaming hot and do not reheat it more than once.