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Home Collections Asian Takeout

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

By:Nagi
Published:26 Sep '16Updated:1 Aug '20
124 Comments
Recipe v Dozer v

Bright and colourful, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is super fast to make! The sweet and sour sauce is truly like what you get at good Chinese restaurants, but not tooth-achingly sweet. This is not a deep fried version of Sweet and Sour Chicken, it’s a much healthier stir fry.

Make this using whatever veggies you have, switch up the chicken with prawns/shrimp, pork, beef or even fish. This is a winner!

Bright and colourful, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is made with a sauce that rivals the best Chinese restaurants! recipetineats.com

I know my local supermarkets pretty well. I know exactly where to go for most items (except cling wrap, which, for some reason, I always forget which aisle it’s in and Woolies people tell me it’s the single most asked question) and I know the aisles pretty well.

At least, I thought I did. It dawned on me the other day that there is one whole section of the supermarket that I don’t know at all – the prepared meal base aisle. You know the section of the supermarket that sells things like Honey Mustard Sauce in jars and vacuum seal packs?

I am honestly not trying to sound snobby because I don’t judge. She who does the drive through of shame through KFC and Maccers on the odd occasion cannot judge. 😉

Anyway, I actually stopped to take a look the other day and was quite astonished at the range of meal bases that are on offer. Everything from Chow Mein, to Chicken Cacciatore, Goulash, Chilli Con Carne – all the favorites. Including Sweet and Sour Sauce.

I have no idea what the jar stuff tastes like, but I’m pretty sure it won’t be as nice as homemade. And it’s so darn fast to mix together!

Bright and colourful, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is made with a sauce that rivals the best Chinese restaurants! recipetineats.com

Bright and colourful, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is made with a sauce that rivals the best Chinese restaurants! recipetineats.com

Bright and colourful, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is made with a sauce that rivals the best Chinese restaurants! recipetineats.com

PS It looks watery but once simmered, it thickens. 🙂 See? Look how nicely it coats the stir fry?

Bright and colourful, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is made with a sauce that rivals the best Chinese restaurants! recipetineats.com

Oooh – quick little tip for you for chopping capsicum / bell peppers. Doesn’t it annoy you when the seeds inside fly around all over the place?

Well, maybe it doesn’t annoy you, but it annoys me! So this is how I chop capsicum. Fast and mess free!

Bright and colourful, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is made with a sauce that rivals the best Chinese restaurants! recipetineats.com

I like to use chicken thigh for stir fries because it’s juicier than breast and tenderloin. If I make this with chicken breast, I always tenderise it using a Chinese restaurant technique using baking soda (bi-carb). It’s super simple, see directions here: How to Velvet Chicken.

Now, when it comes to stir fries, I am very generous with my sauce. Because the 7 year old inside this 30 something year old body still thinks that the best part of stir fries is scooping up the rice soaked in the delish sweet and sour sauce.

So as with all my stir fries, there is plenty of sauce. Plenty!! – Nagi x

Bright and colourful, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is made with a sauce that rivals the best Chinese restaurants! recipetineats.com

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Bright and colourful, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is made with a sauce that rivals the best Chinese restaurants! recipetineats.com

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 20 mins
Dinner, Stir Fry
Chinese
4.91 from 40 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
Print
This bright and colourful stir fry is made with a classic Sweet & Sour Sauce which is truly like what you get at good Chinese restaurants. This is not made by deep frying the chicken - it's tasty enough as it is without adding more calories!! Also see Baked version of the fried Sweet & Sour Chicken - recipe here. I know 1/2 cup of sugar sounds like a lot, but it works out at 1 1/2 tbsp per serving, which isn't too bad!

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 1/2 cup white sugar (Note 1)
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple pieces)
  • 3 tbsp ketchup (Australia: tomato sauce)
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (Note 2)
  • 1 tsp soy sauce , light or all purpose (Note 2)
  • 1 tsp Oyster Sauce (Note 2)
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Thickener

  • 1 tbsp cornflour / corn starch + 2 tbsp water , mixed together

Stir Fry

  • 1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable)
  • 1 garlic clove , minced or finely chopped
  • 1 onion , halved and sliced (brown, yellow or white) (see photo in post)
  • 400 g / 13 oz chicken thigh fillets , cut into bite size pieces (Note 3)
  • 1 red capsicum / bell pepper , cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 green or yellow capsicum / bell pepper , cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 can (8oz/250g) canned pineapple pieces in natural juice. Separate pineapple from juice.
  • Sliced shallots / scallions , for garnish

Instructions

  • Mix together Sauce ingredients. Mix together Thickener in a separate small bowl.
  • Heat oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute.
  • Add chicken and stir fry until it it is white all over but still pink inside.
  • Add capsicum and stir fry for 2 minutes.
  • Add Sauce ingredients. Stir until sugar has dissolved and the sauce begins to bubble.
  • Add Thickener. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Then cook until it thickens to a syrup consistency - about 3 minutes.
  • Stir through pineapple pieces (just to warm) and remove from stove.
  • Serve immediately with rice - or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice! Garnish with shallots if desired.

Recipe Notes:

1. I know 1/2 cup of sugar sounds like a lot, but it works out at 1 1/2 tbsp per serving, which isn't too bad!
I use 1/4 cup when I'm trying to be healthy. 🙂 It's still quite sweet, but not restaurant sweet. Using 1/2 cup makes it closer to restaurant sweet, but definitely not tooth-achingly sweet. I use less sugar than many recipes you'll find on the internet - some use 1 cup of sugar!!
2. These 3 ingredients are what makes this sauce more like the Sweet & Sour sauce that is served at Chinese restaurants. They are my "secret ingredients"! You can omit one (substitute with more of one of the others) and it will still taste similar. But please don't leave out all 3! The sauce will taste quite flat and bland.
3. If you are using chicken breast which is leaner, I would recommend tenderising it to make it juicier - see How to Velvet Chicken the Chinese restaurant way.
4. Nutrition per serving, stir fry only. If the sugar is reduced to 1/4 cup, then it reduces to 351 calories per serving.Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry nutrition

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 290gCalories: 398cal (20%)Carbohydrates: 44.7g (15%)Protein: 28.3g (57%)Fat: 12.2g (19%)Saturated Fat: 2.8g (18%)Cholesterol: 82mg (27%)Sodium: 455mg (20%)Potassium: 511mg (15%)Fiber: 2.1g (9%)Sugar: 38g (42%)Vitamin A: 500IU (10%)Vitamin C: 107.3mg (130%)Calcium: 40mg (4%)Iron: 1.8mg (10%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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Life of Dozer

I can’t help but think that if he was just 10 cm / 4 inches shorter, he wouldn’t be able to see what’s on the table and he wouldn’t suffer so much……

dozer-sweet-and-sour-chicken-stir-fry-12

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124 Comments

  1. Carys says

    March 4, 2021 at 10:18 pm

    Another winner! Thank you!! Can this recipe be frozen?

    Reply
  2. Sharon says

    February 26, 2021 at 6:31 am

    5 stars
    Wow! Super easy and just the right balance of sweet and sour. I find restaurant versions too sweet so this was amazing. I added carrots otherwise perfect.

    Reply
  3. Jan Smith says

    February 11, 2021 at 5:04 am

    5 stars
    After about a year, have yet to try a recipe that we didn’t enjoy! Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Juana says

    January 24, 2021 at 5:12 am

    Maybe add sesame oil.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 24, 2021 at 6:11 pm

      Hi Juana, you can if you like but it isn’t an ingredients traditionally used 🙂 N x

      Reply
  5. Cathy A says

    January 17, 2021 at 11:02 am

    Have made this dish several times. My husband loves it (and so do I). Tonight I added some cashews as a special treat. Delicious. Thank you Nagi!!

    Reply
  6. Chris says

    December 14, 2020 at 6:37 am

    5 stars
    What would you recommend to do with the pineapple pieces if I use a can? (besides salads I mean) 🙂

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 14, 2020 at 9:03 am

      Hi Chris, do you mean with leftover pieces? You could always make a carrot cake and finely chop them to add in! N x

      Reply
  7. Wendy Ellison says

    December 6, 2020 at 7:48 am

    I love every one of your dishes, but this one was a little too sweet for me. Wondering if i miss-read the ingredients, I get easily confused with cups 🙂

    Reply
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