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!
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!
PS It looks watery but once simmered, it thickens. 🙂 See? Look how nicely it coats the stir fry?
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!
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
- 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
- 1 tbsp cornflour / corn starch + 2 tbsp water , mixed together
- 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
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Mix together Sauce ingredients. Mix together Thickener in a separate small bowl.
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Heat oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute.
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Add chicken and stir fry until it it is white all over but still pink inside.
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Add capsicum and stir fry for 2 minutes.
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Add Sauce ingredients. Stir until sugar has dissolved and the sauce begins to bubble.
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Add Thickener. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Then cook until it thickens to a syrup consistency - about 3 minutes.
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Stir through pineapple pieces (just to warm) and remove from stove.
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Serve with rice, garnished with shallots if desired.
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. Combine 1 tsp baking soda and chicken in a small bowl. Set aside for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly, then pat dry with paper towels.
4. Nutrition per serving, stir fry only. If the sugar is reduced to 1/4 cup, then it reduces to 351 calories per serving.
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……
You do say you answer all questions but I have posted mine twice and received no response. I’m wondering if my question was somehow inappropriate.
Hi Marie! Not at all. I work very hard to respond to all questions but sometimes when I am travelling, I can miss some accidentally. 🙂 I’m afraid I am not familiar with cooking with xylitol so I could not tell you. Sorry!
This is really, really nice. Just like our Chinese restaurant. Yum. Thx Nagi.
Love hearing that John! Thanks for letting me know – N xx
Hi Nagi, this is one of our very favorite recipes . Tomorrow I am making this using pork, your beef and broccoli and chicken and cashew recipes for friends coming over. I was wondering if it would be ok to make the sauces up ahead of time (maybe an hour or so) so that I am ready to wok and roll in the kitchen?! I am working my way through SO many of your recipes – your site is now my go to for tasty 😊 Never been disappointed – huge THANK YOU 😊
Yesssss! So glad you enjoyed this so much Catherine! Absolutely fine to make the sauces ahead – get it all chopped then cook it up when you’re ready! N xx
Delicious! This recipe is by far the best I have ever had for Sweet and Sour Chicken. Thank you Nagi!
Fantastic to hear Pamela! Thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
After reading all the comments on this recipe I am very keen to try it but would really like a reply to my xylitol question. We avoid sugar if at all possible
Can I substitute xylitol for sugar. We don’t eat sugar, only the dry smallest quantities.
Hi Nagi,
I was just wondering if I’m doing sweet & sour pork instead of chicken, do I do the same thing with the pork as you do with the chicken regarding putting baking soda over the meat and then rinsing it off? Thanks for the wonderful recipes
Cindy
Hi Cindy! You absolutely can 🙂 The texture ends up like the chicken when you do that technique, it’s so tender!
Another one of your recipes which was an absolute triumph!! I have tried a couple of sweet and sour recipes but they never fully recreate the restaurant version until now! I followed your tip and used the reduced amount of sugar as well as adding in a few more veggies and we loved it. Can’t wait to try another one of your recipes!
I wish I could give this 10 stars! A beautiful dish! I saw this recipe in your Asian takeout cookbook and made it last night. The sauce was positively magical. The only thing I changed was to cut the sugar in half and it was more than sweet enough (and I’ve been known to have candy for breakfast 🤪 so I have a high tolerance for sugar). I used fresh pineapple instead of canned only because I happened to have it around, but otherwise followed the recipe down to the teaspoon. The only downside was there were no leftovers for lunch today because my family couldn’t stop eating it. 😄 Yet another recipetineats recipe that makes it into the official dinner queue.
Love hearing that Cheryl! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it! N xx
this was … actually hard to find words to describe what I feel
awesome recipe family loves it
thank you
I’m so pleased to hear that A R! Thanks for letting me know! N xx ❤️
Hi Nagi
Cooked this dish tonight, 1/2hr or less dinner on the table (I have the chicken cut before hand). Again thank you so much.
Thanks for trying my recipe Ai Tang, and for taking the time to come back and let me know you enjoyed it! N x
Yum! Thanks for the recipe Nagi 🙂
Will be making this soon!
Aww poor Dozer… but he’s so cute as always 😉
Made this for dinner and it was lovely!
Boyfriend and I both enjoyed this with some brown rice. 🙂 Thanks Nagi!
I’m so glad Maggie! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know – N x
Hope you enjoy it Maggie! N x
Made it- always tough convincing my husband that I can make food better than takeout- this sold him!!
YESSSSSSSS!!!! N x
Made this tonight, and it was delicious!! There are just two us, and if there had been two more, they would have left very hungry! I tossed in some broccoli near the end. Loved the sauce with the half cup of sugar. Thanks, Nagi. You’re the best!
Touchdown! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed it Sherry, THANK YOU for letting me know! N x
Made this for dinner last night, reduced the sugar slightly as per the notes to 1/3 cup and added a few extra vegies. We loved it. Very similar to the take-away style sweet and sour but so much nicer.
Thanks for another great recipe.
Woo hoo! So glad you enjoyed it Donna, thanks for letting me know! N x
I made this dish last night I liked it, the only thing I would do differently is salt the chicken before cooking it. I thought with all the soy and oyster sauce it wouldn’t need it, but the chicken tasted a little bland. Looking forward to cooking the cauliflower recipe. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. Anita
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Anita! I find that with all the sauce, I didn’t need to salt the chicken but yes definitely salt it if you think it needs more salt! N x