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!
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
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Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry
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:
Nutrition Information:
More Stir Fries
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……
I swear we’re kindred souls. It’s all about the sauce and the rice.
This looks great and Dozer is so cute.
Hiiiiii Maureen! It is so nice to hear from you, how are you and John doing? <3 N x
We’re slowly moving forward.
I made this!!! I had to add broccoli and shredded carrot and a few mushrooms but it was yummy. Yes, it’s sweet but my American brain fell in love.
Will you forgive the smile! Am making chicken stir-fry with peppers for today’s lunch with a friend . . . have most of your ingredients but it won’t be quite sweet-and-sour’ 🙂 ! Looks great but am also not one for the pineapple . . . hmmm: have been in that ‘sauce aisle’ and tried a few – opportunity cost of time usually!!! ‘Edible’ v ‘Thrilling’!!!!!
No way!!! We’re in SYNC! 😉
This is almost the recipe I use! I don’t do the Worchestershire Sauce, though. I’ll have to try that. I also use fresh tomatoes and/or tomato paste for tang, as ketchup tends to be too sweet. My secret to a killer sweet-and-sour? Purée, super-thinly slice, or finely dice a few apricots into the pineapple and simmer it for a few minutes. The apricot adds a certain depth. I don’t know how.
Oooh yes! I can totally imagine it would Shalryn! 🙂
Can’t wait to make this…Thanks for another delicious looking recipe…:)
Thanks Lyn! I do hope you try it, the sauce is DELISH! 🙂
I sincerely hope that you were not having those thoughts about Dozers legs while you were wielding that knife?!
The chicken looks good but I don’t do sweet and sour, too sweet for my savoury palate.
Honestly, I have a photo of Dozer where he is lying in a position where I swear to you, he looks like butterflied chicken!! Next chicken recipe, I’ll share it….!!
I’m sorry but I could not refuse Dozer anything. Those eyes just touch my heart. Anyway, the recipe looks so good. I love a good stir fry – I could eat it every night. There are so many great flavors to combine. Have a great day!!
It takes great restraint not to give him everything he wants. When he was younger, I had less self control and he got a bit pudgy……
Love it and trying it out pretty soon (once I get the chicken 🙂 )!
Hope you do Julia!!! Love the colours in this stir fry – and the sauce is so good! 🙂
Hi Nagi! How do you do it? I have chicken thawing and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it and now I do! This is the same way I do mine, as I don’t like the texture once the deep fried chicken is sauced. I’m going to add broccoli and water chestnuts just because I have them. I don’t think it would help poor Dozer if he were shorter, he could still smell all the wonderful things you prepare!
Oooh YES to water chestnuts! I love them 🙂 Do you use them for anything other than Asian cooking?? Here in Australia it’s only sold in the Asian section of supermarkets!
Hi Nagi! Actually I add them to chicken and tuna salad for crunch and I sometimes put them in stuffed mushrooms. 🙂 BTW Gary loved this! I did add mushrooms also.
Oooh! And guess what? I’m making stuffed mushrooms today – ha ha ha! 🙂 N x
woah – what?? You made this sauce for dinner???
Hi Nagi YES I made this for dinner! And we have enough left to have for another dinner! Next time I’m going to make it with pork tenderloin. One other thing I do with water chestnuts (whole ones) is give the a little soak in soy sauce, wrap them in a little piece of bacon and sprinkle them with brown sugar. Then I bake them on a rack until the bacon is crispy. 🙂
I can safely say I have never tried that nor ever thought too, but YUM!!!! I know that will be DELICIOUS!
This is being made for dinner! I have all the ingredients and that’s a good thing since it will be 100 degrees out today.
I hope you have air conditioning!!!!
Your sauce comment made me laugh. I have made so many of your Asian dishes and love the extra sauce that is always left for the rice. I should have remembered this important fact when I made your Salisbury steak with mushroom sauce this weekend. I know my family loves lots of sauce over noodles so…I doubles it. Oh My Gawd! It was soooo much sauce. I had to pour some into a separate pan just to allow room for the steaks to simmer. Luckily it was super super delicious and my husband ate the left overs over chicken breasts and rice. We love your recipes!!!
I know….I am a sauce maniac!!! I would rather too much than too little sauce 🙂 Also I find that the quantity of sauce a recipe makes really varies depending on whether people like their sauce super thick or thinner, so I err on the side of caution in terms of quantity. So glad you enjoy my recipes, thanks Bryn! N x
Hello! I am new to your website and recipes.
What do the numbers in parentheses mean after some ingredients? THANK YOU!
Hi Lyn! I was being lazy, instead of writing (Note 1) etc! Changed back to my usual way! N x
Ahhhh, I see! THANK YOU so much for explaining!
This looks so fabulous Nagi!!! There is only ONE sweet and sour sauce I buy at Whole Foods and I really like it. I jazz it up a bit…but sometimes I just need to have an easy sauce on hand 🙂 BTW off topic…mildly…how do you do your action shots? Do you set the timer on?
Hi hun! Depends on what. If I’m doing a pour shot, I’ll have the camera close enough to click while I do it. Actually, I do that most of the time. The only time I do a timer is if both hands are in the shot – like chopping the bell peppers in this post 🙂 N x
Saucy deliciousness and Dozer is more patient than I would be. 🙂 Nice pineapple juice touch in this!
He just silently drools. Dreaming of doing a face plant in it!
Hi Nagi,
What a lovely stir fry. Look at that yummy sauce!
We love making Chinese stir fries at home too.
Oh, and I’m with you when it comes to the sauce. I just couldn’t stop myself from “taste-testing” it as I cook. hehe~
Anyways, have a wonderful week! 🙂
Amy
Oh believe me, I do lots and LOTS of taste testing!!! 😉 N x