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!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Course: Dinner, Stir Fry
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 4
Calories: 398cal
Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Ingredients
Sauce
1/2cupwhite sugar(Note 1)
1/3cupapple cider vinegar
3tbsppineapple juice(from the canned pineapple pieces)
3tbspketchup(Australia: tomato sauce)
1tspWorcestershire sauce(Note 2)
1tspsoy sauce, light or all purpose (Note 2)
1tspOyster Sauce(Note 2)
1/4tspsalt
Thickener
1tbspcornflour / corn starch + 2 tbsp water, mixed together
Stir Fry
1 1/2tbsppeanut oil(or vegetable)
1garlic clove, minced or finely chopped
1onion, 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)
1red capsicum / bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1green or yellow capsicum / bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1can(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.
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.