Sweet and Sour Chicken

Bite-sized chicken thigh gets a light, crunchy coating before tumbling through a bright, sticky sauce balanced between sweet and sharp. Fresh peppers, onion and pineapple keep it vibrant. It comfortably beats the takeaway and comes together in one wok.

Great sweet and sour is all about balance: a clean hit of vinegar and tomato against just enough sugar, clinging to chicken that stays crisp under the sauce. This version fries the chicken in a light cornflour coating, then coats it at the last second so it never turns soggy. Fresh peppers and pineapple do the heavy lifting, no lurid food colouring required.

Ingredients

• 600g boneless skinless chicken thighs — cut into 3cm chunks; breast also works
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 egg — beaten
• 5 tbsp cornflour — plus a little extra for dusting
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar — or cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 227g tin pineapple chunks in juice — drained, juice reserved
• 1 red pepper — cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 green pepper — cut into 3cm pieces
• 1 onion — cut into wedges
• 3cm fresh ginger — peeled and finely grated
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil — for frying

Method

1. Toss the chicken chunks with the light soy sauce and beaten egg, then leave for 10 minutes while you prepare everything else. Make the sauce by stirring together the rice vinegar, ketchup, caster sugar, dark soy sauce and the reserved pineapple juice, topped up with water to 150ml. Set aside.
2. Tip the cornflour onto a plate. Lift the chicken pieces from the egg and roll each in cornflour to give a dry, even coating, shaking off the excess. A light dusting is all you want.
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken in two batches for 4-5 minutes per batch, turning, until golden and crisp. Lift onto kitchen paper. The chicken should be cooked through with no pink in the middle.
4. Wipe the wok, add the last tablespoon of oil and raise the heat. Stir-fry the onion wedges and peppers for 2 minutes so they soften slightly but keep their bite, then add the grated ginger and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Give the sauce a stir and pour it in. Bring to a fast bubble and let it reduce for 1-2 minutes until glossy and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
6. Add the pineapple chunks and warm through for a minute, then return the crisp chicken to the wok. Toss quickly to coat everything in the sauce and serve straight away, while the chicken is still piping hot and the coating stays crisp.

Serve it with

• Steamed jasmine or egg-fried rice
• Plain boiled rice
• Chinese-style stir-fried greens
• Prawn crackers
• Vegetable spring rolls

Why this works

Coating the fried chicken only at the last moment keeps it crunchy, while balancing vinegar and ketchup against just two tablespoons of sugar gives a sauce that tastes sharp and bright rather than cloying.

Common swaps

• Use chicken breast for a leaner result, but fry a touch less so it stays juicy
• Swap pineapple for tinned mandarin segments, or leave it out for a savoury version
• No rice vinegar? Cider vinegar or white wine vinegar work well
• Add a diced fresh chilli or a splash of chilli sauce for heat

Common mistakes to avoid

• Coating the chicken in sauce too early, which makes the crisp exterior go soft
• Overcrowding the pan so the chicken steams instead of frying golden
• Overcooking the peppers to mush; they should keep a little crunch
• Skipping the reduction step, leaving a thin, watery sauce that slides off

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The coating softens once stored, but the flavour stays good.

Freezing: Freezes reasonably for up to 1 month, though the chicken loses its crispness. Defrost fully in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat in a hot wok or frying pan for a few minutes, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce, until piping hot throughout.

Allergen notes: contains Egg, Soya, Gluten. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.