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Sweet and Sour Chicken is the crispy, golden, takeout favorite that my family asks for on repeat, and I started frying it at home one rainy weeknight when the craving hit and the Chinese place was closed. Tender chicken in a light, shatteringly crisp batter gets tossed in a glossy homemade sauce, and it all comes together with our homemade sweet and sour sauce for the real deal.
The cornstarch batter is the secret to that light, crispy coating that holds up beautifully under the sauce.
Sweet and Sour Chicken Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 30 minutes
- 🍽 Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 380kcal
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Crispy, savory chicken with a sweet and tangy sauce
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our Chinese chicken recipe
Quick Answer
Toss diced chicken with cornstarch, soy sauce, and seasonings. Make a light batter by whisking cornstarch, flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt, then mixing in an egg and ice cold water. Coat the chicken in the batter and fry in 350 degree oil in batches until golden and cooked through to 165 degrees. Drain, then serve with sweet and sour sauce for dipping or toss it all together over rice.
Jump to:
- Sweet and Sour Chicken Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Sweet and Sour Chicken FAQs
- Other Recommended Copycat Takeout Recipes
- The Best Fried Sweet and Sour Chicken
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- A cornstarch coating fries up crispy. Tossing the chicken in cornstarch first creates a dry surface that crisps instantly in hot oil.
- Ice cold water keeps the batter light. Cold batter absorbs less oil, so the coating stays crunchy instead of greasy.
- Baking soda and powder add lift. They puff the batter slightly for an airy, shatteringly crisp crust.
- Marinating the chicken seasons it through. Soy sauce and spices flavor the meat itself, not just the coating.
- Frying in batches keeps the oil hot. Hot oil seals the coating fast so the chicken never gets soggy.
- Saucing at the end protects the crunch. Adding the sauce just before serving keeps every bite crispy.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is better than takeout. Crispier, fresher, and ready in 30 minutes right in your own kitchen.
- The batter is foolproof. A simple cornstarch batter delivers restaurant crunch every time, like our copycat Panda Express teriyaki chicken.
- It is endlessly customizable. Serve it saucy or with dip, over rice, or loaded with peppers and pineapple.
Key Ingredients
- Boneless Chicken: Diced chicken breast cooks fast and stays juicy under the crispy coating.
- Cornstarch: The star of the crispy batter and the chicken coating; do not swap it out.
- Flour and Leaveners: A little flour, baking soda, and baking powder give the batter structure and lift.
- Egg and Ice Water: The cold wet base that makes the coating light and crisp.
- Sweet and Sour Sauce: The glossy, tangy finish; use our homemade sweet and sour sauce for the best flavor.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Add veggies. Toss in sauteed bell pepper, onion, and pineapple for the classic takeout version.
- Use thighs. Boneless chicken thighs stay extra juicy if you prefer dark meat.
- Bake or air fry. For a lighter version, air fry the battered pieces instead of deep frying.
- Make it spicy. Add a drizzle of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
- Serve it over noodles. Swap rice for lo mein or pair with our wonton soup for a full takeout spread.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Add the diced chicken to a bowl with the onion powder, garlic powder, cornstarch, pepper, and soy sauce. Stir to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg and ice cold water together.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined. A few lumps are okay.
- Add the seasoned chicken to the batter and stir to coat every piece.
- Fry in 350 degree oil in batches, not crowding the pan, until golden and 165 degrees inside. Drain on a rack and serve with sweet and sour sauce.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Keep the batter cold. Use ice cold water and mix right before frying for the crispiest coating.
- Do not overmix. A few lumps in the batter are fine and keep it light.
- Watch your oil temperature. Hold it around 350 degrees so the chicken cooks through without burning.
- Fry in batches. Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and makes the coating soggy.
- Drain on a rack. A wire rack lets steam escape so the bottoms stay crisp.
- Sauce at the last minute. Toss or drizzle just before serving to keep the crunch.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Sweet and Sour Chicken is a takeout night classic, and I love serving it over a big bowl of steamed white rice with plenty of sauce and a sprinkle of sliced scallions. It is the kind of dinner the whole family gets excited about.
For a full spread, pair it with our better than takeout beef and broccoli and a batch of air fryer gyoza. A bowl of wonton soup on the side makes it feel like a real Chinese restaurant feast at home.
However you serve it, keep extra sweet and sour sauce on hand, because everyone always wants more for dipping.
Sweet and Sour Chicken FAQs
Absolutely. Saute chunks of bell pepper, onion, and pineapple, then toss them with the fried chicken and sweet and sour sauce for a classic takeout style dish. Add them right before serving so the chicken stays crispy.
Steamed white or fried rice is the classic base, along with lo mein, fried rice, egg rolls, or a simple stir fried vegetable. A bowl of extra sweet and sour sauce on the side is always a good idea.
Both work. For the crispiest chicken, serve the sauce on the side for dipping so the coating stays crunchy. If you prefer saucy, glazed pieces, toss the fried chicken in warm sweet and sour sauce just before serving.
Cornstarch creates an ultra light, crispy coating, and ice cold water keeps the batter from absorbing too much oil, so the chicken fries up crunchy instead of greasy. The baking soda and powder add extra lift for that airy crust.
Fry in batches so the oil stays hot and the pan is not crowded, and drain the chicken on a rack instead of paper towels so steam escapes. Serve it soon after frying, and keep the sauce separate until the last minute.
Store the chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the chicken in a 375 degree oven or air fryer to re crisp it, then add warm sauce. The microwave works but the coating will soften.
Other Recommended Copycat Takeout Recipes
If you make this Sweet and Sour Chicken, I would love to hear how it turned out! Leave a star rating and a comment below, and tag us in your photos. Happy cooking!
For another easy chicken dinner, try our Monterey chicken next.
Looking for more? Try kid friendly hot dog spaghetti for another easy family favorite.
Looking for more? Try caramel pecan logs for another easy family favorite.
Looking for another Chinese takeout favorite to make at home? Try our homemade egg foo young recipe for fluffy, veggie-packed egg patties smothered in homemade brown gravy.
Round out the takeout spread with our homemade cream cheese wontons, crispy and ready in 15 minutes.
Craving more copycat dinners? Our copycat Alice Springs chicken brings the Outback Steakhouse flavor home in one skillet.
Round out a Chinese banquet with our restaurant worthy Peking duck.
Takeout fan? Our Thai beef bowls bring sweet, tangy, spicy flavor over creamy coconut rice.
If you like a kick with your sweet, our spicy pad thai recipe nails that balance.
You will also love our dump-and-go ginger chicken.
The Best Fried Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
For the batter:
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cup ice-cold water
- 1 large egg
- Oil for frying
- 1 recipe sweet and sour sauce linked below
Instructions
- Add the diced chicken to a medium-sized bowl, add the onion powder, garlic powder, cornstarch, pepper, and soy sauce. Stir to combine, set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Set aside.
- Add the water and egg to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet into the dry and mix until just combined, some lumps are okay. Add the chicken to the batter and stir to combine.
- In a heavy bottom skillet with deep sides, fill it up 2-3 inches with the frying oil. Heat the oil to 350°F over medium heat. Fry the chicken pieces, not touching in the oil. You will need to fry in batches, do not crowd the pan. Flip the chicken halfway through until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Drain on a rack over a cookie sheet to let the excess oil drip off. Serve with sweet and sour sauce for dipping or toss the chicken in the sauce and serve over rice.
Video
Notes
- Recipe for sweet and sour sauce.
- Nutritional value includes chicken only.
- Easily double this recipe to serve more people.
- This is best eaten the same day that it is made.
- If you want to add peppers and pineapple to this you can.
- Serve with the sauce on the side or with the chicken tossed in the sauce.
- We like to serve this over rice.
- Serve with any of your favorite sides, see above for some of our favorites.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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Hi I recently made this and would like to make it again. I just want to know if I can substitute The soy sauce out for something else and over really good
I made this for supper tonight and it was excellent!! Very easy to put together! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I had to use a different recipe for the sweet and sour sauce because I could not fine Your recipe.
Very good will make again!
It is Delicious 😋 I make it all the time 👍🏾
Delicious & better than takeout!
The only word I have is WOW! This is the best S/S chicken I have ever had, bar none. The seasoning is perfect, batter is so light & crispy, sauce is excellent. Thanks SO much for a terrific recipe. 😊
1 egg, everything is listed in the recipe card
I am not seeing how many eggs
This was amazing! Restaurant quality! I didn’t change a thing other than when I misread the directions. I will 1000% make this again!!
Tried tonight. Very good! This recipe will be our go to for Sweet and Sour Chicken from now on. Thank you!!!