A Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe that shows you how to make the Chinese takeout favourite Sweet and Sour Chicken in the oven so the chicken is CRISPY but not dried out inside. Coated generously in a sticky sauce with a perfect sweet-sour balance!
I don’t like to shout out from the rooftops “this is the BEST baked Sweet & Sour Chicken!” because who’s to say that theirs is the best? But this is a darn good recipe. And it’s MY favourite way of making Sweet & Sour Chicken in the oven. Here’s why:
Not sickeningly sweet. It’s made with 1/2 cup of sugar which is still a lot compared to my usual midweek meals. But it is less than the 3/4 to 1 cup that you’ll see in many recipes.
Not eye-squintingly sour. I don’t know how to properly describe my reaction when I accidentally eat something far too sour! Suffice to say this is tart, not overly sour. 🙂
The Sauce tastes like restaurant sauce. Many Sweet & Sour Sauce recipes taste like they’re missing “something”. Usually that “something” is either Worcestershire Sauce and/or oyster sauce (sometimes also soy sauce). You can omit one of these but don’t leave out all of them, the sauce will taste very “flat”.
The chicken really is crispy! The fact is, you will never be able to make chicken in the oven that is truly as crispy as deep fried (except wings – see my recipe for Truly Crispy Oven Baked Wings!). But this is pretty darn close.
The chicken is NOT DRY. I have seen recipes that call for the chicken to be baked for 45 minutes to 1 hour which I find dries out the chicken. I’m really fussy about dry chicken! Mine is baked for 20 minutes – tops. That’s all you need.
Pretty hard to pick what I love more about this – the Sweet & Sour Sauce, or the crispy chicken! The chicken itself is so yum, it’s hard to resist nicking the pieces straight off the baking tray before they even make it to the sauce.
Try to resist! I promise it’s worth the wait. 🙂 – Nagi x
PS Oh, the other little thing I think makes quite a difference is using some of the pineapple juice in the can for the sauce. It adds that little touch of fruitiness that I really think makes the sauce similar to Chinese restaurants!
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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb / 500 g chicken breast , cut into bite size cubes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg or 2 small eggs , lightly beaten (enough to coat chicken)
- 1 cup cornstarch / cornflour , placed in a large ziplock bag
- 3 to 5 tbsp oil (vegetable, canola)
- Oil spray
Stir Fry
- 1/2 tbsp oil
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 small onion , cut into large dice
- 1/2 red bell pepper , cut into bite size pieces
- 1/2 green bell pepper , cut into bite size pieces
- 1 can (8oz/250g) canned pineapple pieces in natural juice. Separate pineapple from juice.
Sauce
- 1/2 cup sugar (white or brown – I use either)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 – 3 tbsp pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple pieces)
- 3 tbsp ketchup (Australia: tomato sauce)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (Note 1)
- 1 tsp soy sauce (Note 1)
- 1 tsp Oyster Sauce (Note 1)
- 1/4 tsp salt
Thickener
- 1 tbsp cornflour / corn starch + 4 tbsp water , mixed together
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200C/390F.
- Place chicken in a bowl, sprinkle with salt then add the egg. Mix to coat all chicken with egg, then drain out excess egg. (Note 2)
- Working a handful at a time, shake excess egg mixture off chicken then place chicken in ziplock bag. When all the chicken is in the bag, seal (trap as much air in it as you can to make a “balloon”) and shake well to coat chicken in cornflour. Discard excess cornflour.
- Heat oil in a large skillet on high. Add chicken (in 2 batches if your skillet is not big enough) and cook briefly for 2 minutes, turning, just to make the outside light golden and a bit crispy. The chicken should be raw inside.
- Transfer to baking tray, spray with oil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until it becomes a little more golden brown and is crispy.
Sauce
- Meanwhile, discard oil in the skillet and wipe briefly with paper towels. Reduce heat to medium high and heat 1/2 tbsp oil. Add garlic and sauté for 20 seconds, then add onion and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add bell peppers and cook for 1 minute.
- 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.
- When the chicken is done, add it into the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce.
- Serve immediately with rice – or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice! Garnish with scallions if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Oh my!! This took me right back to when I was younger & my favourite chinese meal was sweet & sour pork/chicken. This was so good that my husband & I were silent for about 5 minutes before we could give our verdict which we do with all the meals I make but we were too busy enjoying the amazing flavour. You have done it again Nagi, thank you.
I made this for the first time yesterday and my husband said it’s the best sweet and sour chicken he’s ever had!! If there was one criticism, it’s that the chicken was a tiny bit dry. Am thinking of using chicken thighs next time. Could I use your velveting method too?? Thanks Nagi.
‘This is the BEST Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken ever! Absolutely demolished by the whole family but I’m not surprised as every recipes I cook from here is delicious!
This is Devine…..
WOOT! I’m so glad it was a hit Jodie! N x
Another fantastic recipe the whole family really enjoyed it much better than a jar. I love that you know what you are eating a big thank you Nagi again.
Wahoo! That’s great Meryle! N x
I honestly have not come across with anything you’ve created that I don’t like!
This was a hit! I loved loved loved it and my picky husband also loved it! Thanks so much!!
this was the second Of your Asian recipes I made this week. Absolutely delicious and easy to prepare! Thanks again
You’re so welcome Heather!! N x
I made this last night and thoroughly enjoyed it, loved the sauce and didn’t change a thing, awesome.
Perfect Kel! N x
This is an excellent recipe, just like UK takeaway Sweet & Sour Chicken Hong Kong style; my family were very impressed.
That’s awesome Matt – thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Our family loves this recipe and we make it alongside your cashew chicken when friends or family come over and we want to impress them!!
I’ve been thinking – would this also work with tofu?
That’s awesome Nathalie! I’m not sure it would work as well with tofu unfortunately – N x
So so good. Family favourite.
YESSSS!! I LOVE hearing this Rowan! N x
Hi
: )
Big fan of RT.
This is like a recipe I am searching for. A fave chinese food restaurant blocks away, has a dish named Chinese Chicken Balls. They are ±25mm deep fried balls of a ‘dough’ with one peice of chicken inside. When dipped in their clear red sauce sweet sauce, these are golden jewels of yumminess – crazy and not exactly cuisine but yun. The dough crust has a slight crispness like a good cookie and its not all dough, just enough to round-out the chicken pieces. Would you have this kind of recipe or ideas? RJ, Canada
I got ready to make this recipe on the weekend, but then read the directions to fry it. I thought this was an oven-fry recipe?
Absolutely wonderful. Had to go to an Asian market for Oyster sauce (and google which sauce was the best, lol) but happy to say it was cheap and the flavor was excellent. this is the best and closest sweet and sour I’ve had outside of a great restaurant! I used red wine vinegar instead of Apple Cider (because the apple cider I have has gotten a little funky with the mother in it). Next time I will reduce the vinegar amount slightly because this sauce does lend to being more sour than sweet (just depending what you’re used to). I’ll also up the cornstarch slightly to make it a little thicker. Overall, love every recipe I’ve ever used from this website. You’re my #1!! I love it!
That’s great to hear Emily! And if you love Asian food, you’ll find good use for that oyster sauce – it’s used in everything!! N x
Hi, I love this recipe but will be cooking for a child that is allergic to eggs and dairy. Is there something I can use to coat the chicken instead of egg? Thanks!
Hi Jean, I haven’t tried with an egg substitute, but would love to know if it works!!! N x
This recipe is so good, it was devoured by my VERY picky in-laws! Thanks Nagi.
I’m so happy it was a hit Maria! – N x
Really great recipe! Thank you. Easy to follow & tasted wonderful! Added snow peas😋
Perfect Jackie!!
So beautiful Nagi! A lot of faff but totally worth it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Amy!
Would this still be great if I’m preparing this in the morning for my son’s lunch in the afternoon?
Hi Leony, it will taste great but the chicken will lose its crunch unfortunately – N x
Each time I make this it tastes even better! And my wife agrees. Scrrrrumptious!
That’s awesome to hear John!
I just happened to stumble across your site a couple of nights ago when searching for new recipes to try. The photos of your food look so delicious I had to try some. Tried our first one tonight the baked sweet and sour chicken. I’ve tried tons of sweet and sour recipes over the years and biver been happy with any until now. It was lovely and loved by the whole family and super easy to make. I’ll definitely be making this again instead of buying a takeaway one in the future. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes thanks.
That’s great Lyn!