Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2024)

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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken is 1000x better than any takeout! It’s crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and exploding with flavor. There is a reason why this is our favorite recipe on the blog!

This meal is going to blow your family away! I love to complete this meal with this dishes like Homemade Egg Rolls, Cream Cheese Wontons or Easy Fried Rice.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe - The Recipe Critic (1)

The BEST Sweet and Sour Chicken

I am going to keep this as short and simple as possible…you NEED to make this sweet and sour chicken recipe. This recipe is number one for a reason, it’s absolutely incredible. We have yet to find any takeout restaurant beat this recipe. (And that’s saying something, because I love Chinese takeout!)

A simple cornstarch batter makes each piece of chicken nice and crispy, and the sauce is to die for! It’s savory and sweet with the best hint of tang. The sauce thickens as it cooks, coating the chicken perfectly. Everything is super simple to make, so prepare for this sweet and sour chicken to be a regular in your weekly dinner rotation. Easy takeout at home, what could be better than that? (Find more “better than takeout” recipes here!)

Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken Ingredients

Restaurant-quality sweet and sour chicken, but from the comfort of your home! These are all the ingredients you’ll need to make the perfect crispy chicken smothered in a mouthwatering, savory glaze. All measurements can be found below in the recipe card.

  • Chicken Breasts: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for easy prep. This recipe also works really well with skinless chicken thighs or pork if you want to switch things up!
  • Salt and Black Pepper: Give the chicken its first layer of flavor. Add to taste!
  • Cornstarch: Creates a superb crunch.
  • Eggs: Helps the coating stick to each piece of chicken.
  • Canola Oil:Just enough to give the chicken a quick fry for crispiness.
  • Granulated Sugar:Gives the sauce a touch of sweetness. You can also use brown sugar if you’d like! It will give your chicken a deeper, more caramel-like flavor.
  • Ketchup: Adds some extra flavor to the sauce.
  • White Vinegar and Apple Cider Vinegar: I love adding a combination of both because it gives the sauce a tangy flavor, but a bit of sweetness too!
  • Soy Sauce: A must-add for any savory Asian dish! I used low-sodium soy sauce, but whatever you have on hand works great!
  • Garlic Salt: Adds the perfect punch of savory flavor.
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2)

Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken Recipe

Making this sweet and sour chicken doesn’t take much effort at all! Once you get a taste, you’ll be happy you didn’t order takeout! The crispy breading and flavor of the sweet and sour sauce is seriously the best. You can’t beat the fresh flavor of making Chinese takeout from scratch!

  1. Prep: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut your chicken breasts into bite sized pieces and then season with salt and pepper.
  2. Dip: Add cornstarch and slightly beaten eggs to separate bowls. Dip the chicken FIRST in the cornstarch and then coat in the egg mixture.
  3. Flash Fry: Heat canola oil in a large pan over medium high heat and cook chicken until brown but not fully cooked throughout. Place the chicken in a 9×13 inch baking dish.
  4. Prepare Sauce: In a medium sized mixing cowl, whisk together sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, soy sauce and garlic salt.
  5. Bake: Pour over the chicken and bake for an hour. Stir every 15 minutes to coat them in the sauce.
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe - The Recipe Critic (3)

Tips and Tricks

These are a few tips to keep in mind so your chicken turns out as delicious as possible! I’ve also included a few ways to switch things up. That’s the beauty of making sweet and sour chicken at home instead of ordering takeout. You can customize it however you want!

  • Method to the Madness: Make sure you first coat your chicken in the cornstarch and then the egg. This method makes the perfect breading for the chicken.
  • Flash Frying: Don’t cook the chicken all the way through before baking.You just want to get the chicken lightly brown on the outside, and then it bakes to perfection.
  • Vinegar:You can use all apple cider vinegar, but I wouldn’t use all white vinegar, the flavor and zing will be different. If you want a lighter flavor you can also use rice vinegar, it’s still tangy but a little milder.
  • Make it Saucy:If you like your dish saucy, double the sauce recipe and place half on the chicken and another half on the stove in a pot at a simmer for 8-10 minutes until thickened.
  • Add Veggies:Feel free to add vegetables or pineapple chunks to the dish before baking. (You can even add a little bit of pineapple juice to your sauce!) Chopped red bell peppers, bamboo shoots, chopped onions, broccoli, or snow peas are all great options as well.
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe - The Recipe Critic (4)

Storing Leftovers

One of the great things about Chinese takeout is that it’s super easy to store and reheat. It tastes just as good the next day! Heat up some rice and you have a quick and delicious lunch on your hands.

  • In the Refrigerator:Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
  • In the Freezer: Leftovers can be frozen too. Just place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for 2-3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
  • To Reheat: Sweet and sour chicken is best reheated on the stove. Reheating it in the microwave can make the chicken rubbery and overcooked. Place leftovers in a saucepan on the stovetop and heat on medium heat, stirring often, until heated through.
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe - The Recipe Critic (5)

More Amazingly Delicious Baked Chicken Dishes

If you have some extra chicken breasts hanging out in your freezer, here are more great ways to use them up! Not only are these recipes insanely delicious, but they’re also super easy to make and use a lot of pantry staple ingredients. Plus, my picky eaters can’t get enough of them which is the biggest win!

Dinner

Baked Honey Sesame Chicken

1 hr 30 mins

Dinner

Baked Orange Chicken

1 hr 30 mins

Dinner

Baked Kung Pao Chicken

1 hr 20 mins

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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

4.79 from 55 votes

By: Alyssa Rivers

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken is 1000x better than any takeout! It's crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and exploding with flavor. There is a reason why this is our favorite recipe on the blog!

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 people

Equipment

  • Utopia Kitchen Cooking Knives

  • Fine dine Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.

  • In separate bowls, place cornstarch and slightly beaten eggs. Dip chicken into cornstarch then coat in egg mixture.

  • Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook chicken until browned. Place the chicken in a 9 x 13 greased baking dish.

  • In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic salt. Pour over chicken and bake for 1 hour.

  • I stirred the chicken every 15 minutes so that it coated them in the sauce.

Video

Notes

Updated on May 10, 2023

Originally Posted on July 4, 2013

Nutrition

Calories: 553kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 35gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 178mgSodium: 777mgPotassium: 627mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 215IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian American, Chinese

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

Read More About Me

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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe - The Recipe Critic (2024)

FAQs

What does sweet and sour chicken contain? ›

Sweet and Sour Chicken Ingredients

For the sauce: water, pineapple juice from a can, white sugar, white vinegar, and orange food coloring. For the batter: cornstarch, self-rising flour, vegetable oil, an egg, salt, and white pepper.

How to cook chicken like a chef? ›

How to Make Perfectly Cooked Chicken Breasts
  1. Season the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper on both sides.
  2. Add olive oil to a sauté pan over high heat. ...
  3. Heat the oil until it begins to smoke lightly. ...
  4. Add the chicken breasts, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook them for 3 ½ to 4 minutes.
Oct 23, 2023

What keeps chicken moist when baking? ›

Because chicken isn't a very fatty cut of meat, you'll want to add some fat to keep the meat hydrated. Most recipes use butter or oil for cooking chicken, but mayo is the better fat option when it comes to producing juicy chicken.

Is it better to bake chicken at 350 or 400? ›

You can roast or bake anywhere between 325 and 450 degrees F. When roasting a whole chicken, a nice rule of them is to start at 400 to 425 degrees F and then turn the oven down to 350 after 15 minutes and cook until the internal temp of the chicken is 165 – 175 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.

Does sweet and sour chicken always come with sauce? ›

The dish generally comprises cubes of white meat chicken deep-fried in batter and served with sweet and sour sauce. Sometimes it is topped with pineapple, green pepper, carrot, or sweet pickles. Sweet and sour pork is a Chinese dish particularly popular in Westernised Cantonese cuisine and may be found worldwide.

Is sweet and sour chicken from Chinese healthy? ›

There are 1765 calories in a 1 order (706.000g) serving size of Restaurant, Chinese, sweet and sour chicken. The calorie breakdown is 46% fat, 38% carbs, and 16% protein.

Does sweet and sour chicken contain honey? ›

Add bell peppers and sauté with chicken until beginning to soften. Step 3Meanwhile, whisk together apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ketchup and garlic. Pour sauce into the skillet. Simmer together with the meat for 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.

What should you season chicken with? ›

Aside from classics like salt, pepper, basil and garlic, you could try using chilli powder, ginger, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano, sage, rosemary and thyme.

How to make chicken taste better? ›

Marinating is good for flavouring and tenderising your chicken at the same time. It's best to marinate your chicken overnight to give the flavours plenty of time to infuse. A faster way to add flavour is to simply brine your chicken in salty water prior to cooking.

Should I flip chicken when baking? ›

Yes, it is recommended to flip chicken breasts or thighs when cooking them in the oven. Flipping the chicken halfway through the cooking time ensures that both sides are evenly cooked and helps to prevent the chicken from drying out. This also allows the chicken to develop a crispy, golden-brown exterior on both sides.

Does chicken get more tender the longer it cooks? ›

Unlike chicken breasts, chicken thighs and drumsticks actually become more tender the longer they cook.

Which cut of chicken do chefs prefer for most recipes? ›

Any chef I know prefers the thighs because they have a higher fat content which helps prevent them from drying out and becoming sandpaper in your mouth. Thighs are much more versatile. They stand up to poaching, braising, frying, roasting… they don't require as much direct attention.

How do you make chicken taste more flavorful? ›

Just sprinkling a little salt on top of your chicken right before cooking it will only season the surface. But seasoning the chicken with salt well ahead of time or brining it in a salt-water solution will draw salt deep into the meat, resulting in a very tasty piece of chicken.

What brings out the flavor in chicken? ›

Use a brine

Brining your chicken is a foolproof way to not only add flavour to your roast but also to ensure you don't overcook the meat. Essentially a mix of salt, sugar and water, we love adding herbs, garlic or whole spices such as fennel and cumin to flavour the brine.

How do you get the best flavor out of chicken? ›

Marinate them.

If you're cooking chicken breasts without skin or fat, infuse them with some extra flavor and liquid to keep them tender. Choose your favorite marinade and throw them in a ziploc bag with the marinade. Marinate them overnight before grilling, baking, or searing. The difference is uncanny.

How do you increase the flavor of chicken? ›

Medjool dates and fresh herbs:

Then roughly chop a handful of pitted Medjool dates, pistachio nuts, and fresh herbs such as parsley and sage. Mix together with breadcrumbs and the cooked onion and stuff into your chicken breast before baking. You can also swap the dates for a different dried fruit, like cranberries.

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