Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sweet and Sour Chicken from China. Times were inferred from the source steps.
Imported from TheMealDB. Times and card copy were filled in for this listing, not kitchen-tested.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 8 hr 45 min
- Difficulty
- A bit of work
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Coat the chicken with egg white: In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator. Make the sweet and sour sauce: Whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and brown sugar.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Coat the chicken with egg white: In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
495 minStep 2
Make the sweet and sour sauce: Whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and brown sugar.
Step 3
Stir-fry the chicken over high heat: Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot.
Step 4
Add the chicken and spread the pieces out in one layer. Let the chicken fry untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned.
1 minStep 5
Flip and fry the other side for 1 minute. The chicken should still be pinkish in the middle. Dish out the chicken onto a clean plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.
1 minStep 6
Stir-fry the bell pepper and ginger: Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat up before adding the bell pepper chunks and ginger. Fry for 1 minute.
1 minStep 7
Add the pineapple, sauce, and then, the chicken: Add the pineapple chunks and the sweet and sour sauce. Turn up the heat to high. When the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in.
Step 8
Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking.
2 minStep 9
Adjust the seasoning and serve: Taste the sauce and add more brown sugar or vinegar to suit your tastes, if you’d like.
Step 10
Serve hot with steamed white or brown rice.
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
chicken → tofu
Press firm tofu, marinate as you would the chicken, and cook until browned. This is an adaptation, not the original dish.
egg (silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)) → silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)
Carbonara without egg is not carbonara. Fried rice can skip the egg. We will not pretend otherwise.
tomato (passata or canned chopped tomatoes) → passata or canned chopped tomatoes
Canned tomatoes are often better than pale fresh ones out of season.
Tips
- Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
History & culture
Editorial cultural notes have not been written for this imported dish.
Editorial history has not been written for this imported dish.
Inspired by
Provenance: Imported. Initial recipe data sourced from TheMealDB and adapted/reviewed by I Want Some Food. Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Sweet and Sour Chicken take?
8 hr 45 min all in — 25 min prep, 20 min cook, 8 hr rest. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 servings. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
A bit of work.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan, Saucepan, Wok, Mixing bowl.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tsp.
How much vinegar?
¼ cup of Vinegar.
How much sugar?
3 tbsp of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
chicken → tofu. Press firm tofu, marinate as you would the chicken, and cook until browned. This is an adaptation, not the original dish. egg (silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish)) → silken tofu or skip (depends on the dish). Carbonara without egg is not carbonara. Fried rice can skip the egg. We will not pretend otherwise. tomato (passata or canned chopped tomatoes) → passata or canned chopped tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are often better than pale fresh ones out of season.
Any tips from this recipe?
Times on this listing were inferred from the imported method, not kitchen-tested.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Coat the chicken with egg white: In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.