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This deliciously tangy Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe is an ideal chicken recipe for the whole family. A sticky, sweet dish, all made in one pan, that everyone will love! Watch the handy step-by-step videos to follow along.
This is one of our favourite family fakeaways which we enjoy often on weekends when I don’t want to succumb to the cost/calories/inconvenience of going out to buy an actual Chinese takeaway.
It’s honestly so easy to make that it works just as well for a midweek dinner too.
I know how popular Sweet and Sour Chicken is, so if you don’t want to cook this on a Saturday night (it takes about 40 minutes all in), you could try my Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken version instead and do everything earlier in the day.
How can we achieve that sticky, sweet and tangy flavour at home, I hear you ask?
Using both honey and dark brown sugar means we get that delicious sticky, glossy finish (that’s the honey) with a delicious depth of flavour (that’s the sugar).
The pineapple juice adds a fruity sweetness which, along with the white wine vinegar, gives us that classic sweet and sour flavour.
Why you’ll love this Easy Sweet and Sour CHicken recipe
⭐️ Simple ingredients
⭐️ Healthier than a takeaway
⭐️ Easy preparation and cooking
“I make this all the time and it is perfect. The kids love it too. Quick, easy and fresh. I add whatever veg I have, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms if they need using. Always goes down a treat.” – Frankie
What to serve with homemade Sweet and Sour Chicken
This goes really well with Egg Fried Rice and prawn crackers. You could also have this with noodles if you prefer.
If you’re making this as part of a homemade banquet, it also goes lovely alongside a Crunchy Cabbage Salad with Pork Yuk Sung, or how about some Slow Cooker Peking Duck?
Sweet and Sour Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breasts – You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer, but they may take a little longer to cook. Cutting the chicken into bitesize pieces means everything cooks through nice and quickly and will feel closer to the classic takeaway.
- Onion – Peel and chop 1 onion up or use pre-chopped frozen for a time-saving shortcut.
- Tomato purée – Go for a good quality one if possible. If you’re in USA/CAN: Tomato purée = tomato paste (the thick, concentrated kind in the small can).
- Honey – We’re using 4 tablespoons for added natural sweetness.
- Light soy – You can use dark soy if it’s all you have, but the colour of the finished. sauce will be very different. The flavour may also be quite salty.
- Garlic – 4 cloves or 4 teaspoons of the lazy kind. You can also use paste.
- Ginger – 2 inches or 2 teaspoons of the lazy kind. You can also use paste if you prefer, or take out a small portion of fresh from the freezer and grate into the pot.
- White wine vinegar – Not white vinegar, or malt vinegar, these are very different!
- Dark brown sugar – This does need to be dark brown to give that rich flavour.
- Peppers – I use red, yellow and orange peppers for their sweetness but any colour will work. You can also cheat by using frozen peppers, but bear in mind these tend to be cut up quite small. We only cook the peppers for a few minutes to make sure they keep their colour but also some bite.
- Tinned pineapple (in JUICE) – Make sure the pineapple is in chunks. If you buy the rings, you can just cut them up. You’ll be using the juice before you use the fruit itself in the cooking process.
- Cornflour – This makes up the ‘slurry’ to thicken the sauce. Also known as corn starch outside the UK.
- Optional – Chilli flakes for a bit of heat if you like that, and a squeeze of lime at the end for extra zing.
- Water – You don’t need this if you’re cooking this in the slow cooker, but you will for this hob version. About 100ml should do it but add a little more if you want it saucier!
How to make Sweet and Sour Chicken
1. Fry the chicken pieces. Add the onions, garlic and ginger, and cook as per the full recipe below.
2. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and stir.
3. Five minutes before the end of the cooking time, add in the peppers.
4. Make a slurry, then add it to the pan with the pineapple and juice. Stir well and serve.
Substitutions
- Soy sauce – Tamari is a gluten free alternative, or you can buy gluten free soy sauce.
- Brown sugar – If you only have light brown sugar, you could use this, however it won’t have such a deep flavour or colour.
- Optional – Chilli flakes for a bit of heat if you like that, and a squeeze of lime at the end for extra zing.
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat fully in the microwave or on the hob before serving. The sauce will be a lot thicker when reheated, add a splash of water to thin a little if you like.
In the freezer Wait until it’s totally cold and then put into a freezer-proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the microwave or on the hob.
More Chinese-inspired recipes…
Slow Cooker Beef
Chinese Style Beef and Broccoli {Slow Cooker Fakeaways}
Under 30 minutes
Chicken Chow Mein {Quick Recipe}
Under 15 minutes
Sticky Beef Mince Stir Fry {15 Minute Meal}
Slow Cooker Chicken
Slow Cooker Salt & Pepper Sticky Chicken
FAQs
Sweet and sour style dishes date back centuries from China, as well as the Philippines and Korea.
The original recipe was Shanghainese and used black vinegar. It’s not meant to be orange, but black. But somewhere along the way, ketchup replaced the vinegar and it turned orange in the UK. Now that dish is called Sweet and Sour Chicken—Hong Kong style. (Source: Conde Naste Traveller)
This is my take on that UK style takeaway dish, made at home.
This is a trick to thicken the sauce (called a ‘slurry’) without ending up with floury lumps.
First you add cornflour to a small bowl, mug or jug, then use a little liquid from the dish (a spoonful or two) to mix the cornflour into a paste consistency.
If you just sprinkle cornflour straight into the dish, it will form lumps that are almost impossible to get rid of. I promise this step is worth the extra dirty bowl!
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
- 700 g (1.5 lb) Chicken breast, Cut into large chunks
- 1 Onion, Peeled and cut into large chunks
- 4 Garlic cloves, Peeled and crushed
- 2 Inches of ginger, Finely chopped or grated
- 3 tbsp Tomato purée (tomato paste in USA/CAN)
- 3 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 4 tbsp White wine vinegar
- 4 tbsp Honey
- 2 tbsp Dark brown sugar
- 3 Peppers, Cut into large chunks
- 435 g (15 oz) Tinned pineapple (in JUICE), In chunks
- 3 tbsp Cornflour (corn starch), See notes
- 100 ml (0.5 cups) Water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper , To taste
Instructions
- Fry the chicken: Heat 1 tbsp of oil into a large saucepan, then add the chicken pieces when hot. Stir for 8-10 mins until the chicken is almost cooked through.
- Next ingredients in: Add the onions, garlic and ginger and stir for another 4-5 mins until they've softened a little.
- Add the tomato puree, soy sauce, white wine vinegar, honey, sugar and salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Near the end of cooking: Add the peppers and cook for a further 5 minutes to soften a little, but still keep a little crunch.
- Drain the pineapple (keeping the juice to one side) and add it into the pan.
- To thicken: Put the cornflour in a small bowl and add a little of the reserved juice to make a slurry/thick paste. Tip it into the pan and add the rest of the juice and 100ml water.
- Serve: Bring the liquid to a boil and serve when the sauce is thickened and has coated everything well.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
This post was originally published on May 8, 2025 and updated later to make improvements.
Make this often since first saw it. We all love it. x
Hi Maureen, there’s nothing better than a recipe the whole family loves, is there? We’re so pleased it’s become a regular for you. Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know!
Was great I don’t like sweet and sour cooked it for better half but I loved it thank you
Thanks for the lovely review Denise!
I make this all the time and it is perfect. the kids love it too. Quick, easy and fresh i add whatever veg I have, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms if they need using. Always goes down a treat
Really Quick and easy.. whole family loves it said better than the one I usually make out of the jar ! 😂
second time of making this great dish.
Tasty and easy +++
brilliant thanks.
first time doing this recipe.
very tasty.
just as good as a take away.
Brilliantly easy to make, very tastey, a real hit with the grandchildren