Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
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- 104 Comments
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup cornstarch
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper. Place cornstarch and beaten eggs in separate bowls. 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, whisk together sugar, ketchup, vinegars, soy sauce and garlic salt. Pour over chicken and bake for one hour.
ooohh, that looks delicious!!
Love sweet and sour chicken but have only ever made it from a jar (hangs head in shame). This looks so easy and yummy! Will have to try, thanks so much for sharing.
At least yours didn’t come from a box like mine did, really hanging head in shame.
I’ve been making this for years from mels kitchen cafe. Seriously amazing!
I have got to make this soon! We love sweet & sour chicken!
Do you think you could put the sauce on frozen chicken nuggets if in a time crunch & it would be close??
I wouldn’t EVEN! I did it by lightly frying in a little oil instead of the oven and OMGosh! That is so delicious, slight crispy but really light breading and a great sauce! The chicken just takes a little time to starch and egg but the chicken cooks fast when you keep it about 1in square or close. Only negative to frying is not cooking it all together and staying hot. Great recipe, thanks for sharing it.
This looks amazing I will have this for dinner soon.
I’m trying this tonight. Do you think you could use regular flour instead of cornstarch?
Hi Shelly!
Regular flour would work just fine. Hope it turned out okay!
My daughter LOVES this recipe. I’ve made it quite a few times and it really is delicious. Just a note, I cut the vinegar down by 1 tablespoon and I think it’s perfect. The 1/2 cup seemed just a little to “sour” for my family.
Ellen
http://everdaysisters.blogspot.com
We just got Chinese takeout last night. This is a perfect recipe for what we got and so simple! Thank you for sharing!
Alli
http://foodiepatootie.posterous.com
oh my — i will be trying this tonight! thanks!
Colby
http://blessthismess-colby.blogspot.com/
This is gorgeous. I have made it a few times but halve the amount of vinegar. I must be using the wrong sort as half a cup is just too strong. It is definitely easy and so much better than a takeaway. I also discovered that if you make a batter from eggs and cornstarch it works just as well, and you only have to dip once
Great idea, my hands did get a little sticky.
I thought the vinegar was too strong as well, so I started using rice vinegar (found by the Asian food) and it made a huge difference! It is definitely a keeper!
I make this as well and the smell is way stronger then the taste. The recipe I have doesn’t call for white and apple cider vinegar, it only calls for white. I am going to make this again this week and try the half and half. This is one of my family favorite.
I love Chinese food and this sounds amazing! Definitely going to try it.
This looks great. My kids love sweet and sour chicken and honey chicken, but I’ve never found a recipe that gets it right. I’ll have to try this one.
If you’re Chinese food fanatics, you should make Rasa Malaysia’s Cashew Chicken recipe. It’s the best one I’ve ever found, just like really good Chinese restaurant cashew chicken. Also, the baking soda trick that comes with the recipe is worth its weight in gold. Here: http://rasamalaysia.com/chinese-food-recipe-cashew-chicken/
Also, the broccoli beef recipe on About.com’s Chinese food page is really good, also closer to restaurant style broccoli beef than any other I’ve tried.
YUM! This looks incredible! I’m pinning it to try later! I host a linky party every Monday- would love for you to stop by sometime.
-Melissa
What’s a kinky party?
A link party!
A few questions- What temperature/stove setting do you heat up your oil to before putting the chicken in? How long did it approximately take before the pieces browned?
I put my chicken in the heated oil, and I had to leave it all in the pan for way too long before it browned, so my chicken was a tad too cooked when I put it in the oven! (… or was I not supposed to put all of the chicken in the pan to brown at the same time because it brought the temp down too much?)
Hi Katie!
I heated the oil in my skillet over medium heat. It took about 6-7 minutes until it was cooked almost the whole way through and then I put it in the pan to finish cooking in the oven. Sorry for any confusion!
I fried the chicken on medium heat in two batches for about 3 to 4 minutes.
http://fotoshelly.blogspot.com/
I’m a sucker for sweet and sour chicken. May have to give this one a shot (probably cheeper than take-out too).
I am so excited to taste this, mine is in the oven now. Finally learning to cook after 41 years and Pinterest
Yum!! This is perfect, I’m having company tomorrow night and needed a chicken dish to make up
Will try!
Tried this last night! I took the advice of some comments and reduced the vinegar a little bit. It was sooo good! And a huge success with the boy (always a plus).
I’m a Chinese food fanatic too, especially the sweet & sour dishes. This looks like a great alternative to deep-fried chicken. I’m definitely going to try your recipe out next time I get the urge for Chinese food
Kelly
Baked, eh? How interesting!! Must try this!
My hubby said he didn’t know sweet and sour chicken could be made from everyday ingredients. Love it!!
Do you really bake it for an hour? That seems that it will dry out the chicken.
I was thinking the same thing. But I’m trying it and after turning the chicken each time, I understand why it takes an hour. It’s for the sauce to gel. It smells *amazing.* I’ll let you know if it turns out too dry.
Not dry at all – It’s DELICIOUS! Coat the chicken really well with egg, it probably keeps the juices in.
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Made this last night… And it was Mmmmm Mmmmm Good!!!! Will sooooo be making this again… Meg, I had thought the same thing about baking it for an hour. Thought it would be dry… But it was so tender and kept its juice’s in…. VERY VERY good
I made this last night….Loved it!
I made this the other night. I’m so glad that I read the comments first b/c I reduced the vinegar down to 2 tbsp and it was PERFECT! My husband loves me even more now that I’ve found your recipe! Since I reduced the vinegar so much, it tasted more like a sweet BBQ (which I prefer over sweet and sour!)
This may be a silly question, but I don’t use vinegar to cook much.. are you using cider vinegar or the regular white vinegar?
Hi!
It is white vinegar. Hope you like it!
I must be doing something wrong. When we made this, all of the batter that should have formed a crust around the chicken fell off. After browning and then flipping the chicken in the oven pan the crust was just pieces floating in the sauce… any suggestions for how to make sure that this doesn’t happen?
Hi Emily!
I am so sorry about that. I am not sure what happened. You could try using less egg next time you coat the chicken pieces.
Too much vinegar! And not crispy?
Hiya babe. Just to let you know, I featured this on my blog this morning. I would be thrilled if you could check it out
http://mammymade.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/mint-stuff-ive-seen-12.html
Adele @ Mammy Made
Thank you so much! Have a great day!
I made this for my hubby yesterday and he absolutely LOVED it. I browned the chicken in olive oil rather than canola and didn’t really “turn” every 15 min so much as stirred around. AMAZING!!!
I made this tonight and added red and orange bell peppers, pineapple and onions and it was so good!! And Easy!!! I’ll be making this again and again for sure.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a big hit! My only change was to reduce the sugar down to 1/2 cup, and substitute 50/50 apple cider and rice wine vinegar. This hit the sweet and sour balance just right for us. Those vinegars have a little natural sweetness, so maybe that cut the sour a bit.
Meaning, apple cider vinegar and rice wine vinegar.
Hi, This photo of the Sweet & Sour Chicken is all over pinterest and someone reported it as Spam so it links back to Pinterest with the note. It took a while to find the actual link in one. Thought you might want to know.
I just made this for dinner and it was sooo good!! (and very easy). My fiance loved it and he asked me to make it again some day soon! Thanks for the yummy recipes!!
This was absolutely gorgeous. Better than any takeaway! Thank you!
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this recipe sounds yummy, but did I read it correctly…the chicken is dipped first into the cornstarch and then into egg??
mj
Hi Marianne!
Yes, you read it right! Seems a little backwards but it works great!
I made this tonight!! I had to do a bunch of “OH NO I DON’T HAVE THAT” covers!! I used brown sugar and rice wine vinegar….and while I did have eggs…I just did it with cornstarch, no egg wash…I know a I am a rebel. And sprinkled sesame seeds for the last 15 minutes cook time….thankfully even though I messed it up…It turned out GREAT! I found that the vinegar mellowed as it cooked
YUM!
Thank you for such an awesome recipe…that even works for the scatterbrained cook!
Just made it tonight and I’m in love! I followed the recipe almost exactly. I used rice wine vinegar (the full amount and thought it was perfect) and garlic powder (no garlic salt) with a little extra toss of salt. The dish turned out perfectly and it’s a new family fave. The only complaint was that people wanted MORE sauce for the rice. So next time I’ll up the sauce recipe a bit and simmer the extra in a pan. Thank you!
Oh my goodness!! I’m in love with y’alls blog first of all, but this is SO good and easy that it just makes me love it all the more. Thanks so much!!
You should just link back to the recipe and not include it on your website so visitors link to the original website. This is the same recipe that she had on her website – you should at least check with her before posting it.
Annabel,
We include a link back to every website we don’t make up ourselves and it is at the top. It is right under the title so you can find it there. Thanks though!
I have made this several times and it is soooo good!! I also will add pineapples, green peppers and carrots in the last 15 mins of cooking and it turns out perfect! This has become one of my families favorite meals.
I made this and LOVED it! Thanks for sharing. I too posted it on my blog today! http://momscrazycooking.blogspot.com/2012/06/chinese-sweet-sour-chicken-twc-86-linky.html
This is in my oven right now and I’m super excited to see how it turns out!!!!!
Just added this to my menu for the month! I can not wait to try it so we will be having it tonight! Thanks so much for making one of my favorites much better for me and my family!
I make this for my fiancé all the time and we both just LOVE it. I make it with some baked rice to cut a little bit of the sweetness but it is just heavenly. Can’t stop eating!
I made this last night and was amazed with the results!! The chicken was the absolutely same consistency as in Chinese restaurants – made the rice too which was fabulous. Thanks for the great recipes!!
I have made this a few times now, which is saying a lot in my house! With high marks every time! I have some helpful subs: Instead of 3/4 cup sugar, I cut it to 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup OJ. It adds great tang and moisture and helps on the over sweet factor. Don’t go skimpy on the garlic. I sub chopped garlic. I’ve tried a few vinegars and apple cider is my favorite in this dish. And the best, to cut the cook time in half with way better results (no more dry chicken), I throw the sauce mix in the hot skillet when finished browning the chicken, and simmer it on medium for just a minute or two before I pour over chicken. I found I only bake for 30min, stirring twice and had great consistency. Great recipe!
looks yummy! any ideas on if it can be adapted to cook in the crockpot? (I am much more inspired to cook earlier in the day & finish clean up !)
j
Hi!
After the chicken is done cooking, pour the pieces into the crock pot. Then cover the chicken with your sauce mixture and give the pot a stir.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3.
Hope that helps!
Could I substitute honey for the sugar? If so, do you know how much? I’m sure this recipe is going to be a big hit with my family. Thanks!
Hi!
I have never tried to use honey. I think it would work, but might change the taste slightly. Let us know if you try it!
Is my chicken supposed to be soft after being baked?
Hi Ricky!
We actually made this tonight for dinner! The outside was crunchy, but the inside was soft. Hope that helps!
What kind of vinegar do you recommend using? Can’t wait to try this! It looks amazing!
Thank you for sharing what is also great about this receipe is that is also Gluten Free aslong as the soy sauce is Gluten Free alsong with being low sodium
Love this recipe, and have tried it 3x’s now but the chicken gets really overcooked and tough. I’ve followed the directions exactly…any ideas?
See my comments below
.
This was fantastic!
The key to success is browning the chicken in VERY SMALL batches. I used 3 chicken breasts cut into chunks for the recipe and I broke it up into about 5 or 6 small batches. 2 minutes on each side for each batch (2 minutes, flip, 2 minutes, remove … repeat for next batch). This way, the oil stays hot, the outside of the chicken browns and the inside will stay moist even after being in the oven for an hour.
The sauce was just right, as is.
I threw in sweet red pepper chunks and fresh pineapple chunks when there was about 20 minutes of cooking time left. I served this with basmati rice for a complete meal.
My 7 year old cleaned her plate. Will definitely be making this again! YUMMY!
Made this tonight and was definitely pleased! I love chinese takeout, and this was actually better than that! This will definitely be one of my go-to recipes for many years to come.
Hey~! So – I made this last night! I used all organic/ natural ingredients.
It was a cornstarch tornado for a bit in the kitchen – as I was scrambling to brown all the chicken at once – def should have read the comments before!! It was hysterical.
But I cut the sugar down a touch – used the white vinegar and the apple cider vinegar I used was unfiltered/ raw. I also added a chopped small onion, one small red and one small green pepper and a small can of diced pineapple (drained) to the glass dish before baking. I mixed everything gently once before putting the dish in the oven.
I was skeptical to see how it would turn out after my cornstarch fiasco – but it was freaking AMAZING!! having lefovers for lunch and still so good. My husband even called from work to let me know how much he liked it leftover also! Great great dish.
This sauce is great but I think there is 1 secret ingredient missing. Ginger!! I always add ginger to my sweet and sour sauce, it adds that asian zing and it has so many health benefits. Just grate a little fresh ginger in the sauce to your own taste, we like a lot! Put the ginger in the freezer and you’ll never be without!
I will be making this tonight… Also bought green peppers, onions and pineapple to put in it… Does anyone know if I can just bake the veggies and pineapple WITH the chicken the whole hour??? Our chinese resturant we love puts these veggies with their sw/sr chicken so I want to try it like that! Just not sure if and how long I should cook them??
Was searching for something new to make tonight with chicken, my wife said something about sweet and sour chicken or Robert Irvine recipes so I searched both. I almost made one of his recipes but then I ran into this and had to try it.
Amazing!!! Made as is quantity wise but subbed rice vinegar for white (as per other comments), chopped garlic for garlic salt and added some fresh grated ginger. Added some chopped onions with about 20 minutes to go, cooked perfectly, next time will add pineapple chunks and peppers too (didn’t have any). Also doubled the recipe since I was making almost double the chicken breasts. Thought I would have some leftovers (5 people eating) but everyone had seconds, I almost had thirds!
Definitely in my rotation. Thanks for the recipe!
We’ve been making this for a few months now and it is always a HUGE hit. Everyone’s favorite. Like other users I made a few small changes. The tip another commenter gave about mixing the eggs and cornstarch into a batter and only having to dip once is AWESOME. I use 2 eggs and 1 egg white, about 1 cup of cornstarch and if it’s a little thick- I thin it out with a tablespoon or two of milk- I use a bit more oil for browning- and “pre-fry” the outside a bit- not enough to cook the chicken at all but it sets the batter well. For the sauce I reduced the sugar to 2/3 cup and the vinegar to 1/4 cup and use apple cider vinegar. I also add ground ginger and use garlic powder rather than salt. I LOVE you ladies for this recipe! We never get takeout any more because this is so tasty and easy
Thanks for your sweet comments and we love your suggestions on making this recipe easier! Have a great New Year! -The Six Sisters
OMG this is absolutely the BEST sweet ‘n sour chicken I’ve had in years!! I had to alter a few things because I didn’t have them…Olive Oil for Canola Oil and Flour for Corn Starch. I chopped 2 green peppers, 2 onions, into bite size pieces, 1 carrot cut on a slant and a can of chunky pineapples. Warmed them for a few minutes and mixed w/the chicken after it was done baking. THANKS for sharing this recipe!!!! We’ll be eating this again
Your additions to this recipe sound so yummy! Thanks for sharing. -The Six Sisters
I made this Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken for dinner tonight. It was a big hit, along with your Fried Rice recipe. Thanks to my daughter-in-law, Sjarina, who made it over the weekend & put it on her Pinterest board. I will definitely be trying more of your recipes. Next week I am making the Crockpot Orange Chicken.
I made this for dinner tonight! It was awesome except that I need to learn how to follow directions.
I browned the chicken incorrectly, so the breading didn’t stick and it ended up baking a little dry. But other than my mistake, it was delicious! 
We are watching calories and this isn’t exactly low cal! But tasted amazing!! Putting the calories in my Sparkpeople food journal was an eye opener! I was wondering if anyone had tried this without the breading and browning step. What would happen if I put the raw chicken in the sauce and baked it.
I just discovered your site, and on a whim made this for dinner tonight. Oh. My. Gosh! It was fantastic. It was my cheat of the week in terms of healthy eating, but was definitely worth it. My husband said I must make it more often and that is quite the compliment. I think it is better than any sweet & sour chicken I’ve had at a restaurant and I’ve lived on three different continents now. I cannot wait to try more of your recipes!
I made this for my husbands poker night last month for a big group of guys and it was such a hit. I managed to grab a couple pieces and it was so delicious! Currently making this again for dinner tonight so I will get more than a few morsels. Thank you!!
I made this for my husbands poker night last month for a big group of guys and it was such a hit. I managed to grab a couple pieces and it was so delicious! Currently making this again for dinner tonight so I will get more than a few morsels. Thank you!!
Just have to say that my family loved this. My husband said it was the best sweet and sour chicken he has ever had, including at any restaurant. Thanks for the recipe!
I bought your cookbook at Build Your Blog Conference 2013 and you have so many great recipes. I made this sweet & sour over the weekend, adding green & red peppers and pineapple chunks. My hubby loved it and so did I. This is mild and not syrupy like some take-outs. Thanks
Lori Hart
http://www.lorisculinarycreations.com
can you use vegetable oil instead of Canola?
Yes, vegetable oil would work just fine.
This is in my oven right now… I can’t wait to try it!!
Only one concern — I should have read the comments first and reduced the vinegar. Any quick fixes? Something I can dump on top to reduce the harshness of the vinegar, perhaps? Thanks!!!
Just curious whether you use the egg first or the corn starch? or whether a batter is a better idea?
Dip chicken in corn starch first and then into the egg.
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I’ve made chicken this way several times and it’s great. I didn’t use white sugar but brown sugar, and I only used 3/4 of a cup. I want to try the combination of the two different vinegars. Apple cider vinegar alone was too strong. I served the chicken over brown rice with steamed broccoli, and made a second batch of the sweet and sour sauce to pour over it. Delicious!
This was SO stinking good!!!