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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.
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.
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!
- Prep: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut your chicken breasts into bite sized pieces and then season with salt and pepper.
- Dip: Add cornstarch and slightly beaten eggs to separate bowls. Dip the chicken FIRST in the cornstarch and then coat in the egg mixture.
- 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.
- Prepare Sauce: In a medium sized mixing cowl, whisk together sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, soy sauce and garlic salt.
- Bake: Pour over the chicken and bake for an hour. Stir every 15 minutes to coat them in the sauce.
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.
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.
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!
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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
Equipment
- Utopia Kitchen Cooking Knives
- Fine dine Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups cornstarch
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 cup canola oil
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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
When my husband came in the door he was intoxicated with the smell. He said it smelled SO good, like a Chinese restaurant. Then he said he thought is was our Chinese neighbors who were cooking something really yummy. 🙂 So happy it was me. I am going to make this again but this time add broccoli and red bell peppers. Do you think it would be okay to add them in the last 20 min of cooking. I was thinking to lightly steam the broccoli first then add it at the end. Also this time I will add triple the green onions…..I love green onions. I will probably need to double the sauce to cover the extra add ins. THANKS!!!!!!
Made this last night and loved it! My husband loves Chinese food but the stuff you get at restaurants is so bad for you. Glad to find a baked recipe. I added red bell pepper and some canned pineapple and it was a hit. Thanks for sharing this!
Just found this on Pinterest and am all over it. A small amount of ingredients too. Can’t wait to try it – looks SO yummy!
i made the sweet and sour chicken last night for dinner. I added pineapple chunks and sweet red pepper cut up. It was very good and will make again. Thank you for the recipe.
Do you think I would be able to replace the apple cider vinegar with something else if I don’t have that on hand? I have white vinegar, red wine and white vine vinegar but no apple cider.
Well the cider vinegar adds a little bit of sweet to it while the white vinegar makes it more sour. You could try leaving the cider vinegar out but I’m not sure how it would turn out??
Made this tonight…I liked it even better than any take out I have ever tried. Thanks for sharing!
Found this on Pinterest. Making it for the second time within a couple of weeks. It is soooo good! Tonight I added some onions. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Oh yeah! Isn’t is amazing!? We had it last night. It is a weekly thing now in our house! I am going to try it with onions and green peppers next week!
Would it be possible to finish this off in the microwave instead of oven. It is 118 degrees out side; I hate to use the oven here in the summer.
I’m not sure about the Microwave?? The oven cooks it at a low temp making the sauce thicken and the chicken more tender. But I am going to experiment next week and make it in the slow cooker. I will let you know how that goes! 🙂
Thanks. Last night I decided to cook it in the frying pan; I took the chicken out. first. I had to add some cornstarch mixture to thicken it. Then I put the chicken back in. It was absolutely delicious!!!
My 17 year-old granddaughter, who is very picky, devoured it.
This sounds just right for me as I have Celiac Disease and cannot eat wheat flour. So glad you use cornstarch. I have a question: will this recipe work in a microwave, once the chicken is fried and the sauce poured over it? I hate to turn on our oven when it’s 118 degrees outside.
Not too sure about the microwave. It might work?? The oven cooks the chicken slowly allowing the chicken to become more tender and the sauce to thicken. I am testing it in the slow cooker next week and I will let you know how it goes. 🙂
I have never made chineese food in my life. I made this and it turned out soooooo good and was easy to make 🙂
Hi! Just wanted you to know that I made your recipe (with a few alterations) and LOVED it!! So happy I found this recipe. I actually blog as well, and posted on it the yummy creation today (crediting you along the way, of course!), at http://www.firesidedreamers.com/baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken/. Thanks for the recipe!!
That’s awesome!! So glad you liked it!! It is our favorite!
hi! I am just curious to know how many servings this makes?
One of my favorite Chinese dishes!! =)
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Oh, this looks and sounds AMAZING! I will definitely be making this for dinner!! Thanks for another great recipe.
Alyssa, this looks insanely delicious!! We love Chinese nights in our house too, and I can’t wait to give your recipe a try!
Sounds awesome. Sweet & Sour Chicken is my go-to order at a Chinese restaurant…love it! I bet this homemade version is delicious.
This honestly looks AMAZING.