This sweet and sour chicken is proper homemade food – no bright red sauce or tough, chewy meat. The chicken stays tender thanks to a trick with baking powder, which helps keep the moisture locked in while it cooks. The sauce strikes a good balance between tangy and sweet, using Korean hot sauce for a bit more depth than you might find in a takeaway version.
I make this when I want something that feels like a treat but doesn’t take ages to prepare. The whole thing comes together in about 45 minutes, and most of that is just waiting while the chicken sits in the fridge. You’ll spend maybe 15 minutes actually cooking, which makes it handy for a weeknight dinner.
The sauce is what makes this special – it’s not just sweet and sour, but has lovely warm notes from fresh ginger and garlic. The pineapple juice from the tin goes straight into the sauce, so nothing goes to waste. Water chestnuts might seem like an odd addition, but they add a lovely crunch that works brilliantly with the soft peppers and juicy pineapple chunks.
You can adjust the heat level by using more or less Korean hot sauce – I find two tablespoons gives it a gentle warmth rather than proper heat. If you can’t get Korean hot sauce, sriracha works grand too, though you might want to use a touch less as it can be spicier.
It’s the sort of dish that looks after itself once you get going. While your chicken’s having its rest in the fridge, you can prep all your vegetables and mix up the sauce. After that, it’s just a matter of getting everything in the pan in the right order. The end result is fresh-tasting and satisfying, without being heavy or greasy.
Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons Korean hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tin (230g) pineapple chunks, juice reserved
- 1 red pepper, chopped into chunks
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped into chunks
- 1 onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 1 tin water chestnuts, drained
- Spring onions, sliced for garnish
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Rice or noodles, to serve
Directions
- Place chicken pieces in a bowl and toss with baking powder until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. After marinating, rinse chicken in a colander to remove excess baking powder, then pat dry with paper towels.
- Make the sauce: In a mixing jug, whisk together Korean hot sauce, white wine vinegar, ketchup, dark soy sauce, grated garlic, grated ginger, cornflour, and reserved pineapple juice until well combined. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove to a plate.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan if needed. Add onion wedges, peppers, and water chestnuts. Stir-fry for 3-5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften but still retain some crunch.
- Return chicken to the pan and pour in the prepared sauce. Increase heat to high and stir to coat all ingredients. Add pineapple chunks and cook for 1-2 minutes until sauce is thickened and bubbling. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve hot over steamed rice or noodles, garnished with sliced spring onions.
