Sweet and Sour Chicken (2024)

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN RECIPE SMOTHERED IN AN IRRESISTIBLE SWEET AND TANGY SAUCE ON YOUR TABLE IN less than 45 MINUTES!

This Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe is restaurantdelicious (or better!) but quick and easy to make at home! Plus, it’shealthier than takeout with the options to either pan fry or bake PLUS it’sstir-fried with veggies for a complete meal-in-one! To make this Chinese Sweetand Sour Chicken recipe, the bite-size chicken gets tossed in a simple breadingthen is baked or pan fried to crispy perfection then enveloped in the most intoxicatingsweet and sour sauce ever! It’s sticky, sweet and tangy infused with pineapplejuice, sugar, red wine vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Thelayered complex flavors combined with the crispy, juicy chicken will have everyonecombing back for seconds and thirds! Serve this Chinese Sweet and SourChicken recipe with rice or low carb cauliflower rice and you have an easyweeknight meal your whole family will beg you to make again and again!

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SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN RECIPE

If you’ve been following me for long, youknow Chinese food is one of my favorite cuisines to make at home. It’s easy, healthier than takeout, customizableand always hits the spot. Some of my favorite Chinese recipes include myGeneral Tso’s Chicken,Beef and Broccoli,Mongolian Beef,Sweet Fire Chicken,Kung Pao Shrimp, SzechuanChickenand on and on – and now you can add this irresistibleChinese Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe to your “must make NOW” list!

I first shared a version of Sweet and Sour Chicken my very first year ofblogging that has become a readers favorite. The chicken is breaded and bakedwith the sauce and vegetables for 50 minutes – and it is amazing. For this Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe, however,I wanted a quicker, crispier version but with the same intoxicating sauce. So, I halved the sauce (which means half thesugar – winning!), used my favorite velveting technique so the chicken is flavorfulon the inside and out and then proceeded to pan fry to for pillowy crispyresults. But, that’s just the beginning. Here’s why you’ll love this Sweet and Sour Chickenrecipe:

BAKED OR FRIED. This Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe gives you fourcooking options: 1) bake the chicken, 3) lightly pan fry the chicken in just 3 tablespoonsoil, 3) shallow pan fry in more oil or 4)deep fry. 3 of the 4 options are healthierthan takeout and nothing beats fabulously fresh without all the fat.

EASY. This Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken can be on yourtable in less time than it would take you to get takeout! It does requirea few steps but each step is quick and easy and purposeful for the best results.

BEST SWEET AND SOURSAUCE. Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken wouldbe nothing without the sauce – and this sweet and sour sauce is epic! Afterresearching and experimenting withmany different sweet and sour sauces years ago for my other Sweet and SourChicken recipe, I finally landed on this unapologetically delicious version.I played with different options such as sugar or honey, with or without pineapplejuice, rice vinegar or red wine vinegar, with or without soy sauce, ketchup ortomato paste and the correct ratio of each of the ingredients until the BESTsweet and sour sauce was born.

TENDER FLAVORFUL CHICKEN. Most recipessimply coat the chicken in eggs and then a plain cornstarch/flour breeding. In this Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe,however, the eggs are combined with pantry friendly velveting ingredients ofcornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine and baking soda to create a “marinade”the chicken bathes in while you prep the rest of the ingredients, resulting inthe juiciest, most tender chicken. Furthermore,the breading is seasoned with salt, pepper, ground ginger, and garlic powder so our tender crispychicken morsels are stand-alone-delicious which makes them unparalleled deliciousonce smothered in the alluring sweet and sour sauce.

PANTRY FRIENDLY. Don’t let the lengthy looking list of ingredients intimidateyou! Most of them are just whiskedtogether either to create the marinade, sauce or breading which is quick and easyto do. Plus, you should have almost allof the ingredients stocked except perhaps the pineapple tidbits which can befound at any grocery store. This means you can make this Sweet and Sour Chickenrecipe any night of the week!

FAMILY FAVORITE! Everyone loves Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken fromadults to kids to toddlers alike! This Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe willbe one of those recipes that becomes a family repeat favorite AKA it’s one forthe recipe binder!

Now, you can use the “Jump to Recipe” buttonat the top of the page under the title or read on while I go into furtherdetail with tips and tricks for Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe.

LOOKING FOR MORE CHINESE FAVORITES?

• Sesame Chicken
• Cashew Chicken
• Honey Lemon Chicken
• Hoisin Chicken Stir Fry
• Szechuan Beef
• Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Pineapple Ginger Chicken
• Coconut Cashew Chickenjust to namea few!

WHAT IS SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN?

Sweet andSour Chicken is a popular American-Chinese recipe originating from ChineseSweet and Sour Pork. In Sweet and SourChicken, bite size pieces of chicken are battered in cornstarch and four thendeep fried and tossed in a glossy, sweet and tangy sauce consisting of sugar,some sort of vinegar, ketchup, and chili sauce. Some versions of sweet and sour sauce willalso include pineapple juice (like this recipe!), plum sauce, soy sauce, garlicand ginger. The fried chicken is then combined with stir fried vegetable andfruit such as pineapple, onions, bell peppers and carrots.

WHAT DOES SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN TASTE LIKE?

This lick-the-plate delish Sweet and Sour Chickenis made with pillows of breaded chicken that become increasable soft (but notsoggy!) as they soak up the sauce. So,to me, I don’t think of Sweet and Sour Chicken – restaurant or homemade – as crispy,but rather as breaded. The breading shieldsthe chicken from high heat which prevents it from drying out which keeps it juicy.Furthermore, it serves as a vehicle for the sweet and sour sauce as the saucepermeates every nook and cranny so each bite is laden with flavor.

As far as the sweet and sour sauce, it issweet with the perfect balance of tanginess.It is sweet from the sugar, sour from the red wine vinegar, sweet andsour from the ketchup, grounded by the soy, zippy from the red pepper flakes,garlic and ginger with a kick of sweet and tangy citrus from the pineapple juice.In the end, it is the perfect yin and yang of intoxicating complex flavors thatmakes this Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe the spectacular homerun that it is.

IS SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN FROM CHINA?

Our beloved Sweet and Sour Chicken is inspired by Chinese sweetand sour sauce but not 100% authentically Chinese as we know it. In China, early sweet and sour sauce wascommonly made with sugar, rice vinegar,soy sauce, and spices such asgingerand cloves without the addition ofketchup or tomato paste like westernized sweet and sour sauce. For centuries, the Chinese have used sweet andsour sauce primarily for dipping but sometimes it is poured over proteins suchas pork, ribs, fish and lobster tails (loong har kow), but rarely chicken aschicken is as common in China. Thus, you are much more likely to find Sweet andSour Pork in China instead of Sweet and Sour Chicken.

Sweet and Sour Chickenwas popularized in the Unites States after Sweet and Sour Pork (Ku loyuk 咕噜肉) was brought over fromChina in the early 20^th century by migrant gold miners andrailroad workers. Some of these workers turnedto cooking as their trade and resorted to chicken after they discovered chickenwas more popular and less expensive than pork. From there, Sweet and Sour Chicken has evolvedinto what we know today with more modern additions such as ketchup and pineapplejuice.

Is sweet and sour chicken the same as Orange Chicken?

Sweet and Sour Chicken is often comparedwith Orange Chicken and while they share some similarities, they taste distinctivelyunique.

Both of these Chinese favorites begin withbite-size chicken that is breaded and deep fried then finished in a stickysauce.The main difference between the two favorites comes from the flavorof the sauces. Both sauces are sweet and tangy but the sweet and sour sauceis much sweeter in order to balance the vinegar, whereas Orange Chicken is moresavory due to soy sauce or hoisin, with a distinctive orange citrus taste.

This Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe staystrue to the classic sweet and tangy sauce and crispy chicken so now you willjust have to try both!

WHAT CUT OF CHICKEN SHOULD I USE TO MAKE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN?

Now that we know where Sweet and Sour Chickenoriginated and what it tastes like, let’s get into the recipe details. ChineseSweet and Sour Chicken can be made with either boneless skinless chickenbreasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs. They are both delicious, soit comes down to personal preference as to whether you prefer light or darkmeat.

• Boneless skinless chicken breasts:are leaner than chicken thighs and are what I usually use for this recipe.Just make sure you don’t cut the pieces too small or they will overcook and dry out. The chicken breasts emerge beautifully tender due to the marinade.
• Boneless skinless chicken thighs:are dark meat and therefore inherently juicier and hard to overcook or dry out.

HOW TO MAKE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN JUICY

Sweet and Sour Chicken can be disappointing when all theflavor is left on the outside of the chicken giving way to a dull, bland, andeven dry inside. So, instead of dredgingthe chicken in just eggs, I took this opportunity to infuse and tenderize thechicken. To do this, I used my culinarychanging velveting technique which I use in all of mystirfries which only requires a few pantry friendly ingredients. Velveting is the technique Chinese restaurantsuse to attain such smooth, tender chicken – you will be AMAZED at how velvetytender the chicken is – just like your favorite takeout!

There are a few different velveting techniques, but by farthe easiest and just as effective is to add the chicken to a bowl and combinewith the following ingredients for preferable 20 minutes, but no more:

• 1tablespooncornstarch
• 1tablespoonsoy sauce
• 1tablespoonsesame oil
• 1teaspoonJapanese rice wine
• 1teaspoonbaking soda

The baking soda tenderizes the chicken by breaking downthe chicken fibers so the chicken emerges softer on the inside like “velvet” –hence the name. You can taste the textural difference but not the bakingsoda! The cornstarch acts as a binder and helps our soy sauce and ricewine come together and bind to the chicken for more flavor. The salt inthe soy sauce also helps break down the proteins for a more tender texture aswell as add flavor along with the rice wine and sesame oil. To these ingredients, we whisk in the eggsand now your chicken will be juicy, tender and flavorful through and through.

What is Chinese sweet and sour chicken made of?

The star of Sweet and Sour Chicken is thesauce made with pantry staples in perfect proportion. Each ingredient plays a specificrole in weaving the sticky, sweet and tangy tapestry – and all you do is whiskthe ingredients together while the chicken is marinating! You will need:

• Red wine vinegar: adds the fruity tang which works with the pineapple juice to create the “sour” effect. Please do not substitute the red wine vinegar with a different vinegar.
• Sugar:granulated (plain white sugar) sugar provides the balancing “sweet” to the sour. Please do not use brown sugar as it adds a molasses flavor whereas granulated sugar lets the pure citrus flavors shine.
• Pineapple juice:you don’t have to purchase a separate can of pineapple juice, but you will use some of the pineapple juice from the pineapple tidbits used in the sir fry. The pineapple juice adds multidimensional fruity sweetness.
• Soy sauce: use low sodium soy sauce so we can control the salt.
• Cornstarch:helps thicken the sauce to a glossy, luscious consistency without a raw flour taste.
• Red pepper flakes: don’t worry about the red pepper flakes making your Sweet and Sour Chicken spicy – rather they add just the right kick to balance the sweetness without making the chicken spicy.

Can I useless sugar?

You might wonder ifyou can use less sugar but I think the recipe is perfect as is. Be aware that if you want to use less sugar,your chicken will taste more “sours.”

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN SAUCE IS EASY!

The Sweet and Sour Chicken Sauce isextremely EASY and can be whisked together in minutes!

• QUICK.It probably takes 3 minutes to whisk together – that’s it. Then just simmer until thickened.
• Make ahead. Sweet and Sour Sauce can be whisked together ahead of time and stored in an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to three days. When ready to use, add to a saucepan and simmer until thickened to desired consistency.
• Adaptable. While the Sweet and Sour Sauce is just right forus, you can adjust it to make it just right for YOU and your family’s personal tastes. Just keep a note of your adjustments then whip out the perfect stir fry sauce every time.

HOW DO I THICKEN THE SAUCE?

The cornstarch in the Sweet and Sour Saucewill thicken the sauce it as it simmers. If you still would like a thickersauce, then just keep simmering until it reaches desired consistency.

HOW DO I THIN THE SAUCE?

The Sweet and Sour Sauce will become thickerthe longer it is simmers and the longer it sits before being added to thechicken. If it gets too thick don’t worry! It is easy to thin by whiskingin water, a little at a time over low heat.

ISCHINESE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKENGLUTEN FREE?

As written, this Sweet and Sour Chickenrecipe is not gluten free – but almost! To make it gluten free, usegluten free flour, gluten free soy sauce or tamari. The rest of theingredients are gluten free.

HOW TO MAKE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

Now for the main event! This homemade Sweetand Sour Chicken recipe is very easy to make but does require a few steps. Here’show:

Marinate chicken. I use the word “marinate” very loosely as it tenderizes the chicken and helps bind the flour to the chicken, but only requires 20 minutes. To marinate, whisk the eggs in a large bowl then whisk in cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine and baking soda. Stir in chicken and let rest at room temperature while you prep the rest of the ingredients, preferable 20 minutes.

Make sweet and sour sauce. Whisk the sugar, red wine vinegar, pineapple juice, ketchup, soy sauce,salt, red pepper flakes and cornstarch together in a small bowl, set aside.

Bread chicken. Whisk flour,cornstarch, and seasonings together in a large freezer bag. You canwhisk the ingredients together in a bowl, but a bag is SO easy! Remove chicken from the marinadewith a slotted spoon, dab off excess egg with paper towels and add tobreading. Toss chicken until well coated,pressing coating into chicken from outside the bag.

Cook chicken. You have four options when itcomes to cooking your chicken depending on how much oil you want to use: bake, lightlypan fry, shallow pan fry or to deep fry. Each method will produce crispy chicken, withdeep frying being the crispiest (more details below).

Stir fryvegetables. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skilletand heat over medium high heat. Add onions and pineapple; stir fry for 2minutes. Add bell peppers, ginger and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute.

Add sweet andsour sauce. Stir sauce (to make sure cornstarch has not separated) and add to the skillet.Simmer until sauce is warmed through and thickened.

Combine. Add chicken and stiruntil evenly coated in the sauce. Serve immediatelyafter serving.

How to Cook Sweet and Sour Chicken – 4 options

You have four options when it comes tocooking your Sweet and Sour Chicken: to bake, lightly pan fry, to shallow panfry, or to deep fry. Each technique uses different amounts of oil resultingin varying amounts of crispiness, but they are all winners, especially oncesmothered in sweet and sour sauce.

Deep fried will obviously emerge the crispiestand “puffiest/fluffiest,” for lack of a better word, with the most evenbrowning and a distinctively fried flavor.Bakedchicken can still become surprisingly crispy and still boasts all the flavor. I typicallyshallow pan fry as it is a happy medium and still produces crispy chicken – buton days I want to splurge – deep fried is where it’s at.

Here are the different cooking optionsordered from least oil to most oil:

TO BAKE: Carefullyplace chicken on the hot baking sheet in an even layer and spray generouslywith cooking spray. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes then move the bakingsheet about 8″ away from broiler and broil until crispy, watching closelyso the chicken doesn’t burn (about 2-4 minutes). Flip chicken pieces over andbroil another 2-3 minutes, or until crispy.

TO LIGHLTY PANFRY: Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oilin a large nonstick skillet heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, shake off excess breading from chicken and add to pan in a singlelayer and cook undisturbed for 1 minute then continue to cook and stir untillightly browned and cooked through. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. It is important that you use a nonstickskillet when using so little oil or else your chicken will definitely stick –don’t even think about using a stainless-steel pan.

TO SHALLOW PANFRY: Add enough vegetable oil to a largefrying pan so it reaches 1/4-inch up the sides and heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, shakeoff excess breading from chicken add to pan in a single layerand cook for about 4-6 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove to a papertowel lined plate. You can use anonstick pan, or cast-iron skillet for shallow pan frying.

TO DEEP FRY: Add enough vegetable oil to aDutch oven or frying pan so it reaches 1-inch up the sides. Heat the oil to medium-high. Once very hot, add the chicken in batches andcook until golden and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

HOW DO I MAKE BAKED SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN CRISPY?

As I mentioned previously, I don’t considerSweet and Sour Chicken “crispy” but more “sticky” because the breading softensas soon as it gets enveloped in the sauce – this goes for baked or friedchicken. BUT in order for your chicken to not get soggy, it has to start offcrispy. To make baked Sweet and SourChicken, you will use all of the same ingredients, except swap the cornstarchfor flour in the breading.

• Heat your baking sheet first. First line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray then place this baking sheet in oven. This allows the baking sheet to get hot so when we add our chicken, it immediately begins to crisp up. In my original baked General Tso Chicken recipe, I placed the chicken on a greased baking rack on top of a baking sheet, which you are still welcome to do, but I find that method super tedious when adding and flipping the chicken to make sure they don’t fall in between the cracks. This new method gets them just as crispy as long as you broil both sides of the chicken.
• Dab off excess egg. We don’t want extra egg clinging to the chicken as it dives into the breading because it will cause gooey pockets instead of a thin binding layer. So, take care to remove the chicken with a slotted spoon then to quickly remove excess egg, dump the chicken onto a wad of paper towels before adding to the breading.
• Broil chicken:The chicken will be somewhat crispy after baking but broiling takes it to another level. I broil my chicken for almost 4 minutes on the top layer and 2 minutes once I flip the chicken over. You need less time on the second, bottom side because the broiler is all warmed up. Just watch closely so the chicken doesn’t burn!

CHINESE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN VARIATIONS:

If this Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe isn’texactly how you want it, MAKE it how you want it! It is easy to customize the sauce by:

• sweeten it upwith additional granulated sugar
• add sweet heatwithsweet chili sauce
• spice it upwith additional red pepper flakes or Asian chili sauce
• make it tangierby adding additional red wine vinegar
• amp up the garlic and/or gingerfor a stronger punch of flavor
• add vegetablesby stir frying additional veggies or swapping the bell peppers for what you have on hand

WHAT VEGETABLES CAN I ADD TO SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN RECIPE?

Sweet and Sour Chicken is made for crisp-tender bell peppers.The earthy green bell peppers and the sweet red bell peppers perfectly complementeach other while adding a delightful crunch to the dish. Of course, if bell peppers aren’t your thing,you can swap them out for other vegetables or add additional vegetables. Hereare some favorite vegetables to stir fry:

• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Snow Peas
• Zucchini
• Asparagus
• Baby corn
• Edamame
• Bok choy

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN RECIPE

• Don’t chop chicken too small. The chicken should be chopped 1” thick, erroring on the side of larger so that it doesn’t overcook and dry out.
• Thoroughly bread chicken.If you notice any of the chicken pieces aren’t fully coated in the breading, give them another toss or use your hands to press the breading into the chicken.
• Remove excess egg/marinade. It is important to remove excess egg so the flour breading bag doesn’t become a goopy mess. To do this, I plop the chicken on a wad of paper towels before adding to the flour mixture.
• Remove excess flour. Even if you shake the chicken as you remove it from the breading, a lot of flour can end up in the pan or on the baking sheet. To remedy this,I like to place the chicken in a strainer after dredging to help shake off any excess.
• Don’t let chicken touch.Space the chicken apart either on the baking sheet or in the pan so the pieces aren’t touching – chicken will never get crispy if it’s hidden/touching other chicken.
• Keep an eye on the chicken.Don’t walk away from the chicken while it is frying or while it is broiling because it can turn from crispy to burnt in a flash!
• Serve immediately.Whether Sweet and Sour Chicken is baked or fried, it will get softer the longer it sits in the sauce. To prevent soggy chicken, serve immediately or store the chicken and sauce separately, then combine when reheating.
• Customize!Make this YOUR Sweet and Sour Chicken by making it sweeter, tangier, or spicier if desired.

DO I HAVE TO BREAD THE CHICKEN?

Classic Sweet and Sour Chicken is dredged in flour tocreate a crispy exterior but you can skip the battering and opt for a simpleskillet stir fry chicken if you wish.

HOW TO MAKE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN STIR FRY

• Marinate chicken per recipe instructions with the additionof the breading seasonings: ½ teaspoon salt and 1/4tspEACH ground ginger, garlic powder, pepper.
• Meanwhile, whisk the sweet and sour sauce ingredients together in amedium bowl; set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large seasoned skillet or wok overmedium-high heat. Once very hot, add chicken in a single layer and cook untilgolden; flip chicken over and cook an additional 2 minutes, then continue to stir fryuntil cooked through; remove to a plate.
• To the now empty pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil andheat over medium high heat. Add onions and pineapple and stir fry for 2minutes. Add bell peppers, ginger and garlic and stir fry for 1 minute.
• Stir sauce (to make sure cornstarch has not separated) and add toskillet. Simmer until sauce is warmed through and thickened. Add chicken andtoss to coat.

What do you serve with sweet and sour chicken?

Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken istraditionally served with rice because it soaks up the flavorful sauce andoffers a neutral textural component. That being said, you still have afew options:

RICE OPTIONS

• Rice. I like jasmine rice or brown rice but any rice will work. Just pop the rice in your rice cooker for a hands’ off, easy side. You can also use microwave rice pouches if you’re making a serving for one or meal prep.
• Low carb.Cauliflower rice,quinoa, broccoli rice or a blend of brown rice and any of the aforementioned options. You can also use low carb noodles such as zoodles orspaghetti squash.
• Noodles. Ramen, soba noodles, rice noodles or even linguine are a fun way to mix things up!

IN ADDITION TO RICE, YOU CAN SERVE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN WITH:

• Appetizers:You can turn Sweet and Sour Chicken into a feast by pairing it with Chinese appetizers such as Crab Rangoons,Chicken Lettuce Wraps,Pineapple Cream Cheese Wontons,Sesame Chicken Egg Rolls,Sweet and Sour Chicken Egg RollsorChinese Chicken Wings.It is also delicious withpotstickers, even though they are technically Japanese and not Chinese.
• Soup:Let the Chinese feast continue with soup! I love to warm up toEgg Drop Soupwhich is SUPER easy and always a sultry, satisfying favorite.
• Salad: This Sweet and Sour Chicken pairs wonderfully with a fresh, crunchy salad such asCrunchy Asian Salad,Chinese Salad, orAsian Pineapple Salad.

MAKE AHEAD SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN RECIPE

Even though this Sweet and Sour Chicken is easy to make,you can still prepare it in stages if that works better for you.

• Sweet and Sour Sauce: Whisk the sauce ingredients together but do not simmer/thicken. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Breading: Whisk the flour breading ingredients together in a Ziploc freezer bag. You can store the breading for weeks or proceed to dredge chicken then refrigerate.
• Marinade: Whisk the marinade ingredients together but don’t add the chicken; the chicken should only marinate for 30 minutes.
• If baking: Prepare chicken through dredging but instead of placing on a baking sheet, place on a greased cooking rack placed on a baking sheet. The elevated cooking rack will help crisp up the chicken when it’s time to bake since we are eliminating the step of heating the baking rack before adding the chicken. Cover the chicken tightly with foil or plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before cooking.

HOW TO STORECHINESE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

This Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe is best servedfresh because it is at peak crispiness, sauciness and the chicken is thejuiciest. You will find leftover chicken is not crispy but is still delicious.

• How to store:Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• How to reheat on the stove: Leftovers are best reheated on the stove, even if they are small portions. To reheat, heat a drizzle of vegetable, canola or peanut oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken, stirring occasionally until warmed through.
• Reheating in microwave: Microwaving leftovers is not advised as the chicken can become rubbery and the breading will definitely not be crispy, so just take not to overcook the chicken.

CAN I FREEZE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN RECIPE?

If you are making Sweet and Sour Chicken specifically tofreeze, then I recommend freezing the chicken and sauce separately and omittingthe bell peppers so the chicken and peppers don’t become soggy.

TO FREEZE CHICKEN WITHOUT SAUCE:

1. Cook chicken according to preferred directions then let cool to room temperature.
2. Space chicken apart on a baking sheet then transfer baking sheet to the freezer.
3. Let freeze for 1-2 hours or until the chicken is solid. This prevents the chicken from clumping together.
4. Add chicken to a freezer size bag, squeeze out excess air and label.
5. Add sweet and sour sauce to a separate airtight container.
6. When ready to use, defrost chicken and sauce in the refrigerator overnight and chop stir fry ingredients.

TO FREEZE CHICKEN IN SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE:

If freezing leftovers, I recommend removing the bellpeppers before freezing because they will become mushy when thawed.

1. Let Sweet and Sour Chicken cool completely.
2. Transfer chicken to either a large freezer size bag or divide into smaller size bags. Alternatively, transfer to airtight container(s).
3. Press air out of the freezer bag, seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
4. When ready to eat, defrost in the refrigerator.
5. Heat on the stove until warmed through, adding fresh bell peppers the last 3 minutes or so.

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