The BEST Sweet and Sour Chicken – takeout OR homemade – I have ever had in my entire life!This Sweet and Sour Chicken is baked with pineapple, carrots, onions and bell peppers so its a complete meal-in-one with no need to stir fry extra veggies! So if you were looking an easy Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe with the BEST sticky, sweet and sour sauce, you’ve found it! Show
Easy Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken RecipePlease trust me when I say this is the best Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken I have ever had in my entire life! Better than any homemade version, better than any take-out version, better than Trader Joe’s/Whole Foods/anything version… even better than any fried version! (I can’t even guess how much healthier this must be than fried/takeout version, but it’s got to be monumental without sacrificing any taste!) It so good, that along with my General Tso’s Chicken (which if you haven’t tried yet, YOU MUST TRY), it is often what I serve company, out of everythingI could serve company! It is also fabulous for company because after your prep is done, it simply bakes away, no last minute finishing touches or stress! I was first introduced to a variation of this Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe from my older (and only) sister, Kimberly, who is an incredible cook! Kimberly is the same sister who gave me a basket busting with 30 of her most favorite things for my 30th birthday (which became my favorite things!) and the same sister who gave me her kidney last October, which is also now one of my favorite things!!! I have always looked up to my sister in every way possible and now feel so honored to always have a piece of her awesomeness with me – literally :)! (You can read more about her in my Easter Soul Food) Kim is not only responsible for my current well being, she is also almost single handedly responsible for my love of cooking – and for this Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe. I always liked to cook but when she gifted me a recipe binder at the beginning of my marriage for Christmas comprised of all of her tried and true recipes, it lit a fire within me. After I cooked every recipe in the binder (and because they were all her favorites, they were all delicious and turned out great!), I wanted to cook more, much more. So I started cooking new recipes almost every single night of the week and pretty soon, I started creating my own recipes almost every single night of the week. Her Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe was always my favorite recipes from her binder. I have played with it over the years, increasing the sauce, simmering the sauce, adding spices as well as pineapple, carrots and bell peppers so it has become a baked sweet and sour “stir fry” all in one baking dish! Ingredients in Baked Sweet and Sour ChickenThe breading for this Sweet and Sour Chicken is a three step process. First the eggs, then the flour, then the cornstarch. While it might seem counter intuitive to dip the chicken in the eggs first, trust me, you are doing it right! The cornstarch is the last step and the secret to a lighter coating. For the Chicken Breading:
For the homemade sweet and sour sauce:
As written, the sweet and sour sauce is a perfect balance of sweet and sour. Many people, however, have asked if they can reduce the amount of sugar. If you want to reduce amount of sugar, you will have to proportionately reduce the amount of red wine vinegar and ketchup because the sugar balances out their tangingess. If you reduce the sugar without reducing the other ingredients, you will be left with more sour sauce. For the rest of the recipe:In addition to the chicken, you will need:
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
Tips for Making Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken
Can I Prep easy sweet and sour chicken in Advance?Even though this homemade Sweet and Sour Chicken is easy to make, you can still prepare it in stages if that works better for you.
HOW TO STORE CHINESE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKENThis Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe is best served fresh because it is at peak crispiness, sauciness and the chicken is the juiciest. You will find leftover chicken is not crispy but is still delicious.
How to Reheat Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
Can I Freeze Sweet and Sour Chicken?If you are making Sweet and Sour Chicken specifically to freeze, then I recommend freezing the chicken and sauce separately and omitting the bell peppers so the chicken and peppers don’t become soggy. TO FREEZE CHICKEN WITHOUT SAUCE:
TO FREEZE CHICKEN IN SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE:If freezing leftovers, I recommend removing the bell peppers before freezing because they will become mushy when thawed.
Final Thoughts about Sweet and Sour ChickenWhen I make this easy Sweet and Sour Chicken, I always think of my sister, Kimberly, and how she is such a generous, courageous, selfless person (did I mention she is also the perfect, patient mother to 5 children?). When I eat this healthier Sweet and Sour chicken, I hope to become more like her, in more ways than just sharing matching kidneys. So in honor of my sister Kimberly, I give you Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple, Carrots, and Bell Peppers — so you too can take part of her awesomeness with you. More Easy Chinese Recipes:If you love Chinese fakeout takeout, be sure to check out my:
WANT TO TRY THIS BAKED SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN RECIPE?Pin it to your ASIAN, CHICKEN or DINNER BOARD to for later!Find me on Pinterest for more great recipes! I am always pinning :)!©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com Save This Recipe To Your Recipe BoxYou can now create an account on our site and save your favorite recipes all in one place! Chicken Breading
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Vegetables/Pineapple
**If your chicken breasts are extra thick (like the ones from Costco), I recommend tenderizing/flattening with a meat mallet or the side of a large can beforehand) Did You Make This Recipe? Tag @CarlsbadCravings and Use #CarlsbadCravngs Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You! Carlsbad Cravings Original inspired by Kim’s Sweet and Sour Chicken Do you cover chicken when baking in oven?Baking chicken at home (whether as pieces or a whole bird) is really as easy as prep and bake. You never have to worry about covering chicken while baking, as it's fine to bake it uncovered. Once your chicken is in the oven, it's hands-free until you need to check the temperature.
What is a good temperature to bake chicken in the oven?You can roast or bake anywhere between 325 and 450 degrees F. When roasting a whole chicken, a nice rule of them is to start at 400 to 425 degrees F and then turn the oven down to 350 after 15 minutes and cook until the internal temp of the chicken is 165 – 175 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
How long does it take for a chicken to bake at 350?Cooking tips
Bake a 4-oz. chicken breast at 350°F (177˚C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature is 165˚F (74˚C).
How do I bake chicken so it's not dry?Our Test Kitchen has found that baking chicken at a higher temperature, 425°F, locks in the chicken's moisture and gives you a really juicy chicken breast.
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