This Crispy Oven-Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken is a tasty homemade version of your favorite takeout dish, combining crispy hand-breaded chicken with homemade tangy sweet and sour sauce for a delicious dinner entree.
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Ever since I was a kid, Sweet & Sour Chicken has been one of my favorite take-out meals. There is something about the sweetness of the sauce and the crispiness of the chicken that I just can’t resist! So, of course, I learned to make my own at home. It’s delicious, much healthier than the takeout version, and is not difficult to make.
To start making this sweet and sour chicken, you’ll cut up your chicken breasts, then coat them with the seasonings and corn starch. Then you will whisk together your sweet and sour sauce with just a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand! After that, just brown your chicken, toss it in the sauce, and throw it in the oven. After just an hour, you’ll have a dinner that is so good you’ll never want take out again!
This sweet and sour baked chicken is one of my family’s favorite recipes. When we have it we like to serve it with egg rolls, cream cheese won tons, or Homemade Chicken Fried Rice. If you like this recipe, you will definitely want to try our Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl, Bang Bang Chicken, or our Sesame Chicken.
Ingredients For Your Oven Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sweet and sour chicken has always been one of my favorite Chinese food take-out dishes. But I always don’t want to go out or pick it up. So I came up with a recipes that uses basic ingredients and is easy to make. That will create a yummy weeknight dinner that your entire family will love.
I recommend serving this over white or brown rice. I also like to sprinkle some sesame seeds over the top for presentation.
- Chicken: Use boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch chunks. Try to keep them the same size as possible.
- Cornstarch: The secret to this recipe is cornstarch. It makes to breading so light and crispy!
- Eggs: Helps the cornstarch make a light and fluffy breading.
- Oil: Only a little canola oil is needed for sautéing, light olive oil will work well too.
- Sugar: A combination of white and brown sugar is what gives the chicken its sweet flavor.
- Ketchup: Adds so much flavor and is what gives the sauce its color.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: This is what gives the chicken its sour flavor. If you are not a fan of the sour flavor I recommend using rice wine vinegar. It has a milder flavor and won’t be as strong as apple cider vinegar.
- Soy Sauce: I prefer to use lite soy sauce to keep the sodium down.
- Garlic: I love using fresh minced garlic for the flavor. But in a pinch, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder can be substituted.
- Salt & Pepper: This can be adjusted to your liking.
- Green Onion: Used to garnish the chicken and adds a wonderful pop of color.
How to Make Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces and add to a large bowl.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Add in cornstarch and toss until all chicken is completely coated; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic; set aside.
- beat eggs in a medium bowl, then one at a time dip the coated chicken into the eggs, and place on a plate.
- Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Separate the chicken into 3 batches. Then add in 1 batch of chicken at a time and cook until light brown, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all 3 batches are cooked.
- Transfer chicken to the prepared baking dish. Pour sweet and sour sauce over the top and stir until well combined. Bake for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to coat the chicken.
- Garnish with green onions and serve immediately.
Tips
- Make It Even: Cut the chicken into even pieces. This will help the chicken cook evenly so it doesn’t dry out or overcook.
- Flash Fry: They key to making a crispy outer layer and tender chicken in the center. Is to flash fry the chicken just enough to crisp up the batter. This gives the sauce something to stick to.
- Batter: I have experimented with several different batters when developing this recipe. I have found that cornstarch and eggs make the best light and crispy breading. I found that thicker batters became doughy and soggy in the baking process.
- Low & Slow: You might think that baking the chicken for an hour would dry out the chicken. But baking it at a low temperature for a long period of time. Makes the chicken fall-apart tender and thickens up the sweet and sour sauce.
What to Serve/Pair with Your Oven Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Breast
If you want to keep your dinner traditional, pair this sweet and sour chicken with fried rice and egg rolls. My favorite rice is this Homemade Chicken Fried Rice. It is easy to make and is packed with flavor. Egg Rolls are tricky to make (I often opt for frozen), but if you want to mix things up, make this Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl. It has all of the flavors of an egg roll without the extra carbs and calories. Any dessert will pair well with this sweet and sour chicken, but these Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookies are one of my favorites. They are the perfect combination of sweet and salty.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- If you are on a heart-healthy diet, egg substitute can be used in place of the eggs for coating your chicken.
- Coconut sugar can be used in place of regular granulated sugar.
- For some extra spice in your meal, try using spicy ketchup in your sweet and sour sauce.
How To Reheat & Store Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
The best way to store any leftover sweet and sour chicken is in a sealed, air-tight container in the fridge. It will last for up to 3 days. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and put your chicken into an oven-safe dish. Bake it for 20 minutes or until warm. You can also microwave smaller portions of chicken to reheat, but the texture just isn’t as crisp.
You can also freeze this dish in a sealed, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Make sure that it has completely cooled before placing it in the freezer. To bake it, first thaw it completely in the fridge, then bake as directed in the recipe.
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken FAQs
Yes, boneless skinless chicken thighs are a great option. They are more flavorful and will be juicier than chicken breasts. Just trim off any excess fat from the chicken and coat them in egg and cornstarch.
Sure! Pineapple is a popular addition to sweet and sour chicken. Just add some pineapple chunks to the tray before baking. They add a great, sweet flavor.
Yes, you can use this if you are in a hurry, but I will say that the homemade sauce tastes much better (and you’ll know exactly what is in it).
What is the difference between sweet and sour chicken and orange chicken?While both orange chicken and sweet and sour have a tangy, sweet base, the main difference lies in the flavor profile. Orange chicken has hints of orange and spice, while sweet and sour doesn’t have a distinctive flavor beyond sweet and tangy or added heat.
Looking for more recipes like this Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken? Check out some of our favorites:
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup canola oil
Sweet & Sour Sauce
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup ketchup
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 3 tbsp green onion (diced)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly coat a 9 x 13 baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces and add to a large bowl.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper and stir to coat. Add in cornstarch and toss until all chicken is completely coated; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic; set aside.
- beat eggs in a medium bowl, then one at a time dip the coated chicken into the eggs, and place on a plate.
- Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Separate the chicken into 3 batches. Then add in 1 batch of chicken at a time and cook until light brown, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all 3 batches are cooked.
- Transfer chicken to the prepared baking dish. Pour sweet and sour sauce over the top and stir until well combined. Bake for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to coat the chicken.
- Garnish with green onions and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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