Sweet and Sour Chicken, The Adult Version
Crispy battered juicy chicken pieces tossed in a sweet and sticky sauce with crunchy vegetables and a mild spicy kick
Equipment
- Wok and spatula
- Small whisk
- Mixing bowl for sauce
- Mixing bowl for chicken
- Plate
Ingredients
- 150g chicken thigh, skinless
- 2 tsp light soya sauce
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- sufficient cornflour to coat chicken
Vegetables
- 1/4 red bell pepper
- 1/4 yellow bell pepper
- 1 small tomato, cut into 6 wedges
- 6-8 canned pineapple chunks
- 1/4 yellow onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Sauce
- 2 tbsp canned pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce
- 1 tbsp light soya sauce
- 1 tbsp plain distilled vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Cut chicken thigh into roughly 1 1/2 cm size chunks. Mix with light soya sauce and white pepper. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes (Notes 1).
- Prepare your vegetables. For the bell peppers, you may cut them into bite-size pieces but different shapes to give the dish a visual appeal. Cut tomato into six wedges. Slice the yellow onion and separate the layers. Canned pineapple chunks usually come cut into bite-size wedges already.
- Prepare the sauce. Mix together all the sauce ingredients in a bowl using a whisk until well-combined (Notes 2).
- Time to fry the chicken! Pour cornflour onto a plate and spread it out semi-evenly. Roll your marinated chicken pieces in the cornflour, one at a time. Shake off any excess flour and set aside for frying. (Notes 3)
- Heat up 1/2 cup of oil in your wok. To test if oil is hot enough, drop a bit of cornflour mixture into it. If oil starts to fizz, it's hot enough for frying.
- Now, gently place the cornflour-coated chicken into the hot oil, one piece at a time. Fry 3-4 minutes or until golden. Set chicken aside.
- Reserve about 1 tbsp oil in the wok. Turn stove to medium heat. Add chopped garlic and vegetables to the wok. Toss constantly to prevent burning the garlic.
- When you notice the vegetables softening (a sign that they are cooked), add sauce ingredients.
- Turn stove to low heat and let the sauce simmer until it thickens. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and sugar as necessary. You can also add more water if the sauce is too thick.
- Finally, add in the fried chicken and toss just long enough to coat the chicken pieces with the sauce (Notes 4). Dish up, and make sure you have plenty of white rice to go with your delicious sweet and sour chicken.
Notes
Sweet and Sour Chicken - Quick FAQ
1. What makes this sweet and sour chicken different from restaurant versions?This version skips egg and uses Thai sweet chilli sauce instead of relying solely on tomato ketchup, creating a more complex, slightly spicy, “adult” flavour profile. 2. Can I make sweet and sour chicken without using egg in the batter?
Yes. Soy sauce replaces both salt and egg by seasoning the chicken and providing enough moisture for the cornflour to cling during frying. 3. Why use soy sauce instead of salt when marinating the chicken?
Soy sauce seasons the meat while also hydrating it, helping the coating stick better and reducing prep mess. 4. What is the secret ingredient in this sweet and sour chicken sauce?
Thai sweet chilli sauce. It adds sweetness, acidity, and a mild heat that deepens the flavour more than ketchup alone. 5. Does Thai sweet chilli sauce really work in sweet and sour chicken?
Yes. It blends seamlessly with pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, and oyster sauce to create a balanced, glossy sauce. 6. How do I get crispy chicken without a complicated batter?
Coat marinated chicken directly with cornflour and fry until golden. The soy sauce moisture helps the starch adhere evenly. 7. What vegetables are best for sweet and sour chicken?
Mild vegetables that add colour and crunch work best—pineapple, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions are classic choices. 8. Can sweet and sour chicken be cooked in one wok?
Yes. This entire dish—from frying the chicken to making the sauce—can be completed in a single wok. 9. How do I balance sweet, sour, and savoury flavours in the sauce?
Use pineapple juice for sweetness, vinegar for acidity, soy and oyster sauce for savouriness, and Thai sweet chilli sauce for complexity. 10. Is this sweet and sour chicken suitable for family meals?
Absolutely. It’s mildly sweet, lightly tangy, and not overly spicy—perfect for kids and adults alike.