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bowl of chicken and vegetables with sweet sour sauce and sesame seeds on top.
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Hong Kong Style Sweet and Sour Chicken

Hong Kong-style sweet and sour chicken is one of our favorite Chinese takeaway meals. Learn how to cook it at home; it’s super quick and easy!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian, Chinese
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 654kcal
Author Adina

Equipment

  • 1 wok or deeper saucepan for deep-frying
  • 1 Large pan for frying
  • 1 Small saucepan for the sauce

Ingredients

Vegetables:

  • 1 red bell pepper large
  • 1 green bell pepper large
  • 2 onions medium
  • 3 garlic cloves large
  • 1 cup pineapple pieces from a can 5.5 oz/ 150 g
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Sweet and sour sauce:

  • cup chicken stock 150 ml
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons pineapple juice from the can
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons water cold

Chicken:

  • 1 lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless Note 2
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Deep-fried chicken version:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup cornstarch 150 g, more if necessary
  • 2 ½ cups vegetable oil 600 ml

Shallow fried chicken version:

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ¼ cup cornstarch 1.5 oz/ 40 g
  • cup vegetable oil 3 fl.oz/ 80 ml

Garnish

  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
  • 1-2 green onions

Instructions

Preparations:

  • Vegetables: Chop the peppers and onions and set them aside in a bowl. Chop the pineapple into smaller pieces and chop the garlic finely. Set them aside in another bowl.
  • Sauce: Mix chicken stock, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, pineapple juice, sesame oil, tomato sauce, and soy sauce in a small saucepan.
  • Chicken: Cut the thighs into bite-size pieces. Place the pieces into a bowl. Season them with salt and pepper.

Cook

  • Sauce: Heat the sauce gently until it simmers, stirring it until it is smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Set it aside.

Deep-fried chicken:

  • Beat the eggs with a fork. Pour over the chicken pieces and mix to coat. Lift, discard any excess egg, and place the chicken into another bowl.
  • Coat chicken: Add the cornstarch and mix to coat again. Add more starch if necessary; the pieces must be well coated and dry. Before frying, shake the pieces lightly to remove any excess cornstarch.
  • Heat 2 ½ cups (600 ml) of vegetable oil to 350°F (180°C) in a deep pan or wok (Note 3).
  • Deep fry the chicken pieces in 2 or 3 batches, moving them around in the pan so they can cook on all sides. Cook them for 3-4 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Check by cutting one piece in the middle. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to help remove the excess fat.

Shallow fried chicken:

  • Mix the pieces with sesame oil, salt, pepper, and only ¼ cup of cornstarch.
  • Fry chicken: Heat ⅓ cup of oil in a large saucepan or wok. Fry the pieces in two batches for about 5-6 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Stir often to ensure that they are cooked on all sides. Check by cutting one piece in the middle. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.

Vegetables:

  • Cook vegetables: Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil. Stir fry the peppers and the onions for 3 minutes. Add the pineapple and the garlic and stir fry for another minute.
  • Add the sweet and sour sauce and bring to a boil.
  • Thicken sauce: In the meantime, mix one teaspoon of cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoons of cold water. Whisk the mixture into the sauce and stir well until thickened.

Serve:

  • Add the cooked chicken to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the dish with sesame seeds and green onion rings and serve immediately.

Notes

  1. The nutrition is calculated for shallow fried chicken.
  2. It’s preferable to use chicken thigh meat. While breast pieces are tender and taste great, the thighs are juicier.
  3. Oil temperature: If you don’t have a thermometer to check the oil’s temperature, stick the end of a wooden spoon or skewer into the oil. If bubbles are forming around the stick, the oil is ready for frying.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 654kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 856mg | Potassium: 668mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 1295IU | Vitamin C: 75mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 2mg