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

Cook Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 654kcal

Author Adina

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.
1 red bell pepper large + 1 green bell pepper large + 2 onions medium 3 garlic cloves large + 1 cup pineapple pieces / 150 g
Sauce: Mix chicken stock, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, pineapple juice, sesame oil, tomato sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small saucepan.
⅔ cup chicken stock / 150 ml + 4 tablespoons brown sugar + 4 tablespoons ketchup + 3 tablespoons rice vinegar + 3 tablespoons pineapple juice + 1 teaspoon tomato paste + 1 tablespoon soy sauce + 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Chicken: Cut the thighs into bite-size pieces. Place the pieces into a bowl. Season them with salt and pepper.
1 lb chicken thighs / 450 g + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

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

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.
2 eggs
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.
1 cup cornstarch/ 150 g
Heat vegetable oil to 350°F (180°C) in a deep pan or wok (Note 3).
2 ½ cups vegetable oil/ 600 ml
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.

Mix the pieces with sesame oil, salt, pepper, and cornstarch.
1 teaspoon sesame oil + salt + pepper + ¼ cup cornstarch / 40 g
Fry chicken: Heat 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.
⅓ cup vegetable oil/ 80 ml

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.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
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.
1 teaspoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water cold

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.
2 teaspoons sesame seeds + 1-2 green onions

The nutrition is calculated for shallow fried chicken.
It’s preferable to use chicken thigh meat. While breast pieces are tender and taste great, the thighs are juicier.
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.