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My sister Anna shared this sweet and sour chicken recipe with me because her family absolutely loved it. It’s a winner indeed; the best orange chicken I’ve ever tried! Anyway, I pinned it for safe keeping and finally whipped it out.
My son’s eyes lit up when he realized he was having “Panda” for dinner – in his world, all Asian food is “Panda.” Except, this is way way WAY better than takeout! I’m super thrilled that I know exactly what went into this sweet and sour chicken; no preservatives and I even used organic chicken. #patontheback for Mom :).
I tracked down the original recipe source and it was the talented Mel of Mel’s Kitchen Cafe who said it was easily the most popular recipe on her blog (yeah – I can see why!). The only thing I changed was adding an extra egg for easier coating.
This really is quite a treat. Make it tonight!
Ingredients for Orange Chicken:
2 lbs (about 4 Medium) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup cornstarch
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup extra light olive oil, canola or vegetable oil to saute, plus more as needed
Ingredients for the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp soy sauce
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp garlic salt
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken:
1. Preheat oven to 325˚F. Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.
2. Place 1 cup cornstarch into a gallon-sized ziploc bag, add chicken and toss to coat (go on, toss it up, just make sure the bag is closed; that part is important).
3. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large, heavy bottom pot (I used my French oven with nice tall walls to reduce splatterage on the stove).
4. In a shallow dish, whisk together 3 eggs. Dip the cornstarch-dredged chicken pieces into the beaten egg, coating both sides then transfer the chicken to the very hot oil.
5. Cook chicken in hot oil about 30 seconds per side or until golden. Having very hot oil is key. You don’t want to cook the chicken through, but just until golden. Transfer chicken to a 9×13 baking dish and continue dipping and sautéing remaining chicken, adding more oil as necessary.
Cooking tip: if you add oil to the pot, let it heat up a little before you add more chicken.
6. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the sauce ingredients: 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 4 Tbsp ketchup, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp garlic salt.
7. Pour sauce over your sauteed chicken pieces and toss to coat. Bake uncovered at 325˚F for 1 hour, turning the chicken twice while baking to coat with sauce.
Serve warm or hot over steamy white rice, and crisp tender broccoli for a balanced meal.
My son spotted this photo as I was putting the post together and the first words out of his mouth, “Can you make that for me?” :). Mel, thank you so much for sharing this goodness! It’s music to my ears when my son makes requests like that.
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs about 4 Medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 cup corn starch
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup extra light olive oil, canola or vegetable oil to saute, plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp garlic salt
Instructions
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken: Preheat oven to 325˚F.
- Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Place 1 cup cornstarch into a gallon-sized ziploc bag, add chicken and toss to coat.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large, heavy bottom pot (I used my French oven with nice tall walls to reduce splatterage on the stove).
- In a shallow dish, whisk together 3 eggs. Dip the cornstarch-dredged chicken pieces into the beaten egg, coating both sides then transfer chicken to the very hot oil.
- Cook chicken in hot oil about 30 seconds per side or until golden. Having very hot oil is key. You don't want to cook the chicken through, but just until golden. Transfer chicken to a 9x13 baking dish and continue dipping and sautéing remaining chicken, adding more oil as necessary. Cooking tip: if you add oil to the pot, let it heat up a little before you add more chicken.
- In a medium bowl, stir together sauce ingredients: 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 4 Tbsp ketchup, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp garlic salt.
- Pour sauce over your sautéed chicken pieces and toss to coat. Bake uncovered at 325˚F for 1 hour, turning the chicken twice while baking to coat with sauce. Serve warm or hot over steamy white rice, and crisp tender broccoli for a balanced meal.
♥ FAVORITE THINGS ♥
Shown in this post: (nope, no one paid us to write this; just stuff we love):
*My favorite French oven – somehow food just tastes better when you use it 😉
*This covered 9×12 baking dish comes with a lid, reducing foil waste; and it’s perdy.
*My glass mixing bowls are so versatile; everything from this sauce to your morning cereal 😉
*These cooking utensils are next to my stove always in reach on their little caddy.
Delicious except just a little to much vinegar
Hi Renee, the vinegar bakes out in the oven. It does seem like it might be overpowering at first but after it is baked, it mellows out so you shouldn’t really taste the vinegar in it.
Hey Natasha! I’ve made this recipe about 4 times. The first time it was amazing but the other times it seemed like the chicken was very soft and soggy it didn’t have a crunch to it. What might I be doing wrong?
Hi Kristina, after the chicken is baked, it really isn’t supposed to have a crunch to it since it’s covered in the sauce, but it also should not be soggy. Some things that might cause this – using a different sized dish, maybe a different oven setting like convection, baking covered vs uncovered.
No need to spend any more money on purchasing sweet and sour chicken at the Chinese restaurant. I really wanted to try something new tonight and this recipe definitely hit the spot! A great recipe that I will add to my books!! Next time I make this recipe, I will make more sauce!
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe Rosanna! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Omg I made this for dinner yesterday!!! The bomb yes this will most definitely be cooked often even the sauce it self will be used for wings lol it’s even better today.
I’m happy you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I made this recipe last night and it was a hit with my entire family! I was a bit nervous about it at first, as an hour seemed like a long cook time for chicken and the sauce started out pretty thin, but the sauce got thick and delicious, and the chicken was perfectly cooked and very tender. I will be adding this dish to my regular meal rotation. I did not have soy sauce, so had to use teriyaki sauce in its place. I served with jasmine rice and broccoli as suggested, and garnished with sesame seeds and green onion.
Yum! That’s perfect! Sounds like you got a new favorite, thanks for sharing Andrea! 🙂
Could you make another orange chicken recipe that requires mostly oven work? Because when I soaked the chicken in the egg and put it on the hot skillet, the oil popped all over my arms and the oven and microwave
Hi Masha, it really helps to use a deep skillet or a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven. The walls of the pot keep the oils from splattering on the stove and saves you some clean up and splattering. I hope that helps for next time and if I come across a great recipe that doesn’t involve the skillet, I’ll share it 🙂
I did use a deep skillet! I don’t know why but it splattered like crazy🤣but today I put the chicken with the egg and cornstarch in the oven and then after that I simmered the sauce in the skillet and threw in the chicken and mixes it like that 😊
Hi Natasha, after baking did you drench it with the remaining sauce? What did you garnish it with? Sorry for the stupid questions, I’m an amateur cook!
Hi Farhana, I garnished with chives (or green onion would work as well) 🙂
I have never cared for the taste of vinegar. I wondered before I made it if it would be palatable to me and it wasn’t. Just a warning for others. Just a personal opinion …
Hi Bev, with the long cooking time, you should be able to taste the vinegar when it’s done. Did you bake for the full time? Also, did you make sure to use apple cider vinegar and NOT white vinegar? the cider vinegar doesn’t have as strong of a taste/aroma of vinegar. I hope that helps!
This is another great chicken recipe from Natasha!! I was a bit worried with the vinegar smell when turning the chicken it the recommended two times, but when it was on the table, the tase of vinegar is very mild and wonderful. Thank you Natasha, especially on behalf of one of my daughters (21 Yrs) who became semi vegetarian and only eats meat from Chicken and Fish (She tried to be full vegetarian but after 6 months of veggies she was begging for some meat again and decided to include chicken again)
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂
I’ve doubled the recipe and the liquid part is always still very runny after the 1 hr of cook time. Do you know what I’m doing wrong? Otherwise it’s the best orange chicken ever! (Amateur cook over here:)
Hi Lena, unless you are cooking it in a pan that is twice as big, or in 2 separate dishes, the liquid won’t heat up as quickly and won’t have as much surface area to thicken up in the same amount of time.
hi, what if I don’t use soy sauce? will it turn out? Thanks
Hi Tiffany, I haven’t tried it without soy sauce so I can’t say for sure but it does add flavor and color to the final dish that you would probably miss if you omited soy sauce.
Tiffany, we always use low sodium soy sauce. You may want to try that.
Absolutely delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
You’re welcome Allison! Thank you for sharing!
Could I use potato starch instead of the Coen starch?
Hi Masha, I haven’t tried that substitution but it should work as an equal substitution since in most recipes they can be substituted.
I tried using the potato starch and worked out SO well. It was so delicious and addicting, thank you for the recipe!!!😁
You’re welcome! I am glad to hear that!! 🙂
Hello. Is there any way I could fry chicken the day before seving and the pop it in the oven the day of serving?
I haven’t tried it that way but I think that would work to saute the chicken first and then combine it with the sauce and bake before serving.
Hi Natasha ! I just tried out your recipe and it turned out awesome. Everyone loved it to bits and I know I’ll be making it again and again. Thankyou.
Humaira, you are very welcome and thank you for such a nice review! 😬
Hi Natasha..tried it on my husband’s birthday. It was ahhhmazing..the sauce is just perfect in taste. I improvised a little by adding stir fried veggies….Thanks for a “always go to recipe ” 🙂
I’m so happy you and your husband enjoyed it!! Happy birthday to your husband! 🙂
Thankyou 🙂
Hi Natasha! I made this dish before – my husband and I loved it! I’m planning to make it for a party, do you think it would freeze well? What stage should I freeze it, and how would you recommend reheating it? Thank you!
Hi Reena, I do think this chicken is best fresh but I haven’t tried freezing it so I can’t really give any specific advice on that. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
Can I use chicken thighs instead?
Thighs would work too, but they do take more time to pick through.
This is an excellent recipe! I made it for my boyfriend for date night and he loved it! I will definitely be using this recipe again, thank you so much!
Jen, thank you for such a nice review and you are welcome! 😀
Wow, best sweet and sour we’ve ever had. Recipe is so quick and easy too. I think I’ll try to make it a bit more crispy next time (my dish didn’t allow for crisping so much) and then it’s perfect for us. Thank you Natasha, from a very full and happy husband-and-wife in the UK!
You are very welcome and thank you for such a rave review 😬.
can I just fry them until they’re cooked all the way instead of baking them?
Hi Glacey, I haven’t tried it that way but it is important to bake the chicken to get it tender and for the sauce to form correctly.
I made this tonight and all of my picky teenagers loved it! Next time I will double the sauce though so there is extra to put over the rice. Absolutely delicious!
Becca, thank you for such a nice review, I’m all smiles 😬.
Natasha,
Can this recipe be reheated? I would like to prepare it for a Take and Bake recipe. If it can be reheated, what do you suggest for time and temperature?
Hi Stefanie, I do think this recipe is best enjoyed fresh and would probably get a little dry if you reheated it in the oven.