Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
Easily the most popular recipe on my blog, this baked sweet and sour chicken is a miracle of a dish. Baked, not fried, it has been a family favorite for over a decade!
Invented on a college budget almost 20 years ago, this baked sweet and sour chicken is the most popular recipe on my blog. And even better, it still remains one of our family favorites.
You may have seen this recipe floating around the internet; it’s everywhere! And for good reason. It’s crazy delicious.
I’m happy (and yes, a little proud) to acknowledge that the delectable sweet and sour chicken recipe originated here (posted way back in 2008, it was one of the first recipes I ever shared on my blog!).
With over 800 comments, 50+ 5-star reviews, and almost half a million pins/shares, that quick glance will tell you there is something special about this recipe.
How to Make Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
The chicken for this recipe is flash-fried in a little bit of oil before going into a pan and into the oven to be baked fully.
There’s a good reason for this process:
- It gives a delicious browned “crust” on the chicken pieces
- The sweet and sour sauce is poured onto the par-baked chicken and everything bakes together in the oven – this fully cooks the chicken AND thickens and develops the flavors of the sauce
I have streamlined the chicken coating-and-cooking process to make it ultra-simple.
First, place the chicken pieces in a ziploc-style bag and toss with a bit of salt and pepper.
Second, add the cornstarch, seal the bag, and shake until the chicken pieces are evenly coated.
It might seem strange to coat the chicken pieces in cornstarch before dipping in egg, but it’s the preferred method here, and it works – I promise!
Dip the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces into the egg mixture.
Instead of doing this one little piece at a time, I dump several pieces of chicken in at once, toss around with a fork until the egg mixture fully coats the chicken and then replenish with more chicken as they go into the hot pan.
A Key to Making Sweet and Sour Chicken
Remember that the chicken pieces are just getting a quick minute in the hot pan so they are golden on the outside.
You don’t need very much oil, but you DO need to make sure the pan is hot and rippling before adding the chicken.
Here are a few things that will help:
- Use a nonstick pan – this means you can use less oil and still get beautifully golden chicken pieces.
- Heat the oil in the pan until it is hot enough that the chicken sizzles immediately when added to the pan.
- Cook for just a few seconds on each side until the “crust” is golden brown – you don’t want to cook the chicken completely in this step!
Sweet and Sour Sauce
The sauce for this baked sweet and sour chicken consists of:
- sugar
- ketchup
- vinegar
- soy sauce
- garlic powder
There is just the right amount of sauce for the breaded chicken pieces to bake in without becoming saturated and soggy. As the sauce simmers in the oven with the chicken, it thickens and coats the chicken with a caramelized sweet and sour glaze.
If you like extra sauce, simply whisk together another batch of sauce and simmer it on the stovetop for 8 to 10 minutes to serve alongside the baked sweet and chicken.
A Very Popular Recipe
There are over 500 5-star reviews for this amazing recipe; I’ll highlight just a few:
Stephanie: Amazing! My whole family loved this recipe! Tasted like it was from a restaurant and it was SO easy to make! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Erin: First time poster – this was FANTASTIC. I doubled the sauce, threw in a can of pineapple chunks and used rice vinegar. Thank you – this is going in the rotation. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kimberly: I was worried about the one hour cooking time drying out the chicken but every bite was tender. Will make again. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vicki: Oh my- officially a fav in our house. It’s been requested 3 times in as many weeks. I add peppers and onion to mine over rice. So good! Thanks for sharing it!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Below is a list of the most frequently asked questions for this recipe – and if you scroll through the comments, you can see many, many variations!
Sweet and Sour FAQ:
Many people have commented that they have reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup and I’ve done the same (if not more) over the years, too.
Yes. Vinegar, while baking, gives off a strong aroma, but the strong aroma/taste bakes off during the recommended time in the recipe leaving a delicious sweet and sour taste.
That’s up to you. Many people in the comments have adapted the recipe ingredients; however, other than sometimes reducing the sugar to 1/2 cup and using a different type of vinegar (see the question below), I make the recipe as written and can’t vouch for results for other adaptations. I have made this sweet and sour chicken recipe at least 50 times (probably more) and even though the vinegar seems overpowering, the recipe works. Promise. If you are determined to adapt the vinegar, several others have used half vinegar and half pineapple juice for a milder taste (but you’ll lose a bit of the sweet and sour punch).
Why yes! I often substitute rice vinegar which has a slightly milder/sweeter taste and many others in the comments have substituted the same or even used white vinegar. Feel free to experiment.
All-purpose flour will not give the same light coating as the cornstarch. The only decent substitute I’ve found is tapioca flour/starch. Works great!
I encourage you to make the recipe as written. Like I said above, I’ve made this recipe many times and the hour baking time is not a typo. Keep in mind that you don’t want to cook the chicken through while browning it. That step should be a quick flash in the pan in hot oil in order to give the chicken a crispy outer layer, but the pieces should still be raw in the center. Many have commented that they have cut the baking time down to 30 minutes. You can try that; the sauce won’t thicken as much as if baking for the full hour.
I’m not often right, but in the case of cornstarch and egg, I am. The chicken is coated with cornstarch and then dipped in egg.
I don’t see why not! Many commenters have tried that with good results.
I prefer the Heinz Natural brand (without HCFS) but when I can’t find it, I go with regular Heinz.
What to Serve With This:
Baked Brown Rice
Steamed Broccoli
Creamy 5-Cup Fruit Salad or fresh, seasonal fruit
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ¼ cup canola, vegetable or coconut oil
Sauce:
- ½ to ¾ cup granulated sugar, depending on how sweet you want the sauce
- 4 tablespoons ketchup
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar (see note)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch or slightly larger pieces. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place the cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Put the chicken into the bag with the cornstarch and seal, tossing to coat the chicken.
- Whisk the eggs together in a shallow pie plate. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until very hot and rippling. Dip the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces in the egg and place them carefully in a single layer in the hot skillet.
- Cook for 20-30 seconds on each side until the crust is golden but the chicken is not all the way cooked through (this is where it’s really important to have a hot skillet/oil). Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in a 9X13-inch baking dish and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
- Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour over the chicken. Bake for one hour, turning the chicken once or twice while cooking to coat evenly with sauce. Serve over hot, steamed rice.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe original recipe
Recipe originally published July 2008; updated Sept 2018 with new pictures, recipe notes, etc.
This dish sounds great and I’d like to make it. After reading the recipe, I have one question…does the chicken get covered while cooking in the oven? Thanks for your time!
Christi – No, the dish is baked uncovered.
I’ve made this recipe several times and LOVE it!!! I am currently in weight watchers and am wondering if you know the points plus and serving size?
Tia – I don’t know that information, sorry! It might be worth reading through the comments in the recipe thread to see if another reader has calculated that out.
Tia
If the recipe makes 6 servings, it is 14 points per serving without rice. Yikes 🙁 I reduced the sugar to ½ cup and used egg whites and low sodium soy sauce and it came out to 10 without rice.
This recipe turned out fabulous! I used slightly less sugar (1/2 cup) and also seasoned the cornstarch with some salt and white pepper. Otherwise followed the recipe as is, the flavors were perfectly balanced. Melanie sure knows what she’s talking about when it comes to Sweet and Sour Chicken 🙂 Thanks for sharing a great and simple recipe!
made this and my husband loved it! this is a keeper. made the recipe exactly as shown but one thing I should have done was double the sauce since my husband loved it so much. thanks for sharing this recipe…I’m looking forward to trying some more of your recipes… 🙂
Braggs Liquid Aminos would probably work, and here’s a recipe for soy sauce substitute.
1 cup homemade or low sodium or no-salt-added store-bought beef stock
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp cooking molasses
pinches white pepper, garlic powder and ground ginger
salt to taste (optional)
Place all ingredients, except salt, in a small pot. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer (small bubbles should just break on the surface), and simmer until reduced to about 2 cup. Sea-/3 son with salt, if desired, or leave as a low-salt condiment. Pour into a tight-sealing jar and keep refrigerated.
Thanks for this reduced sodium option!
I’ve sometimes used coconut aminos, but I’m not really all that familiar with them, so I am not sure how to sub them in a recipe.
Hi Anna . I use Coconut Aminos in all my recipes that call for soy sauce . My husband actually makes a yummy Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce using them . The same people that make the coconut aminos make a bottled teriyaki sauce . I found it at my local co op . I am making Mel’s Sweet and Sour Chicken tonight using Pork and the coconut aminos …. Is it dinner time yet ??? :0)
Hi Mel,
I would love to try this recipe, however I am allergic to any type of soy product. Do you have any suggestions for a substitute?
I have made a few of your dishes and love them. Thank you for your wonderful site!
Dana
Thanks for checking in, Lien – sounds like some great suggestions for Dana!
Last night I made this for the third time. When he finished eating, my old Hubs did something he’s never done in his entire life. I got a fist-bump, and a “Great meal, Chef!” I have never gotten a fist bump nor been called “Chef” in my life. He has been watching the Food Network a lot, and he is always complementary about my meals and thanks me frequently, but I thought you should know that this delicious dish earned me BIG kudos; probably the biggest I’ve gotten for any dish I have made in 48 years! And I served it over quinoa cooked in chicken broth, just like you do! The two together are a dynamic duo, and I love it as much as he does! I have some sauce left over, since for the two of us I only use one chicken breast, and there’s more sauce than is needed. I think I’ll boil it until thickened and pour it over some pork chops. Yum.
Barbara – that’s adorable! You totally deserve the fist pump!
Hi Mel –
Once again – OUTSTANDING recipe from your blog! So far everything I’ve made has been a success (and I have not found another blog or site to match your quality and variety). I have shared your blog with many friends because everyone raves about my cooking and I always have to give credit to you. 🙂 I paired this with your fried rice recipe (minus with ham) and it was gone in less than 10 minutes.
Thanks again!
Holly W.
Portland, Oregon
I am a chef at a 5 star resort and I made this chicken for a number of guests and got top reviews. Mel you are truely a culinary goddess with some of your recipes on this site
keep up the great work!
I am so happy I found this website. Recipes are great! This dish will be a favorite for sure. Recipe was easy to follow and final result looked exactly as pictured… yummy!
Melanie, you are not only an awesome cook, but an awesome person. How do I come to the latter conclusion? Simply by reading your kind and generous remarks/answers to blog wanderers such as I. So I have a question regarding this recipe. I am going to make it for the first time this weekend, for a big family dinner, along with your awesome pork ribs that I have made several times. I only have one oven, so I will be baking the chicken first and then the ribs. Do you think the chicken will be ok if kept warm but not consumed for 2-1/2 to 3 hours? Wondering if it will get soggy or whatnot. Thanks a bunch in advance for any help you can provide.
Thanks, Sophi – you are awfully sweet! So about your question, I think keeping the chicken warm for that long might result in soggy chicken pieces that aren’t very tender. Another option might be to instead make the sweet and sour chicken start to finish the day before, let it cool, cover it and then refrigerate it. You could warm it up after the ribs come out of the oven (place the already baked sweet and sour chicken in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or so, tossing once or twice). You might need to add a bit more sauce in case it dried out a bit in the fridge. Hope that helps. Good luck with your family dinner!
I’ve been following your blog for about a year. Why haven’t I tried this one yet? I’ve been missing out. I made it the other night with some fried rice, and it was fabulous. Can’t wait to make it again.
I made the sweet and sour chicken last weekend and my husband loved it. Your website is wonderful with fantastic recipes. So many to choose from!
I have made this quite a few times and it’s amazing!!! I always add pineapple chunks, sweet onion and bell peppers. I like to add a dollop of chili garlic sauce too. I want to try this with pork! What cut of pork would you recommend?
Jennifer Ammerman – I would definitely go with pork tenderloin. Good luck if you try it!
Thank you so much. This was fabulous. I’m always highly skeptical of any recipe for sweet and sour with ketchup in it, but this was wonderful. I’ll definitely be making again. I added a bell pepper and onion that I had quick sauteed then threw it in before baking. I’ll do that again and some chunked up pineapple too. Also, I needed to make it ahead so I cooked it and baked it ahead, then left it on low and it turned out fine. Might have been a smidge better if I hadn’t done that, but it really was still terrific.
Can the chicken be deep fried instead of baked? and make the sauce separate?
Scott – Definitely worth a try – the sauce can be simmered and reduced on the stovetop. Good luck!
I must be the only person who didn’t love this. The vinegar was overpowering. The smell while it was cooking grossed me out. Luckily it tasted better than it smelled but it still wasn’t a home run for us. No one really liked it very much. 🙁
I looked at a repost of the same recipe and it isn’t clear if the egg or cornstarch comes first before frying. Please. Get back to me ASAP, thanks!
Hi Vanna – the instructions on the recipe posted on my site are very clear: the chicken is tossed with the cornstarch before being dipped in the egg mixture. Hope that helps!
My husband and I, and everyone else i’ve made this for, just drools over this dish. So simple yet so amazing. Question though, sometimes i’m way too lazy to do the crispy chicken part and just want to saute the chicken with veggies and rice. Can I mix all of that together and then pour the sauce over top in a skillet and just let it simmer? Will it turn out the same as putting it in the oven? Thanks!
Hi Jenny – I’ve never tried that but someone just posted on my FB page that they tried something similar and it worked great. Definitely worth a try!
Crowd pleaser! Everyone raved about this dish. I used coconut oil to fry in for a healthier alternative, it gives the chicken a subtle hint of coconut flavor. I cannot say enough good things about this juicy flavorful chicken!
Mel, love your site. Having an horsduervs only dinner. Want to know how I can make this ahead, With so many different appetizers needing some finishing at the last minute, I.m going to be spinning my wheels. Could I bake the wing ahead & make the sauce ahead & finish later or what. What happens if I make the whole thing & regrig for a couple days . How to reheat? Broil?? need some advice
Hi Dottie – this recipe actually isn’t for wings; were you planning to adapt it for chicken wings? I’ve never made this ahead of time but many people in the comments have given their variations. Good luck!
Hi,
This chicken turned our really well, but I have to say for my taste it is too much vinegar. I already used less, but it still had a strong taste of that vinegar flavour.
Other that that I liked it a lot and it was so easy to make! Thank you!
I made it again only a couple of days after the first time because after the first time, I was craving it. I used the biggest chicken breast I could find, which was about 1 1/4 lbs., and the full amount of sauce the second time around, and we each had our fill, with just a few bites left over. Not only is this easy, but addicting! I can’t wait to make it for visiting kids/grandkids! They will be blown away, just like I am. I try lots of new recipes, but this one has now become a permanent part of my repertoire. That also means it gets Photoshopped on a pretty “scrapbook” style card with cute graphics, then laminated. When I have more of my recipes laminated, they will be bound into a recipe book.
This is so yummy! And for anyone interested in freezing, I tried it and didn’t notice any difference. I made it up to frying the chicken, let it cool, and froze the little chicken pieces in a ziploc. A day before I used it I left it in the fridge and it was thawed the next day. Whipped out the sauce and threw it in the oven. YUM!
We had this for dinner tonight, but since there are only two of us, I only used one chicken breast and cut the sauce recipe in half. Big mistake. This is so good I wish I had doubled it. Especially that fantastic, wonderful sauce. We were practically licking the pan. With only one breast cut into pretty small pieces, and because I cooked it in the skillet a little longer, it only took 20 minutes in the oven at 325, but the sauce was thick and gooey good. It’s on next week’s menu! Thanks, Mel! I can’t wait to try that new pork roast with maple syrup you just posted!
I made this tonight. Eating it now! Great taste and flavor. I was quite surprised. My sauce dried up on the chicken. It still had the great flavor but was dry. I will make this again and make extra sauce to add to it after it bakes just to give it a saucy look and taste we like. I served white rice and made homemade egg rolls to go with it.
Great recipe!
Prepared this again a couple of nights ago, and it was as great as it always is, but I did it in an electric skillet. Ready in half an hour–LOVED it!
Thank you for the amazing recipe!!! While eating it tonight my daughter said, “You know mom, this really is so delicious.” A stamp of approval from the whole family!
I’ve never commented on a recipe post before… Ever. But this is just SO good! I had to post! My kiddos, who hate any kind of Asian food, totally cleaned their plates. The directions are well written, the ingredients are simple yet delicious, it came out perfect! And I am NOT a gourmet cook. I’m barely an average cook. You should absolutely try this recipe, 5 stars!
Okay… I made this tonight AGAINST my boyfriend’s wishes. He said: you know I don’t like sweet-sour dishes! BUT… he doesn’t always get HIS way, and if it were up to him we would live on hamburgers and pizza! Yuck! Not that I don’t like those things; I just like a wide variety of foods. Sooooo, I made this and listened to him complain all the while that he is NOT going to like this and the house stinks like vinegar, yada, yada, yada. I served it EXACTLY as pictured, broccoli and all. I thought it tasted fantastic! He, on the other hand, conceded that “well, I guess it’s pretty good”. For me, that’s a victory! I am a very good cook if I do say so myself, so I am trying to get him to broaden his horizons. You have many recipes I want to try! Best Cheesecake is next! Love having pictures too! Keep ’em coming Mel! Love this site!!
Thanks Mel!
Duh,,, didn’t think of that. Went out and bought some apple cider vinegar! NOW I,m ready! Can’t wait to try it! 🙂
I don’t have cider vinegar… Can I substitute apple cider in the Sweet Sour Chicken recipe?
Connie – no, you definitely need some type of vinegar (that’s what give is the classic sour taste) so subbing apple cider wouldn’t work but other commenters have subbed rice vinegar or white vinegar.
OMG!!!!! This was AMAZING!!!!! Thanks for the recipe! I used flour instead of cornstarch because I didn’t have any, it still turned out awesome!!!! 5 stars for sure!!!!
Hi Mel, I just want to say that I was looking for a simple sweet & sour chicken recipe because I had limited ingredients and in particular no pineapples. So when I saw yours I was like yes! But that was until I got to the ketchup! I said I am not putting ketchup in sweet & sour chicken! I finally decided I would just try it and I don’t have to use it again. Let me tell you that not only was it delish! but my picky granddaughter loved it. I just put it in my favorites and am making noodles to go with it for dinner. Thanks for such a limited ingredient dish that packs a lot of flavor! Moral of this story, lol is to never be afraid to try ingredients that are out of the box.
Trying this tonight! It looks so good and I have read through all the comments to see variations and such. I have everything I need to make this, except the cornstarch so I’m going to try it with flour. I will comment back later after the results. So excited to try this!!!
Fantastic! Kudos to you. We loved it, keeper for sure. Thank you
Made this recipe and we loved it…. Thx! We are making a friends and family cookbook and I am considering putting this recipe in. It’s not for profit… Just a cookbook for us to share recipes in. Would that be OK? I saw in the FAQ section that it’s ok to reblog with a link but this would be an actual printed book so wasn’t sure…
Hi Kelly – thanks for asking! Yes, I’m totally fine if you reprint this recipe, all I ask is that you include a full link back to my site. Thank you!
Just wondering with the sweet and sour chicken whether cooking it for an hour is too long? any comments from those who have cooked it?
We LOVED this recipe it was absolutely delicious! I put it in my cookbook as a new family favorite. Thanks!
T
Mel, thanks for an interesting recipe. I must admit that the Sweet & Sour Chicken didn’t go over well, probably due to using Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. The vinegar flavor was really overpowering in the finished product and my twin 12 year old daughters would hardly touch it. Please consider being more specific on the type of ACV recommended in the recipe. I have gone thru all the comments for variations and will gladly make the dish again with some changes. Thanks again for offering a simple to make Asian chicken dish.
Am making this for the first time tonight. How much chicken? 3-4 breast halves or 3-4 whole breasts? Thanks!
Going to make this for the first time tonight. But, how much chicken…3-4 breast halves or 3-4 whole breasts?
I just wanted to add, in case anyone else was curious, that I bake this at 375º with good results. I reduce the time somewhat (maybe 40-45 minutes?). The reason why I do this is because I serve it with baked brown rice, which cooks at that temp. We all enjoyed this dish at my daughter’s birthday dinner last night!
can i use regular white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar as it is not available where i live? would i have to use half the amount?
Mary – I know it is cumbersome to read through so many comments but if I remember correctly, many others have adapted the type of vinegar. I can’t remember if white vinegar is one specifically that’s been varied but it’s probably worth a try (I know for sure others have used rice vinegar with good results).
I found your blog while searching for a slow cooker beef stroganoff that didn’t include canned soup. I plan to make your Ultimate Beef Stroganoff, but this is the first recipe I made and it CRUSHED it!
My boyfriend walked in the door exhausted and soaked with rain from his 12-hour shift and said happily, “The whole house smells like sweet and sour chicken!”
I didn’t make extra sauce this time because, frankly, I had no idea how amazing it would be. I will not make that mistake again 🙂
This recipe rocks. Made twice got to love the acidic flavor in the sweet and sour sauce. Cut back on sugar and added more apple cider vinegar. Thank you.
.
I’ve always done my sweet & sour chicken in a crockpot. Ran out of time today and it was my daughter’s birthday dinner request. This was the first recipe I found and it turned out perfect ! A huge hit. Definitely going to make it again, and next time will do the extra sauce. Yum!
I made this tonight and it’s the first time I’ve stumbled on your blog. Absolutely AMAZING! I was a bit overwhelmed by the strong smell of vinegar (I used Bragg’s Apple Cider) so when making extra sauce I added a 1/2 can of crushed pineapple and 2 extra Tbs of sugar. I saw where you suggested perhaps using 1/2 the vinegar so next time (and there WILL be a next time!) I make this I’ll try 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup pineapple juice. We really loved the pineapple in the extra sauce! This is a hit! Shared all over FB and Pinterest. 😀
What kind of ketchup do you use?
Heather – I usually use the Heinz natural brand (without HCFS).
I read the reviews for this recipe so I had very high expectations and I can happily say that this dish blew me away and what’s even better is how much my husband liked it! This is an instant staple now! Thank you for sharing!