Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe (2024)

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Throw out that old menu from Panda Express: Paleo is here to reclaim the sweeten sour chicken throne. Crispy chunks of pan-fried chicken and juicy bites of pineapple are all coated in a tangy-sweet sauce – and all without a trace of flour or vegetable oil.

It’s delicious on its own merits, but if daydreams of takeout keep butting into your well-intentioned meal plans, this is definitely a Paleo alternative to try.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe (1)

To get that perfect crackle on the chicken, it’s coated in a blend of almond flour and tapioca starch before frying.

Both are Paleo-friendly flour replacements: almond flour is very familiar, and tapioca starch is just a ground-up and dehydrated form of the cassava root. But if you don’t like using flour substitutes (and you don’t mind sacrificing a little texture), you can just pan-fry the chicken without any coating.

If the sauce isn’t quite thickening up the way you like it, you can also add a little tapioca starch to it as well.

Serve your masterpiece over riced cauliflower, steamed vegetables, or a big pile of Brussels sprouts: it beats the food court hands down for nutrition, and it even tastes better, to boot!

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

SERVES: 4 PREP: 25 min COOK: 20 min

Ingredients

  • 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes;
  • 1 cup tapioca starch;
  • ½ cup almond flour;
  • 3 eggs, beaten;
  • 1 cup pineapple, cut into chunks;
  • ½ cup fresh pineapple juice;
  • 1 cup bell pepper, chopped;
  • 1 cup onion, chopped;
  • 3 tbsp. honey; (optional)
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar;
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced;
  • ¼ cup chicken stock;
  • ½ cup coconut oil;
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. In a bowl, combine the almond flour and the tapioca starch and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Dip each chicken cube in the beaten eggs, then coat with the tapioca mixture.
  3. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet placed over medium-high heat.
  4. Cook the chicken until browned on all sides (you might want to work in batches).
  5. Set the chicken aside and clean the skillet.
  6. Heat some coconut oil again over medium heat, add the bell pepper and onion, and cook for 2 minutes.
  7. Stir in the pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, chicken stock, honey (if using), and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce slightly reduces about 5-8 minutes. If you're looking for a thicker sauce, you can add some tapioca starch.
  8. Return the chicken to the skillet. Mix everything well and let it all heat up for about 5 minutes.
  9. Serve warm with green onions sprinkled on top.

📖 Recipe

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe (3)

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

A Paleo re-creation of the classic takeout favorite, but easier on your conscience and your waistline.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 people

Calories 721 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine the almond flour and the tapioca starch and season with salt and pepper to taste.

    1 cup tapioca starch;, ½ cup almond flour;, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Dip each chicken cube in the beaten eggs, then coat with the tapioca mixture.

    3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes;, 3 eggs

  • Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet placed over medium-high heat.

    ½ cup coconut oil

  • Cook the chicken until browned on all sides (you might want to work in batches).

  • Set the chicken aside and clean the skillet.

  • Heat some coconut oil again over medium heat, add the bell pepper and onion, and cook for 2 minutes.

    1 cup onion, 1 cup bell pepper

  • Stir in the pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, chicken stock, honey (if using), and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce slightly reduces about 5-8 minutes. If you’re looking for a thicker sauce, you can add some tapioca starch.

    1 cup pineapple, ½ cup fresh pineapple juice, 3 tbsp. honey, 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup chicken stock, Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Return the chicken to the skillet. Mix everything well and let it all heat up for about 5 minutes.

  • Serve warm with green onions sprinkled on top.

    2 green onions

Nutrition

Calories: 721kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 45gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 25gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 232mgSodium: 272mgPotassium: 962mgFiber: 4gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1487IUVitamin C: 78mgCalcium: 84mgIron: 3mg

Keyword chicken, sour, sweet

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the batter made of in sweet and sour chicken? ›

Mix 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water together in a small bowl until smooth; pour into the sauce, stirring continuously, until slightly thickened. Place flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, egg, salt, and white pepper in a large bowl; gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups water to make a thick batter.

What is sweet and sour sauce made of? ›

While sweet and sour can be found in diverse forms in China, the American version builds upon the simple mixture of sugar, vinegar, and spices with the addition of fruit juice—most commonly pineapple—and ketchup, giving the sauce both its red hue and uniquely Western flavor.

What is the correct way to eat sweet and sour chicken? ›

Taste the sauce and add more brown sugar or vinegar to suit your tastes, if you'd like. Serve hot with steamed white or brown rice.

What goes with sweet and sour chicken? ›

Simple steamed broccoli, sauteed spinach with garlic and EVOO, quickly steamed snow or sugar snap peas. I would serve sweet & sour chicken with white rice and if I wanted to be healthy, might add in some bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, snow pea pods and/carrots. But usually just white rice.

How do you thicken sweet and sour chicken? ›

A corn starch slurry thickens the sauce – this sauce is a medium thickness, so depending on your preference add little more or less corn starch slurry (but go slowly – the sauce will take a little time to thicken up once the slurry is added).

Is Chinese sweet and sour chicken the same as orange chicken? ›

Honey Sesame Chicken is one of the sweeter chicken dishes in Chinese cuisine. In short, Orange Chicken is subtly sweet with a citrusy taste, while Sweet and Sour Chicken is sweeter and tangier. No Chinese takeout is complete without a delicious side of rice– try out my favorite fluffy basmati rice recipe here!

What is the actual Flavour of sweet and sour sauce? ›

Sweet and sour sauce tastes just like it sounds. A little bit sweet and a little bit sour at the same time. You will also have notes from whatever you flavour it with. The sweet and sour tastes can be made with a simple sugar and vinegar mix.

What can I use instead of pineapple juice in sweet and sour? ›

From personal experience of not having canned/fresh pineapples in the kitchen, I just used a bit of lemon juice and an orange cut into large chunks. Chinese plum sweet & sour mix is one of my favorites.

What is a substitute for vinegar in sweet and sour sauce? ›

Lemon or lime juice are the two most common substitutes for white vinegar. You can also use rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar but the taste of your sauce might be a tad different. Soy Sauce – I used low sodium. Ketchup – I used store bought.

What's the difference between General Tso chicken and sweet and sour chicken? ›

"General Tso's chicken has origins in Taiwan, but [those] trace back even further to Hunan," explains culinary creator Peter Som, who adds that both dishes feature the "characteristic balance of sour, savory, and salty" found in Hunan cuisine albeit "with General Tso's leaning more spicy and sweet and sour more on the ...

What is the difference between sweet and sour chicken and General Tso's chicken? ›

General Tso's chicken and sweet and sour chicken are completely different dishes. Starting with the sauce, General Tso's chicken is a sweet, spicy, and slightly tangy while sweet and sour sauce is often served on the side and is just sweet and tangy.

Do people in China eat sweet and sour chicken? ›

Sweet and sour chicken is a dish frequently served in Chinese restaurants in various countries in Oceania, Europe, North America, and South America and available at some restaurants in East Asia and Southeast Asia in an essentially identical version.

What is a interesting fact about sweet and sour chicken? ›

The original recipe was Shanghainese and used black vinegar. It's not meant to be orange, but black. But somewhere along the way, ketchup replaced the vinegar and it turned orange in the UK. Now that dish is called Sweet and Sour Chicken—Hong Kong style.

What is the benefits of sweet and sour chicken? ›

It's full of vitamin C-rich bell pepper and pineapple along with lots of protein from the chicken to promote healing. Another great perk is that it has no added sugar!

What is the difference between sweet and sour chicken and sweet and sour chicken Cantonese style? ›

Our sweet and sour dishes are either 'Cantonese style' (which is the same as 'Hong Kong Style') or Sweet and Sour 'Balls' (thick battered). Our Cantonese style is cooked with the sauce, onions, peppers and pineapple. Whereas the Sweet and sour Chicken or King Prawns balls come with a separate pot of sauce.

What is chicken batter made of? ›

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together potato starch, all-purpose flour, black pepper, baking powder, salt, paprika, and cayenne, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the water until a smooth batter forms, about 30 seconds.

What is battered fried chicken? ›

If you drop a food item into hot oil and cook it, then it's deep-fried. Like how chunks of potato are turned into french fries. If you dip the food item into batter before you drop it into the oil and cook it, then it's battered and fried or batter fried.

Does sweet and sour chicken contain egg? ›

Season the chicken with light soy sauce, salt, white pepper, egg and flour. Mix until combined and marinate for 20 minutes. In a bowl, mix together ketchup, brown sugar, white vinegar, chicken stock and cornstarch. In a large bowl, mix together the Dry Seasoning Mix ingredients.

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