Description
Baked sweet and sour chicken brings classic Chinese-American flavors to home kitchens with crispy, tender meat. Tangy sauce and golden-brown chicken pieces create a restaurant-quality meal you can enjoy without complicated preparation techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (500 g) chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes
- ½ cup (65 g) cornstarch
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 tbsps vegetable oil
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- ½ cup (120 ml) white vinegar
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) ketchup
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 200C (400F) and line a baking dish with parchment paper.
- Chicken Coating: Dredge chicken pieces in cornstarch, then dip into whisked eggs, creating a crisp protective layer.
- Initial Searing: Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and quickly brown chicken pieces until they develop a golden exterior, working in rotating batches.
- Sauce Creation: Combine vinegar, ketchup, sugar, soy sauce, and garlic powder in a saucepan, bringing to a gentle simmer while whisking continuously; thicken with cornstarch slurry until the mixture transforms into a glossy glaze.
- Baking Process: Transfer seared chicken to prepared baking dish, generously coat with sweet and sour sauce, and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, pausing midway to redistribute sauce and ensure even cooking.
- Serving Presentation: Plate the baked chicken over steamed rice, garnishing with chopped green onions or a delicate sprinkle of sesame seeds for an elevated culinary experience.
Notes
- Optimize Cornstarch Coating: Shake off excess cornstarch before egg dipping to prevent clumpy, uneven breading and ensure a crisp, light exterior.
- Control Oil Temperature: Maintain medium-high heat when searing chicken to achieve golden-brown color without burning, which preserves juiciness and prevents tough meat.
- Sauce Consistency Trick: Adjust cornstarch slurry gradually to reach perfect thickness – add slowly while whisking to prevent lumps and create a glossy, smooth sauce.
- Prevent Soggy Bottom: Space chicken pieces apart on baking dish to allow heat circulation, ensuring crispy texture and even sauce distribution during baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 452
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 267 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 186 mg