Description
Enjoy a delightful homemade Crispy Sweet and Sour Chicken with perfectly breaded chicken breasts coated in panko breadcrumbs, served over fluffy steamed rice and drizzled with a tangy, sticky sweet and sour sauce made from simple pantry staples. This recipe offers a crispy texture and vibrant flavors in just 30 minutes, perfect for a satisfying meal any day of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 egg
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Sauce
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice (from the can is fine)
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Other
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup long-grain rice (like basmati)
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1/2 cup pineapple, diced
- 1/4 cup cashew nuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cook the Rice: Add 1 cup of rice to a saucepan with a lid, pour in 1 1/2 cups of water, and set over medium-high heat. When the water starts to look foamy on top, cover with the lid. Let it cook for 12 minutes, then remove from heat and let it sit with the lid on for another 10 minutes to absorb the steam.
- Prepare the Chicken: Pound each chicken breast to about 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin, either directly on a board or inside a ziplock bag, to tenderize and ensure even cooking. Sprinkle salt evenly over both sides. Optionally, cut each breast into halves or quarters for smaller pieces.
- Coat the Chicken: In one bowl, mix 1/2 cup cornstarch with 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice. In a separate shallow bowl, beat 1 egg. Place 1 cup panko breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl. Dredge each chicken piece in the cornstarch mixture, pressing to coat well, shaking off excess. Then dip into the beaten egg on both sides, followed by pressing into the panko breadcrumbs until fully coated. Set aside.
- Make the Sauce: In a pan over medium-high heat, combine 1/2 cup pineapple juice, 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar, 1/3 cup honey, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and 4 crushed garlic cloves. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup water to create a slurry, then stir it into the sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the breaded chicken pieces for 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. You may need to cook in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer cooked chicken to a wire rack or plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve: Reheat the sauce gently if needed. Slice the chicken pieces and divide the cooked rice into bowls. Arrange chicken on top of rice and pour the sweet and sour sauce over everything. Garnish with sliced scallions, diced pineapple, and chopped cashew nuts. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- Use fresh chicken breasts and pound evenly for consistent cooking.
- Substitute rice wine vinegar with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar if unavailable.
- Pineapple juice from canned pineapple works well to add natural sweetness.
- Ensure the cornstarch slurry is well mixed to prevent lumps in the sauce.
- You can bake the chicken for a lighter version but frying yields the crispiest coating.
- Serve with steamed rice or fried rice for a fuller meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 250 g
- Calories: 708 kcal
- Sugar: 43.3 g
- Sodium: 1294.4 mg
- Fat: 12.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 106.6 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 40.7 g
- Cholesterol: 145.8 mg
