
Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry Recipe
Vibrant and vibrant, this Candy and Bitter Chicken Stir Fry is tremendous quick to make! The candy and bitter sauce is really like what you get at good Chinese language eating places, however not tooth-achingly candy. This isn’t a deep fried model of Candy and Bitter Chicken, it’s a a lot more healthy stir fry.
Make this utilizing no matter veggies you may have, change up the chicken with prawns/shrimp, pork, beef and even fish. This can be a winner!

I do know my native supermarkets fairly nicely. I do know precisely the place to go for many objects (besides cling wrap, which, for some purpose, I all the time overlook which aisle it’s in and Woolies individuals inform me it’s the only most requested query) and I do know the aisles fairly nicely.
Not less than, I believed I did. It dawned on me the opposite day that there’s one entire part of the grocery store that I don’t know in any respect – the ready meal base aisle. You understand the part of the grocery store that sells issues like Honey Mustard Sauce in jars and vacuum seal packs?
I’m truthfully not attempting to sound snobby as a result of I don’t choose. She who does the drive by means of of disgrace by means of KFC and Maccers on the odd event can not choose. 😉
Anyway, I truly stopped to have a look the opposite day and was fairly astonished on the vary of meal bases which are on provide. All the things from Chow Mein, to Chicken Cacciatore, Goulash, Chilli Con Carne – all of the favorites. Together with Candy and Bitter Sauce.
I don’t know what the jar stuff tastes like, however I’m fairly positive it gained’t be as good as do-it-yourself. And it’s so darn quick to combine collectively!


PS It seems watery however as soon as simmered, it thickens. 🙂 See? Look how properly it coats the stir fry?

Oooh – fast little tip for you for chopping capsicum / bell peppers. Doesn’t it annoy you when the seeds inside fly round in every single place?
Properly, possibly it doesn’t annoy you, nevertheless it annoys me! So that is how I chop capsicum. Quick and mess free!

I like to make use of chicken thigh for stir fries as a result of it’s juicier than breast and tenderloin. If I make this with chicken breast, I all the time tenderise it utilizing a Chinese language restaurant method utilizing baking soda (bi-carb). It’s tremendous easy, see instructions right here: Methods to Velvet Chicken.
Now, on the subject of stir fries, I’m very beneficiant with my sauce. As a result of the 7 12 months previous inside this 30 one thing 12 months previous physique nonetheless thinks that the most effective a part of stir fries is scooping up the rice soaked within the delish candy and bitter sauce.
In order with all my stir fries, there’s loads of sauce. A lot!!

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup white sugar (Note 1)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple pieces)
- 3 tbsp ketchup (Australia: tomato sauce)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (Note 2)
- 1 tsp soy sauce , light or all purpose (Note 2)
- 1 tsp Oyster Sauce (Note 2)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornflour / corn starch + 2 tbsp water , mixed together
- 1 1/2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable)
- 1 garlic clove , minced or finely chopped
- 1 onion , halved and sliced (brown, yellow or white) (see photo in post)
- 400 g / 13 oz chicken thigh fillets , cut into bite size pieces (Note 3)
- 1 red capsicum / bell pepper , cut into bite size pieces
- 1 green or yellow capsicum / bell pepper , cut into bite size pieces
- 1 can (8oz/250g) canned pineapple pieces in natural juice. Separate pineapple from juice.
- Sliced shallots / scallions , for garnish
Instructions
- Mix together Sauce ingredients. Mix together Thickener in a separate small bowl.
- Heat oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute.
- Add chicken and stir fry until it it is white all over but still pink inside.
- Add capsicum and stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Add Sauce ingredients. Stir until sugar has dissolved and the sauce begins to bubble.
- Add Thickener. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly. Then cook until it thickens to a syrup consistency – about 3 minutes.
- Stir through pineapple pieces (just to warm) and remove from stove.
- Serve immediately with rice – or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice! Garnish with shallots if desired.
Notes
1. I know 1/2 cup of sugar sounds like a lot, but it works out at 1 1/2 tbsp per serving, which isn’t too bad!
I use 1/4 cup when I’m trying to be healthy. 🙂 It’s still quite sweet, but not restaurant sweet. Using 1/2 cup makes it closer to restaurant sweet, but definitely not tooth-achingly sweet. I use less sugar than many recipes you’ll find on the internet – some use 1 cup of sugar!!
2. These 3 ingredients are what makes this sauce more like the Sweet & Sour sauce that is served at Chinese restaurants. They are my “secret ingredients”! You can omit one (substitute with more of one of the others) and it will still taste similar. But please don’t leave out all 3! The sauce will taste quite flat and bland.
3. If you are using chicken breast which is leaner, I would recommend tenderising it to make it juicier – see How to Velvet Chicken the Chinese restaurant way.
4. Nutrition per serving, stir fry only. If the sugar is reduced to 1/4 cup, then it reduces to 351 calories per serving.