The experience of ordering Chinese takeout is oddly familiar: excitement mixed with regret. You tell yourself you’re almost done, then reach for one more egg roll, another spoonful of rice, and—of course—the fortune cookie. Before you know it you’re unbuttoning your pants and promising to stop, only to raid the leftover styrofoam container an hour later. It’s the classic takeout cycle.
What if you could enjoy those flavors at home without the guilt? Many takeout favorites can be recreated simply and affordably in your own kitchen. For the next few weeks I’m sharing easy, budget-friendly, and leaner versions of popular Chinese takeout dishes and other fast-food classics.
To kick things off I made Sweet and Sour Chicken—one of my childhood favorites. The bright, tangy sauce paired with crispy-coated chicken, bell peppers, onions, and pineapple is irresistibly nostalgic. Unfortunately, local takeout had started serving battered chicken pieces with sauce on the side and little to no vegetables, which felt like a chicken nugget masquerading as a meal.
After years of disappointment I finally made my own version that keeps everything I love while cutting back on excess oil and sugar. A light dusting of cornstarch, a modest amount of oil, and reduced sugar trim calories but preserve the texture and flavor. The result is fast, simple, and—honestly—better than many takeout versions.
This recipe uses a few surprising components—most notably pineapple and ketchup. If you dislike ketchup, don’t worry: in this sauce it blends with vinegar and sugar to provide depth and balance rather than tasting like straight ketchup. The sweet-tart combination is essential to authentic sweet-and-sour flavor.
This Sweet and Sour Chicken takes about 28 minutes to prepare—often faster than wait time for delivery. Nutritional estimates put a 10-ounce serving (without rice) around 367 calories; add a scoop of rice and the meal is roughly 500 calories, making it a satisfying, sensible dinner option.
Sweet and Sour Chicken
4.7 from 7 reviews
- Author: Morgan
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
- Kosher salt
- ⅓ cup cornstarch, plus 2 tablespoons more, divided
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
- ½ large white onion, cut into chunks
- 1 (6 oz) can pineapple chunks with juice
- Rice, to serve
- Green onion, sliced, to serve
Instructions
- Season the chicken chunks with salt and place them into a large freezer bag. Add ⅓ cup cornstarch, seal the bag, and shake to coat the chicken evenly with a light dusting of cornstarch. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 cup cold water, sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce. Set the sauce aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, remove excess cornstarch from the chicken pieces and place them in the skillet. Brown the chicken on all sides, then remove it to a plate.
- Add the onion and bell pepper chunks to the skillet and cook until slightly softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the sauce mixture and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the pineapple chunks and their juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
- Serve the sweet and sour chicken warm over rice and garnish with sliced green onion.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 13 mins