Sweet and Sour Chicken Strips – Crispy Outside, Tender Inside
-
RATINGS
Not rated yet
-
COOK TIME
Prep 15m • Cook 15m
-
VIEWS
589
These sweet and sour chicken strips use chicken breast coated in a light starch crust and quickly fried until crisp. The sauce is a simple mix of ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and water—balanced enough for beginners yet close to the classic flavor many people search for when looking up “authentic sweet and sour chicken” or “crispy Chinese chicken strips at home.” The chicken stays juicy after frying and absorbs the sauce easily, making it a reliable weeknight dish.
Ingredients
-
Chicken breast
450 g
-
Egg
1
-
Salt
1/4 tsp
-
White pepper
1/4 tsp
-
Dry cornstarch for coating
1/2 cup – use most for coating the chicken and reserve about 1 tsp for thickening the sauce
Can’t find it? Try this one. -
Ketchup
5 tbsp
-
Sugar
2 tbsp
-
Water
4 tbsp
-
Chopped scallions
1 tbsp
-
Toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp
-
Oil for frying
Instructions
-
Step 1: Prep and season the chicken
Trim the chicken breast and cut into thin strips. Mix with egg, salt, white pepper, and cooking wine. Let it marinate for 20 minutes.
-
Step 2: Coat the chicken
Place most of the cornstarch on a plate and coat each chicken strip evenly, shaking off excess. This makes the chicken crispy when fried.
-
Step 3: Fry the chicken
Heat oil to 170–180°C (340–355°F). Fry the chicken in batches until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.
-
Step 4: Make the sauce
Mix ketchup, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, water, and the remaining 1 tsp cornstarch in a bowl until smooth.
-
Step 5: Cook the sauce with scallions
Add a small amount of oil to a pan, sauté the scallions lightly, then pour in the sauce and simmer until it thickens slightly.
-
Step 6: Combine chicken and sauce
Add the fried chicken strips to the pan and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Chef’s Notes
-
Fry in small batches to keep the coating crisp.
-
Use most of the cornstarch for coating the chicken; reserve about 1 tsp for thickening the sauce.
-
Drain fried chicken on paper towels and let it rest 1–2 minutes before tossing with sauce. This keeps it crisp.
-
Taste the sauce before adding chicken. You can tweak sugar or vinegar slightly to suit your preference.