Description
Enjoy a delicious homemade Crispy Sweet and Sour Chicken featuring panko-crumbed chicken breasts fried to golden perfection, served over fluffy steamed rice with a sticky, tangy sweet and sour sauce made from simple pantry ingredients. This recipe delivers a satisfying combination of crispy texture and vibrant flavors in just 30 minutes.
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
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice (from the can)
- 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
Rice and Garnish
- 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, then pour in 1 1/2 cups of water. Set over medium-high heat and as soon as the water starts to look foamy on top, cover with the lid. Let the rice cook undisturbed for 12 minutes, then remove from heat, keeping the lid on, and let it sit for an additional 10 minutes to steam.
- Prepare the Chicken: Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound each chicken breast into an even 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle salt evenly on both sides. Optionally, cut each breast into four pieces for smaller portions. This tenderizes the meat and ensures even cooking.
- Coat the Chicken: In one bowl, combine 1/2 cup cornstarch with 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice. In another bowl, beat the egg. In a third bowl, place 1 cup panko breadcrumbs. Dredge each chicken piece first in the cornstarch mix, shake off excess, then dip in beaten egg, and finally press into panko breadcrumbs to coat thoroughly. Set aside.
- Make the Sweet and Sour Sauce: In a pan over medium-high heat, combine pineapple juice, rice wine vinegar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, fish sauce, and crushed garlic. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup water to form a slurry and add to the pan. Stir continuously for about five minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the breaded chicken pieces for 4 minutes on each side until crispy and golden brown. If necessary, cook in batches to avoid overcrowding. Transfer cooked chicken to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
- Serve: Warm the sweet and sour sauce again if needed. Divide the steamed rice between bowls, slice the crispy chicken and place on top. Pour sauce around the rice and garnish with sliced scallions, diced pineapple, and chopped cashew nuts. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For tender chicken, pounding the breasts to an even thickness is key but slicing lengthwise is a good alternative.
- Panko breadcrumbs give extra crunch compared to regular breadcrumbs; do not skip for best texture.
- The sauce can be adjusted for sweetness or tanginess by varying honey and vinegar quantities.
- Using a wire rack after frying keeps the chicken crispy by allowing excess oil to drain away.
- This recipe can be made gluten free by substituting gluten free breadcrumbs and soy sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 250g
- 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
