Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken is coated in a light batter, then fried until golden brown and crispy. The chicken is baked in a tangy sweet and sour sauce along with fresh broccoli and then it’s served over top of rice.

Whenever I go out to a Chinese restaurant there are several dishes I like to order.   I either go for General Tso’s Tofu, Sweet and Sour Chicken, or Beef and Broccoli.

I’ve mastered several of these dishes already.  My favorite at home General Tso’s recipe is with fried tofu and cauliflower.   I also make a pretty great Beef and Broccoli recipe.  I’ve also been making my own Pork Egg Rolls for the last few years.

Over the years I’ve made several versions of Sweet and Sour Chicken but I’ve yet to find one that I really enjoy.  I’ve seen several recipes for baked sweet and sour chicken and decided that I wanted to try and make it. 

Can I make this recipe with a different protein?

You sure can!   While this recipe is made with chicken breasts you can actually make it with chicken thighs if you prefer.   If you are looking for a different protein pork or tofu are both good options.  Another option would be shrimp but I would cook it separately then add it to the sauce and broccoli after it comes out of the oven so that it does not get too tough.

I will say that I was skeptical of the sauce because it’s very simple. I was also concerned about the long time the chicken had to cook in the oven.  I thought it might turn out dry.  But I finally decided to give it a try.

Ingredients:

• Boneless chicken breasts (See above for other protein substitutions)
• Broccoli (You can use as much or as little as you would like.  I tend to use a large bunch of broccoli cut into florets)
• Salt and black pepper
• Cornstarch (This helps to give the chicken a crispy exterior before baking)
• Eggs (These will help the cornstarch stick as well as helping to create a golden brown crust)
• Olive Oil (This is a good oil for frying.  However, you can also use vegetable oil)
• Ketchup (This helps to add a sweetness and a stickiness to the sauce)
• Granulated Sugar (This adds a sweetness to the sauce.  You can also use brown sugar)
• Vinegar (This is what adds the tartness to the sauce.  I used red wine vinegar but you can use apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar)
• Honey (This makes the sauce sticky and delicious.  Do not use substitute for the honey)
• Soy Sauce (Adds an Umami flavor to the sauce.  You could also use teriyaki sauce)
• Garlic Powder

Can I add other vegetables?

Yes!   You can add up to 2 additional cups of vegetables.  My favorite vegetables to add to this dish are bell peppers or onions.  However, you can add whatever vegetables you think will go well with this sauce.   You can even add pineapple chunks if desired!

Bake for 45 minutes, mixing every 15 minutes.    Remove from the oven and serve over top of rice.

What can I serve with Sweet and Sour Chicken?

We usually serve ours with white rice but you can also serve it over top of fried rice.  Enjoy it with egg rolls or with Fried Won Tons.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and sour chicken baked with broccoli over top of rice.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Hezzi-D

Equipment

• 1 9 x 13 Baking Dish
• 1 large skillet

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups broccoli florets

For the sauce:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces. Season with the salt and pepper.
• Pour the cornstarch into a shallow dish and the beaten eggs in another shallow dish. Dip the chicken into the cornstarch and then dip into the eggs.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the chicken for 2-3 minutes or until browned but not cooked through.
• Place the chicken and broccoli in the prepared baking dish.
• Mix all of the ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce in a bowl. Whisk until well combined and then pour evenly over the chicken and broccoli.
• Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and serve with rice.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Life as a Lofthouse