Recipe: Oven-baked sweet and sour chicken
Approx. 4-6 servings
Ingredients
The chicken:
- 800 g chicken fillet or chicken thigh fillet
- 1 dl cornstarch
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sweet and sour sauce:
- 1.5 dl granulated sugar or brown sugar
- 1 dl rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, optional
- 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
👩 🍳 How to do it:
1. Prepare the
oven Preheat the oven to 175°C top and bottom heat. Lightly grease a larger baking dish or roasting pan with rapeseed oil.
2. Cut and season the
chicken Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
3. Bread the chicken Place
the cornstarch in one bowl and the beaten eggs in another. First, turn the chicken pieces in the cornstarch and then dip them in the egg.
4. Brown the pieces quickly
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Brown the chicken pieces quickly, about 1-2 minutes per side, so that the breading gets some color and surface.
The chicken does not need to be cooked through yet – it will be done in the oven.
5. Place the chicken in the tin
Place the chicken pieces in an even layer in the prepared tin.
6. Mix the sweet and sour sauce Whisk
together the sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy, sweet chilli sauce, garlic and ginger in a bowl. Stir until the ingredients are well combined.
7. Pour over the sauce:
Spread the sauce evenly over the chicken so that as much of each piece as possible is covered.
8. Cook in the
oven Bake in the middle of the oven for about 35-45 minutes. Gently turn the chicken around about every 15 minutes so that the pieces are covered in the increasingly thick sauce.
The chicken should be fully cooked through and have reached a safe internal temperature of at least 72°C.
9. Allow the sauce to
caramelize When the chicken is done, the sauce should be thick, glossy and sticky. If you want an extra dark and caramelised surface, you can leave the pan for a few minutes under the grill function towards the end – then keep a close eye on the sugar so that the sugar does not burn.
🍚 Serving suggestions
The sweet and sour chicken is best straight from the oven together with steaming jasmine rice that soaks up the tasty sauce.
You can also serve it with:
- Fried egg noodles
- Stir-fried vegetables
- Broccoli and peppers
- Green onions and sesame seeds
- Cauliflower rice for a lighter option
A little fresh coriander or finely shredded green onions on top also add both color and freshness.
💡 A simple trick for even better results
Cut the chicken into as evenly sized pieces as possible. This will cook all the pieces about the same speed and you reduce the risk of some becoming dry while others still need more time.
If you want more heat, you can also add some chili flakes or a few drops of sriracha to the sauce.
❤️ A homemade favorite that competes with takeout
The beauty of this dish is the combination of simple cooking and intense flavors. The sweet sauce is balanced by the acidity of the vinegar, while the soy, garlic, and ginger give it depth and character.
Then, when the sauce is reduced in the oven, it takes on that glossy, sticky texture that makes sweet and sour chicken so hard to resist.
This is simply a perfect weekend dish when you want to cook something that feels a little extra festive without having to order food home.
💬 What do you prefer to serve with sweet and sour chicken?
Please tell us in the comments: 👇
- Is jasmine rice, fried noodles, or stir-fried vegetables your favorite? 🍚
- Do you like the sweet and sour sauce mild or with proper heat? 🌶️
- Write one 🍗 in the comments if you also love to cook your favorites from the takeout menu at home!
