Here’s a flavorful Hawaiian-Style Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe that’s juicy, tangy, and perfect for weeknight dinners.
🍍 Hawaiian Sweet and Sour Chicken
🛒 Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2–3 tbsp vegetable oil for frying
For the sauce:
- ½ cup pineapple juice (from canned pineapple or fresh)
- ¼ cup rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar or honey
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water (slurry)
For stir-fry veggies:
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the chicken
- Toss chicken pieces in cornstarch, salt, and pepper until coated.
- Heat oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry chicken until golden and cooked through, ~5–7 minutes. Remove and set aside.
2. Cook the vegetables
- In the same skillet, sauté onion and bell peppers for 2–3 minutes until slightly tender.
- Add pineapple chunks and stir to combine.
3. Make the sauce
- In a small bowl, mix pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce.
- Pour into the skillet with veggies, and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until the sauce thickens (~1–2 minutes).
4. Combine
- Add the fried chicken back into the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the sauce.
- Cook 1–2 minutes to let everything meld together.
🍚 Serving Suggestions
- Serve over steamed white rice, jasmine rice, or fried rice.
- Garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds for extra flavor.
⭐ Tips
- For extra crispiness, double-fry the chicken: fry once at lower temperature, then again briefly at higher heat before adding sauce.
- Adjust sweetness/tanginess by adding more pineapple juice or vinegar.
- You can also add snap peas or carrots for extra veggies.
If you want, I can give a simpler one-pan baked version of Hawaiian Sweet and Sour Chicken that’s even faster and less messy.
Do you want me to do that?
