Air fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken is a healthy and delicious twist on a classic Chinese takeout dish. Made with crispy air-fried chicken thighs and tangy sweet and sour sauce, this recipe is sure to become a new family favorite.
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It is a great option for busy weeknights when you want to prepare a quick and easy dinner that’s also healthy and delicious. Additionally, it’s a great alternative to traditional fried chicken or for those who are looking for a healthier version of their favorite Chinese food.
This was inspired by my other recipe on this Honey Sesame Chicken, and pairs well with Garlic Fried Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe.
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts and thighs: You can use tofu or seitan as a vegetarian option. For a different type of meat, you can try using boneless pork or beef.
- Potato starch: Cornstarch or arrowroot powder can be used as a substitute.
- Salt and pepper: Use any seasoning of your choice that complements the dish, such as garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika.
- Oil spray: You can use any cooking oil of your choice, such as vegetable oil, olive oil, or coconut oil.
- Garlic and ginger: If you don't have fresh garlic or ginger, you can use garlic powder and ground ginger instead.
- Red bell pepper and red onion: You can use any vegetable of your choice, such as green bell peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, or broccoli.
- Ketchup: Tomato sauce or tomato paste can be used as a substitute.
- Rice vinegar: Any type of vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, can be used instead.
- Soy sauce: Tamari or coconut aminos can be used as a substitute.
- Cornstarch: Arrowroot powder or tapioca starch can be used instead.
- Sweetener: I like using sugar for this recipe. But honey, monk fruit sugar, or any sweetener will work
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make air fryer sweet and sour chicken
Prep the vegetables. Cut the chicken into cubes, toss with some potato starch and air fry.
Make the sauce and set aside.
Saute the vegetables.
Add the sauce
Chicken should be crispy and cooked
Add the chicken and toss.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Wok
3 Top Tips for Success
- Use potato starch: Potato starch is the secret ingredient for making crispy juicy chicken. Be sure to coat the chicken evenly with potato starch before air frying for the best results.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket: To ensure that the chicken cooks evenly and gets crispy, it's important not to overcrowd the air fryer basket. If you have a lot of chicken to cook, you may need to cook it in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Ketchup is the secret ingredient!
Air Fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken - FAQs
Your chicken may not be crispy in the air fryer if you're not using potato starch, overcrowding the basket, not preheating the air fryer, not using enough oil spray, or opening the basket too often.
The trick to getting things extra crispy with an air fryer is to use potato starch or cornstarch as a coating, make sure the food is not overcrowded, use a little bit of oil spray, and preheat the air fryer before cooking.
To air fry leftover sweet and sour chicken, preheat the air fryer to 350°F, place the chicken in the basket, and heat for 5-7 minutes until hot and crispy.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with air fryer sweet and sour chicken:
Air Fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- In a bowl, combine the chicken cubes with potato starch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil spray. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the basket. Spray the chicken with oil spray.
- Cook the chicken for 10-12 minutes or until crispy and cooked through, flipping halfway through.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sweetener, water, and cornstarch.
- In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the red bell pepper and red onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Pour the sweet and sour sauce into the skillet and stir until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken to the skillet and stir until the chicken is coated in the sweet and sour sauce.
- Serve the air fryer sweet and sour chicken with steamed rice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
*Adjust the sauce to your liking. Make sure you taste it first just in case you want it sweeter, add more sweetener, or sour, then add more vinegar.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Barbara says
Oh yeah! Now THIS is Sweet and Sour Chicken!! Not like the Southern US variety with that gross red sauce! This is immediately going into my pile of "favorite" recipes. Thank you so much!
Carmen Spillette says
This comment made my week. THANK YOU!
Martha says
Classic fast and easy Chinese dish😋
Doris says
Better than take out panda express hahahah
Pippin says
Delish! I halved the sugar, added some pineapple and set the airfryer to max crisp and very hot to crisp up the chicken.
Carmen Spillette says
Amazing! I am so happy you loved it.
Naomi Thompson says
Hi Carmen! Baking powder is listed in the ingredients but I don't see it in the instructions. There's cornstarch and potato starch mentioned, but no baking powder. I mixed it with the chicken, salt and pepper. Was that correct? Thank you!
Carmen Spillette says
Hi Naomi, what you did was correct! Thank you! Hope you enjoyed the recipe! I made the changes on the recipe card.
Nicole T says
Best sweet and sour chicken I've ever had and it's much healthier than take out. Made this for dish for a potluck with friends and everyone wanted the recipe. SO GOOD
Carmen says
That is so good to hear
Terry Ulia says
No more take out!!! Sweet and Sour take out made at home!!!!! This is a game changer!!!
Carmen says
Thank you!!!
Joni Jefferys says
Can I substitute rice vinegar with regular vinegar or apple cider?
Carmen Spillette says
Yes, use whatever vinegar you have on hand.
Isabel says
Don't usually love sweet and sor chicken, but this is BOMB!!! Not too sweet, but crazy flavor. Must Try!!!!!
Carmen says
Thank you love
Larry James says
The best Sweet and Sour chicken I've tried online, unreal!!!!
Carmen says
Thank you, I am so happy
Chloe says
Adding pineapple chunks is a such fantastic idea!
Carmen says
Thank you! To pineapple or not to pineapple, that is the question.