Zesty Sweet Sour Chicken Stir Fry

Experience the ultimate weeknight culinary delight with our Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry! This incredible dish perfectly blends tender ground chicken, a colorful array of fresh vegetables, juicy pineapple, and a truly irresistible homemade sweet and sour sauce. Designed for simplicity and maximum flavor, this meal is guaranteed to become a family favorite, making dinner time a breeze and a joy for everyone.

Looking for more quick and easy stir-fry inspiration? Be sure to try our classic Chicken Stir-Fry, the hearty Pork Ramen Stir-Fry, and the surprisingly delicious Ground Turkey Stir-Fry.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry: A Flavorful, Fast, and Family-Friendly Meal

Craving the vibrant flavors of sweet and sour chicken but short on time? This easy Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry recipe is your perfect solution. My family adores the classic sweet and sour profile, so I set out to create a weeknight-friendly version that delivers all the taste without the fuss. By utilizing ground chicken instead of cubed, breaded, and fried pieces, this delightful stir-fry comes together incredibly quickly – you can have a piping hot, delicious dinner on the table in about 30 minutes or even less!

While traditional sweet and sour chicken often involves deep-frying, this recipe opts for a healthier approach without sacrificing any of the iconic taste. We capture the authentic sweet and sour flavors through a perfectly balanced homemade sauce that coats every morsel of ground chicken and crisp-tender vegetable. This healthier sweet and sour chicken stir-fry offers a guilt-free indulgence, proving that quick weeknight meals can be both nutritious and incredibly delicious.

Why You’ll Love This Ground Chicken Stir-Fry

• Lightning Fast: Perfect for busy evenings, this recipe minimizes prep and cook time, making it ideal for a quick culinary escape.
• Irresistible Flavor: The homemade sweet and sour sauce strikes a delightful balance of tang and sweetness, enhanced by aromatic ginger and garlic.
• Healthy & Wholesome: Swapping fried chicken for lean ground chicken and loading up on fresh vegetables makes this a nutritious choice you can feel good about.
• Kid-Friendly & Family Approved: The familiar flavors and vibrant colors appeal to all ages, ensuring clean plates around the table.
• Versatile & Customizable: Easily adjust the spice, sweetness, or even the choice of protein and vegetables to suit your family’s preferences.
• One-Pan Wonder: Mostly cooked in a single large skillet or wok, minimizing cleanup and maximizing your enjoyment.

Crafting Your Delicious Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry: Step-by-Step Guide

Creating this flavorful sweet and sour chicken stir-fry is incredibly straightforward. Follow these simple steps for a perfect meal every time:

1. Whip Up the Signature Sauce: The heart of this dish is its vibrant sauce. In a medium bowl, combine cornstarch with pineapple juice, whisking slowly until a smooth slurry forms. Then, incorporate the remaining sauce ingredients: rice vinegar, light brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Whisk everything together until thoroughly combined and perfectly smooth. For ultimate convenience, you can prepare this sauce a day in advance and store it in an airtight jar in the fridge. Just remember to give it a good stir or shake before using! You could even double the batch to have on hand for other stir-fry recipes throughout the week.
2. Cook the Ground Chicken to Perfection: Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add a tablespoon of sesame or vegetable oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the ground chicken. Break it apart with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is fully browned and no pink remains. This typically takes about 5-7 minutes. After cooking, it’s crucial to drain any accumulated liquid to prevent the stir-fry from becoming watery. Transfer the cooked chicken to a separate bowl or a strainer set over a bowl while you prepare the vegetables. For a variation, ground turkey works just as wonderfully in this recipe, offering a similarly lean and quick-cooking protein.
3. Sauté the Veggies and Infuse Aromatics: Using the same pan (add a touch more oil if needed), increase the heat to high. Add the chopped yellow onion, red pepper, and green bell pepper. Sauté, stirring constantly, for about 4-6 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. If you prefer your veggies softer, continue cooking for a few more minutes. Once the vegetables reach your desired tenderness, reduce the heat to medium. Return the cooked ground chicken to the pan, then add the minced ginger and garlic. Sauté for another 30 seconds, allowing the fragrant aromatics to bloom and infuse the dish with incredible depth of flavor. Finally, stir in the pineapple chunks.
4. Combine, Thicken, and Serve with Joy: Give your prepared sweet and sour sauce one last quick stir, then pour it over the chicken, vegetables, and pineapple in the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and transforms into a glossy, luscious coating that beautifully clings to all the ingredients. This usually takes about 2-4 minutes. Once the sauce is perfectly glazed, remove the pan from the heat. Garnish generously with thinly sliced green onions for a fresh, zesty finish. Serve your quick and easy Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry immediately over steamed white rice or your favorite grain, and get ready to enjoy a fantastic homemade meal!

The Secret Behind the Irresistible Sweet and Sour Sauce

Sweet and sour sauce is a cornerstone of Chinese cuisine, celebrated for its perfect harmony of contrasting flavors. Traditionally, it’s crafted by balancing a sweet component like sugar or honey with a sour element such as vinegar or sometimes citrus. Essential aromatics like fresh ginger and garlic are often incorporated to add depth and complexity to the sauce. Our homemade version captures this classic essence, delivering a rich, tangy, and subtly sweet profile that elevates this chicken stir-fry from good to extraordinary.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the key ingredients in our simple and sensational Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry sauce, and what each contributes to the magic:

• Cornstarch: This humble ingredient is critical for achieving the ideal texture. Cornstarch acts as a thickening agent, allowing the sauce to beautifully coat every piece of chicken, vegetable, and pineapple, creating that coveted glossy, restaurant-quality finish.
• Pineapple Juice: Beyond adding a natural sweetness, pineapple juice also introduces a subtle tanginess and a tropical fruity note that complements the other ingredients perfectly. It’s a key component in building the sauce’s complex flavor.
• Rice Vinegar: This is where the delightful “sour” element of the sauce primarily comes from. Rice vinegar (often labeled as rice wine vinegar) is milder than other vinegars, providing a clean, bright acidity that balances the sweetness without being overpowering.
• Light Brown Sugar: Providing the “sweet” counterpoint, light brown sugar contributes a rich, caramel-like sweetness. The beauty of this recipe is that you can adjust the amount slowly to taste, ensuring your sauce achieves your preferred level of sweetness.
• Ketchup: More than just a condiment, ketchup plays a vital role by adding a touch more sweetness, a savory depth, and a vibrant red hue to the sauce. Its tomato base also contributes a subtle umami flavor and a slightly tangy profile.
• Soy Sauce: A foundational ingredient in Asian cooking, soy sauce imparts a crucial umami flavor that rounds out the sauce. It also adds a necessary saltiness, seasoning the sauce and enhancing the overall savory profile of the dish.
• Oyster Sauce: This secret ingredient is what truly elevates our sweet and sour sauce to a restaurant-quality experience. Oyster sauce provides a unique savory, slightly sweet, and intensely umami flavor, adding a layer of complexity and richness that makes the sauce incredibly addictive.

Expert Tips to Master Your Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry

Achieving a perfect stir-fry is all about technique and a few clever tricks. Here are some expert tips to ensure your Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry is a resounding success every time:

• Fine-Tune Your Sauce to Perfection: Our sauce recipe is designed for optimal balance, but taste preferences vary! You might prefer a slightly sweeter or a tad more sour sauce, and both are incredibly easy to adjust. For a sweeter profile, simply whisk in an additional tablespoon or two of light brown sugar until it dissolves. If you desire more tang, add one or two extra tablespoons of rice vinegar. For those who enjoy a little kick, a 1/4 teaspoon (or more, to taste) of red pepper flakes can be added to the sauce to introduce a pleasant heat. Always taste and adjust as you go!
• Mastering the Art of Perfect Rice: This Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry pairs beautifully with fluffy, white rice. If you’re new to boiling rice, you’ll be delighted by how simple and quick it is. For perfect basmati rice (which works exceptionally well with this dish), bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add 1 cup of basmati rice, cook uncovered for 5-7 minutes until tender, then drain thoroughly and fluff with a fork. For those super busy nights, don’t hesitate to use convenient ready-to-serve or microwaveable rice options to save even more time and dishes! Alternatively, consider serving over cauliflower rice for a low-carb option, or even your favorite noodles.
• The Importance of a Generous Skillet or Wok: Stir-frying thrives on high heat and ample space, so using a really large skillet or a traditional wok is crucial. This recipe yields a good volume of ingredients, and attempting to cram everything into a small pan will lead to steaming rather than stir-frying, resulting in soggy vegetables and chicken that doesn’t brown properly. I highly recommend using a 12-inch pan or larger to ensure your ingredients have enough space to cook evenly and achieve that desired crisp-tender texture.
• Mise en Place is Your Best Friend: “Mise en place” (everything in its place) means having all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking. Stir-fries cook quickly, so chop all your vegetables, mince your garlic and ginger, and prepare your sauce beforehand. This will allow you to add ingredients to the hot pan in quick succession, preventing anything from overcooking and ensuring a smooth, stress-free cooking experience.

Elevate Your Stir-Fry: Serving and Meal Prep Ideas

Once your Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry is cooked to perfection, the possibilities for serving are endless. Traditionally, it’s served over a bed of steaming white rice, which soaks up all the delicious sauce. However, feel free to experiment with brown rice, quinoa, or even noodles for a heartier meal. Garnish with additional fresh green onions, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, or a drizzle of sesame oil for an extra layer of flavor and visual appeal.

This dish is also fantastic for meal prepping! Cook a larger batch at the beginning of the week and portion it into individual containers for easy lunches or dinners. It reheats beautifully in the microwave or on the stovetop. For optimal freshness, store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can even prepare the sauce and chop the vegetables ahead of time, storing them separately, so all you have to do is cook the chicken and combine everything when you’re ready for a super-fast dinner.

Explore More Delicious Stir-Fry Recipes

If you’ve enjoyed the simplicity and flavor of this sweet and sour chicken, you’ll love exploring other easy stir-fry creations:

• Mongolian Ground Beef with savory green onions
• Rotisserie Chicken Stir-Fry featuring aromatic garlic and ginger
• Udon Stir Fry packed with an abundance of fresh veggies
• Egg Roll in a Bowl, a deconstructed classic with ground pork
• Dragon Noodles boasting a deliciously spicy stir-fry sauce

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry

By Chelsea Lords

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry is a quick and tasty weeknight dinner with ground chicken, veggies, pineapple, and a delicious sauce that everyone will love!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

• Large pan (or wok)

Ingredients

Sauce (see note 1)

• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup 100% pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, lightly packed (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce

Chicken and Veggies

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil or vegetable oil
• 1 pound ground chicken or ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (fresh or paste)
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger (fresh or paste)
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 of a red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 of a green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces (or the other half of the red pepper)
• 1 cup pineapple chunks (canned, drained, or fresh)
• Basmati rice for serving (optional, see note 2)
• Green onions, thinly sliced, for serving (optional garnish)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Sauce: In a medium bowl, add cornstarch. Slowly drizzle in pineapple juice while whisking with a fork until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. Add the remaining sauce ingredients (rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, and oyster sauce) and whisk again until everything is thoroughly combined and smooth. Set the sauce aside.
2. Cook the Chicken: Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Drizzle in the sesame or vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the ground chicken. Cook, using a wooden spoon to break the meat into small, even crumbles, until the chicken is fully cooked through and no pink remains (approximately 5-7 minutes). Carefully drain off any accumulated liquid from the pan (see note 3). Transfer the cooked chicken to a separate bowl or a strainer while you prepare the vegetables.
3. Sauté Veggies & Aromatics: Return the pan to the stove (add a small touch more oil if needed). Increase the heat to high. Add the chopped onion and bell peppers. Sauté, stirring frequently, for about 4-6 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender (cook longer if you prefer them softer). Once the vegetables reach your desired doneness, reduce the heat to medium. Add the cooked ground chicken back to the pan, then stir in the minced garlic and ginger. Sauté for just 30 seconds until fragrant. Finally, add the pineapple chunks to the pan.
4. Combine and Thicken: Give the reserved sweet and sour sauce another quick stir to ensure the cornstarch is well mixed. Pour the sauce over the chicken, vegetables, and pineapple in the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2-4 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to a glossy consistency and nicely coats all the ingredients. Remove the pan from the heat.
5. Serve: Top the stir-fry with thinly sliced green onions as a garnish. Serve immediately over warm white rice or your preferred grain, and enjoy your delicious homemade Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Sauce Customization: Our sauce recipe provides a balanced flavor, but you can easily adjust it to your liking. For a sweeter sauce, add 1-2 additional tablespoons of light brown sugar. For a more sour sauce, incorporate 1-2 additional tablespoons of rice vinegar. If you enjoy a touch of heat, stir in 1/4 teaspoon (or more, to taste) of red pepper flakes with the sauce ingredients.

Note 2: Perfect Basmati Rice: For perfectly fluffy basmati rice that complements this dish, use this quick and easy method (specifically for basmati rice, like Mahatma Basmati):

• Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
• Once boiling, generously salt the water and add 1 cup of basmati rice.
• Cook without reducing the heat for exactly 6 minutes (taste a grain to ensure it’s tender).
• Drain the rice thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve and fluff with a fork before serving.

Note 3: Draining Chicken: To efficiently drain the cooked ground chicken, simply dump the contents of the pan into a strainer placed over your sink. Allow it to stand and drain for a few minutes until ready to return it to the pan.

Storage: Store any leftover Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It reheats well in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium heat.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 751mg | Potassium: 790mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 107IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg