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.
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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Why you will love this dish
Here are three reasons why you will love this sweet and sour chicken air fryer recipe:
- Healthier alternative: This recipe provides a healthier alternative to deep frying by using an air fryer to cook the chicken with less oil. Additionally, the sweet and sour sauce is made with low-sodium soy sauce and rice vinegar, which are healthier options compared to store-bought sweet and sour sauce that can be high in sodium and sugar.
- Delicious taste: The combination of crispy air-fried chicken pieces and tangy sauce creates a flavor-packed dish that is sure to satisfy your taste buds. The garlic, ginger, red bell pepper, and red onion add depth and complexity to the dish, making it a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors.
- Quick and easy to make: This recipe is quick and easy to make, making it a perfect option for busy weeknights or when you're short on time. With just a few simple ingredients and an air fryer, you can have a delicious and healthy meal on the table in less than 30 minutes of cooking time. Plus, the leftovers make a great lunch for the next day!
Ingredients
Air Frying
boneless skinless chicken
oil spray
Cooking
garlic
ginger
red bell pepper
red onion
Sweet and Sour Sauce
low-sodium soy sauce
cornstarch
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.
- 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, 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!
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.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: Tamari or coconut aminos can be used as a substitute.
- Cornstarch: Arrowroot powder or tapioca starch can be used instead.
Note: that substituting ingredients may alter the taste and texture of the dish, so it's best to use the original ingredients whenever possible.
Variations
Here are some possible variations on the air fryer sweet and sour chicken recipe:
- Pineapple: Add canned pineapple chunks to the sweet and sour sauce for a sweet and tangy flavor. You can also use canned or fresh pineapple juice in place of the rice vinegar for a more tropical taste.
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes or Sriracha sauce to the sweet and sour sauce for a spicy kick. You can also use spicy ketchup or chili sauce instead of regular ketchup.
- Honey: Replace the ketchup with honey and add a tablespoon of Dijon mustard for a sweet and tangy honey mustard sauce.
- Teriyaki: Replace the sweet and sour sauce with a homemade or store-bought teriyaki sauce. You can also add sesame seeds and green onions for extra flavor.
- Vegetarian: Replace the chicken nuggets with firm tofu or seitan for a vegetarian option. You can also add a variety of vegetables such as mushrooms, zucchini, or broccoli to the mix.
- Gluten-free: Use cornstarch or arrowroot powder instead of potato starch to make the dish gluten-free. Additionally, you can use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free soy sauce alternative.
Equipment
How to store and reheat
To store air fryer sweet and sour chicken, let it cool to room temperature and then transfer it to an airtight container. You can store it in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, you have a few options:
- Air fryer: If you have an air fryer, you can reheat the chicken by placing it in the air fryer basket and air frying it at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, or until heated through and crispy.
- Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the chicken in an oven-safe dish and cover it with foil. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
- Microwave: Place the chicken in a microwave-safe dish and cover it with a damp paper towel. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.
Regardless of the method you choose, be sure to check the internal temperature of the chicken with a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached a safe temperature of 165°F before serving.
3 Top Tips for Success
Here are three top tips to help you make the perfect air fryer sweet and sour chicken:
- 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.
- Adjust the sweet and sour sauce to your liking: The sweet and sour sauce is the key to this dish, so make sure you adjust the sauce ingredients to your liking. If you prefer a sweeter sauce, add more honey or sugar. If you like it tangy, add more vinegar. You can also adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding more or less corn starch. Taste the sauce as you go and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
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
Air fryer sweet and sour chicken is a healthy and delicious twist on a classic Chinese takeout dish. Made with crispy air-fried chicken and a tangy sweet and sour sauce, this recipe is sure to become a new family favorite.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2-4 people
Ingredients
Air Frying
1 pound boneless skinless chicken, cubed
2 tablespoon of potato starch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Oil spray
Cooking
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-inch ginger, minced
1 red bell pepper, cubed
1 red onion, cubed
Sweet and Sour Sauce
3 tablespoon ketchup
3 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon water
½ tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- 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, 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!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: mains
- Method: air fry
- Cuisine: chinese
Keywords: air fryer sweet and sour chicken, sweet and sour chicken air fryer, sweet and sour chicken in air fryer, air fryer sweet sour chicken
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
Naomi Thompson
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
Hi Naomi, what you did was correct! Thank you! Hope you enjoyed the recipe! I made the changes on the recipe card.
Nicole T
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
That is so good to hear
Terry Ulia
No more take out!!! Sweet and Sour take out made at home!!!!! This is a game changer!!!
Carmen
Thank you!!!
Joni Jefferys
Can I substitute rice vinegar with regular vinegar or apple cider?
Carmen Spillette
Yes, use whatever vinegar you have on hand.
Isabel
Don't usually love sweet and sor chicken, but this is BOMB!!! Not too sweet, but crazy flavor. Must Try!!!!!
Carmen
Thank you love
Larry James
The best Sweet and Sour chicken I've tried online, unreal!!!!
Carmen
Thank you, I am so happy
Chloe
Adding pineapple chunks is a such fantastic idea!
Carmen
Thank you! To pineapple or not to pineapple, that is the question.