From Scratch Sweet and Sour Chicken (Air Fryer)
This air fryer sweet and sour chicken is made from scratch using simple pantry staple ingredients. Filled with chicken and lots of added veggies coated in a sweet tangy sauce, this dinner is both delicious and nutritious.
Jump to RecipeIf you love to pick up Chinese take out but are looking for healthier homemade options, add this air fryer sweet and sour chicken (or pork) to your meal plan. Made with from scratch ingredients, with lots of veggies it is the perfect way to enjoy a restaurant favorite at home in a healthier fashion. You can also try my air fryer orange chicken for another option for Chinese take out from home.
Over a decade ago Panda Express had sweet and sour pork on the menu. This was my siblings favorite thing on the menu and they never stopped wishing they would bring it back. Because of this I eventually learned how to make homemade sweet and sour pork, but it was a long process. This recipe required coating, then deep frying the pork and making a sauce to top it with.
Many years later I learned to make a new recipe for sweet and sour chicken. This recipe came from my mother in law (who hadn’t made it in years). I asked her for it because my husband said (after a lot of digging) it had been one of his favorite meals as a kid.
Both of these recipes were delicious but required long and messy process to cook. They also were made with ketchup as a main ingredient, and I really wanted to find a way to make sweet and sour chicken (or pork) with simple more whole food ingredients. After some experimentation I found that tomato paste, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar make a thick, tangy, and delicious sweet and sour sauce.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1-2 lbs boneless chicken (or pork)
- 1/3 cup corn starch
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Veggies
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- salt and pepper
Sauce
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup vinegar (cider vinegar or white vinegar both work well)
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 can pineapple chunks or 1/2 a fresh pineapple
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken From Scratch
Begin by mixing together the corn starch and spices. Chop the chicken into bite size pieces. Toss in the corn starch mixture and let rest it for 30 minutes or more.
Chop all the vegetables into bite size pieces and begin sauteing over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Once vegetables are half way cooked, put the chicken in the air fryer at 400° F for 8 minutes.
Add the soy sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, and sugar to the vegetables to make the sauce, and bring to a simmer.
Once the chicken is done and the vegetables are fully cooked, add the chicken and pineapple to the sauce and stir to combine. Return to a boil to allow the chicken to soak in the flavor of the sauce. Once the chicken is fully coated and the sauce is your desired thickness, remove the pan from the heat.
Serve over rice, or along with your favorite Chinese dishes.
From Scratch Sweet and Sour Chicken (Air Fryer)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1-2 lbs boneless chicken or pork
- 1/3 cup corn starch
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Veggies
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
Sauce
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup vinegar cider vinegar or white vinegar both work well
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 fresh pineapple or a can of pineapple chunks
Instructions
- Begin by mixing together the corn starch and spices. Chop the chicken into bite size pieces. Toss in the corn starch mixture and let rest it for 30 minutes or more.
- Chop all the vegetables into bite size pieces and begin sauteing over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Once vegetables are half way cooked, put the chicken in the air fryer at 400° F for 8 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, and sugar to the vegetables to make the sauce, and bring to a simmer.
- Once the chicken is done and the vegetables are fully cooked, add the chicken and pineapple to the sauce and stir to combine. Return to a boil to allow the chicken to soak in the flavor of the sauce. Once the chicken is fully coated and the sauce is your desired thickness, remove the pan from the heat.
- Serve over rice, or along with your favorite Chinese dishes.