Sweet and sour chicken with a crisp coating, a tangy-sweet sauce and chunky bell pepper, onion and pineapple. The chicken and vegetables are cooked in the air fryer while the sauce is prepared quickly in the microwave or on the stovetop. A great way to recreate a takeaway favourite at home.
Nicky’s Recipe Notes
I love making sweet and sour at home but dislike oil splatters from shallow frying, so this air-fryer version is a perfect alternative. The coating uses cornflour (cornstarch in the US) with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder — the cornflour gives a great crisp while the seasonings add flavour, so the chicken bites are tasty even before the sauce is added.
The sauce is a storecupboard mix that takes about five minutes to make. You can heat it in the microwave (all ingredients in one bowl) or warm it in a saucepan — both methods work well.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Recipe Notes
- 📋 Ingredients
- Pro Tip
- Air Fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- ? Frequently Asked Questions
- 🍲 More Air Fryer Favourites
📋 Ingredients
Crispy Chicken
- Chicken thighs are preferable because they stay juicy under high heat and keep the coating crisp.
- Spray oil helps the air fryer achieve even browning. Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point for best results.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Malt vinegar can be replaced with rice vinegar, white wine vinegar or cider vinegar if needed.
- Fresh ginger and garlic can be used instead of pastes if you prefer; pastes keep this version quick and convenient.
- You can swap regular ketchup for a lower-salt, lower-sugar variety if you like.
Pro Tip
Cook the chicken first, then the vegetables. The moisture released by the vegetables will soften the chicken coating if cooked together, so separating them keeps the coating crisp.
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Air Fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken
10 minutes
25 minutes
35 minutes
Equipment
-
Double Stack Air Fryer – you can use a single-basket air fryer but may need to cook in batches
-
Spray Oil – avocado or another high smoke point neutral oil
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 6 large skinless chicken thigh fillets (about 750g untrimmed or 600g once trimmed)
- 6 tbsp cornflour (corn starch in USA)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- spray oil (approx 5–6ml)
Vegetables:
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped into large chunks
- 1 red pepper chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 green pepper chopped into 1 inch pieces
- spray oil (approx 5–6ml)
Sauce:
- 1 tsp minced garlic (garlic paste)
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) tomato ketchup
- 1 tbsp malt vinegar
- 6 tbsp dark brown muscovado sugar
- 432 g (15.2 oz) canned pineapple chunks in juice
To Serve:
- egg fried rice or boiled rice
- sesame seeds
- chopped spring onions (scallions)
Instructions
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Trim excess fat from the chicken thigh fillets and cut into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl, combine the cornflour, salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.
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Toss the chicken pieces in the cornflour mixture until every piece is thoroughly coated.
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Spray the air fryer basket lightly with oil. Arrange the chicken in a single layer and spray the tops with a little oil. Cook in batches if necessary.
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Air fry at 190°C / 375°F for 16–18 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and not pink in the centre. Shake the basket or turn the pieces at least three times during cooking so they don’t stick together.
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While the chicken cooks, make the sauce: combine all sauce ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 3–4 minutes, stirring every minute, until hot and slightly thickened. Alternatively, heat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it bubbles and thickens (about 3–4 minutes). Set aside.
-
When the chicken is done, remove it to a bowl. Place the chopped onion and peppers in the air fryer, spray with oil and cook at 200°C / 400°F for 6–7 minutes until softened with a little char.
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Return the chicken to the air fryer with the vegetables and heat for 1 minute just to warm through.
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Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving bowl, pour over the sauce (reheat for 30 seconds if needed) and toss to coat.
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Serve with boiled rice or egg fried rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped spring onions.
Notes
Check the chicken is cooked
Always slice open a larger piece to ensure there is no pink centre. Cooked chicken will be white throughout.
Make the sauce in a saucepan
Put all sauce ingredients into a saucepan, combine and heat over medium, stirring occasionally until bubbling and slightly thickened (about 3–4 minutes), then remove from the heat.
Make the sauce ahead
You can prepare the sauce in advance: stir all ingredients together, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours, then reheat before serving.
Nutritional information is per serving and does not include rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Serve with egg fried rice or boiled rice. Finish with chopped spring onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
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🍽️ What to serve it with
- Egg fried rice, boiled rice or cauliflower rice
- A drizzle of hot sauce or sweet chilli sauce on the side
? Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Chicken breast will work, though the result is slightly less juicy than thighs.
Yes. Combine the sauce ingredients, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 24 hours, then reheat before serving.
I don’t recommend mixing the chicken with the sauce in advance, as the coating will soften. Cook components ahead and combine shortly before serving for best texture.
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