Stop Battering Chicken! Make Sweet & Sour Like a Restaurant

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts (whole, not cubed)
• Potato starch (for dusting chicken; can substitute with corn flour or corn starch)
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (can substitute with normal vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
• About 1.5 tablespoons sugar
• Pineapple juice (from canned pineapple, including syrup)
• Mixed vegetables: carrots, onion, bell peppers, pineapple chunks
• Oil (for cooking)
• Salt (to taste)
• Optional garnishes: sesame seeds, green onion

Equipment

• Frying pan or skillet
• Foil (for resting chicken)
• Knife for slicing chicken
• Stove or cooktop

Method

1. Prepare the Sweet and Sour Sauce

• In a bowl, combine 4 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar (or substitute), 1.5 tablespoons sugar, and pineapple juice from canned pineapple.
• Add potato starch (or corn starch) to the sauce mixture to thicken it.
• Mix well until combined. Adjust thickness with a splash of water if needed.
• Set sauce aside.

2. Prepare the Chicken

• Lightly dust whole chicken breasts evenly with potato starch (or corn starch).
• No batter or cubing; keep breasts whole.

3. Cook the Chicken

• Heat a little oil in a pan over low flame.
• Place chicken breasts in the pan.
• Cook slowly, turning occasionally to build color and cook evenly, about 7–8 minutes total.
• Aim for a golden, slightly crisp exterior from the potato starch coating, which seals moisture inside.
• Once cooked through with a good color, remove chicken from pan.
• Cover chicken with foil and let rest to continue cooking gently.

4. Cook the Vegetables

• In the same or another pan, start by stir-frying carrots first (harder vegetable).
• Add onions and cook until translucent, stirring gently to avoid burning.
• Season lightly with salt.
• Add bell peppers and pineapple chunks.
• Pour in the sweet and sour sauce, stirring to coat vegetables.
• If sauce is too thick, add a little hot water to loosen it for both cooking and drizzling.

5. Assemble and Serve

• Slice rested chicken breasts.
• Plate a bed of the cooked vegetables and sauce.
• Arrange sliced chicken on top.
• Drizzle extra sauce over the chicken.
• Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onion if desired.

Chef Tips and Notes

• Using potato starch instead of batter creates a crisp seal on the chicken, keeping it moist inside without heaviness.
• Cooking chicken slowly on low heat ensures it cooks through evenly without drying.
• Resting chicken under foil allows carryover cooking and keeps it juicy.
• Avoid burning vegetables; cook gently until just tender and translucent.
• The ketchup provides natural color to the sauce, no artificial coloring needed.
• Sauce thickness can be adjusted with water for desired consistency for cooking and drizzling.

Variations

• Vinegar: rice vinegar can be substituted with apple cider or regular vinegar.
• Starch: potato starch can be replaced with corn starch or corn flour.
• Vegetables: can be varied but keep carrots first for cooking time.

Source

Presented by Rick from Backyard Chef in the video titled “Stop Battering Chicken! Make Sweet & Sour Like a Restaurant.”