Description
This Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe offers a deliciously tangy and crispy dish perfect for a family dinner. Tender chicken thigh pieces are coated in a spiced cornflour mix, baked until crispy, then combined with a flavorful sauce made from ketchup, malt vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sweet pineapple chunks for that classic sweet and sour punch. Served best with egg fried rice and garnished with chopped spring onions, this meal balances simplicity with vibrant flavors in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Chicken and Coating
- 5 chicken thigh fillets (500g/17.5oz), skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 3 tbsp oil (for coating)
Vegetables
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tbsp oil (for vegetables)
Sauce
- 135 ml (4.5 fl oz) tomato ketchup
- 1/2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped/crushed
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp malt vinegar
- 5 tbsp dark brown muscovado sugar
- 475 g (17 oz) can of pineapple chunks in pineapple juice
To Serve
- Egg fried rice
- Chopped spring onions/scallions
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) fan-assisted to prepare for baking the chicken and vegetables.
- Prepare Chicken: Trim excess fat from chicken thigh fillets and cut into bite-sized chunks. Set aside.
- Mix Coating: In a medium bowl, combine the cornflour, salt, pepper, garlic salt, and paprika to create the dry coating mixture.
- Coat Chicken: Add the chicken pieces into the bowl with the coating mix and stir until every piece is thoroughly covered.
- Add Oil to Chicken: Drizzle 3 tablespoons of oil over the coated chicken pieces and mix until they look sticky and well coated for a crispy finish.
- Arrange Chicken for Baking: Place the coated chicken in a single layer in a large, low-sided baking dish, ensuring pieces are separated for crispiness.
- Prepare Vegetables: In a medium or high-sided baking dish, add chopped onion and red bell pepper, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, and toss to coat evenly.
- Start Baking: Place the chicken tray on the top rack and the vegetable tray on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Make Sauce: While baking, combine tomato ketchup and cornflour in a small bowl. Stir in garlic, ginger, malt vinegar, muscovado sugar, and pineapple chunks with juice, mixing until smooth.
- Add Sauce to Vegetables: After 10 minutes, remove the vegetable dish, pour the prepared sauce over the vegetables, then place back in the oven.
- Finish Baking: Continue baking both trays for another 10–15 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked, nicely browned, and the sauce is bubbling and thickened.
- Combine and Serve: Add the baked chicken to the sauced vegetables, stir well to coat all pieces, then serve immediately with egg fried rice and garnish with chopped spring onions.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, ensure chicken pieces are spaced evenly and not crowded in the baking dish.
- You can substitute the chicken thighs with chicken breasts but expect slightly less juicy results.
- Adjust the sugar and vinegar amounts in the sauce to suit your personal taste for sweetness or tanginess.
- Use malt vinegar for authentic flavor, but white vinegar can be used as a substitute in a pinch.
- Leftover sauce can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with steamed rice or egg fried rice for a complete meal.
