Sweet and sour chicken is a takeaway staple — crispy chicken in a glossy, tangy sauce with pineapple and peppers. The air fryer crisps the chicken with far less oil, then you toss it in the sauce. Here's how.
Key takeaways
Q: How do you make sweet and sour chicken in an air fryer?
A: Coat chicken in cornflour, air fry at 200°C (400°F) for about 16 minutes, then toss in a pineapple, pepper and sweet-sour sauce.
Q: What's in the sauce?
A: Pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, sugar and soy.
The method
Coat bite-size chicken in cornflour and air fry until crisp and golden. Simmer pineapple juice, rice vinegar, ketchup, a little sugar and soy into a glossy sauce with chunks of pineapple and pepper. Toss the crisp chicken through at the end so it stays crunchy.
The recipe
Air Fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
- 600g chicken, in chunks
- 3 tbsp cornflour
- Pineapple, peppers, onion
- Vinegar, ketchup, sugar, soy
Method
- Coat chicken in cornflour; air fry at 200°C 16 min.
- Simmer the sweet-and-sour sauce.
- Add pineapple and peppers.
- Toss the crisp chicken through.
Tips
- Cornflour gives the crispy coating.
- Toss at the end so the chicken stays crisp.
- Balance the sauce — taste the sweet-sour.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make sweet and sour chicken in an air fryer?
Coat chicken in cornflour, air fry at 200°C for about 16 minutes, then toss in a simmered sauce of pineapple, vinegar, ketchup, sugar and soy with peppers.
What's in sweet and sour sauce?
Pineapple juice, rice vinegar, ketchup, a little sugar and soy — the balance of sweet and sour is the whole point, so taste as you go.
How do you keep the chicken crispy?
Cook it in a single layer and toss it in the sauce only at the end, so the coating stays crunchy rather than soaking up the sauce.