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Sweet and sour chicken sauce in a bowl, with pineapple and pepper pieces.
Simple and tasty sauce for grilled or fried chicken with red pepper

Sweet and Sour Chicken Sauce

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Sauces and Gravies
The star of Chinese buffets, now homemade, without preservatives or flavour enhancers. This sauce is the art of balance: tropical sweetness of pineapple and sharp acidity of rice vinegar form the backbone, deepened by tomato. The result is a shiny, sticky sauce that is phenomenal not just with chicken, but also with crispy fried vegetables or prawns.
🕒 Prep Time 10 mins
🍳 Cook Time 15 mins
⌛ Total Time 25 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 180 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Asian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Wok or deep frying pan: For cooking.
  • Small bowl and fork: For mixing cornflour.
  • Knife and board: For chopping.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Soya
⚠️ Cereals containing gluten (if soy sauce not gluten-free)

Instructions

1 ✓

Mix cold water with cornflour in a small bowl until you get a completely smooth, milky liquid. Set aside.

Tip: Cornflour grains do not clump in cold water, but lump immediately in hot (gelatinisation), which is why it must be mixed beforehand.
2 ✓

Core the pepper and cut into 2x2 cm cubes. Chop pineapple similarly if needed.

Tip: Uniform size is important not just for aesthetics but heat treatment: they will cook at the same time.
3 ✓

In the frying pan, mix tomato puree, pineapple juice, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

Tip: Soy sauce provides the 'umami' (savoury) base giving depth to the sweet sauce.
4 ✓

Drizzle cornflour water into hot sauce in a thin stream while stirring constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes until it thickens and becomes translucently shiny.

Tip: Cornflour needs to boil to activate thickening power and remove floury aftertaste.
5 ✓

Throw in pepper and pineapple. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, just enough to warm through but remain crunchy.

Tip: The essence of Asian cuisine is texture: vegetables should crunch (al dente), not be cooked soft.
6 ✓

Serve immediately poured over fried chicken pieces, accompanied by rice.

Tip: The sauce thickens further while cooling.

Recipe FAQ

Why is the sauce lumpy?
Likely you put cornflour in warm water, or poured it too fast into hot sauce. Always mix with cold water and drizzle slowly.
I don't have rice vinegar, what should I use?
Cider vinegar is the best substitute because it also has a fruity base note.
Can I use fresh pineapple?
Yes, it will be even tastier! But you will still need juice from a carton/tin for sweetness.

Ingredients

  • 150 g Tomato puree
  • 200 ml Pineapple juice (100%)
  • 2 tbsp Brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Cornflour
  • 50 ml Water (cold)
  • 1 whole Red pepper (bell pepper)
  • 100 g Tinned pineapple chunks