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Air Fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

My sweet and sour chicken is super crispy and tossed in a homemade sweet and sour sauce that is absolutely divine. Serve it with sautéed veggies and white rice for an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Chicken
Cuisine: American Fusion
Keyword: air fryer sweet and sour chicken
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Sauce

  • ½ cup honey
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons orange marmalade
  • 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or sriracha
  • Cornstarch slurry: 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoon warm water whisked

Veggies

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 large red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper chopped
  • ½ large white onion chopped
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Chicken

  • 1.5 lbs chicken breast sliced into 1-1.5-inch chunks
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  • Begin by preparing the sweet and sour sauce. Add the honey, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, orange marmalade, and chili garlic sauce to a saucepan. Whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium/high heat. Turn the heat to low and simmer.
    A saucepan containing a reddish-brown sauce with chili flakes, being whisked with a metal whisk on a textured light surface.
  • In a separate bowl make the cornstarch slurry, whisk together the cornstarch and warm water. When the cornstarch dissolves, pour the mixture into the saucepan. Whisk the slurry into the sweet and sour sauce. It should begin to thicken pretty quickly. Remove from heat and set aside.
    A hand pours a white liquid from a measuring cup into a pot containing a brown sauce, with a whisk resting inside the pot.
  • Prepare the veggies by heating the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add the onion and peppers to the oil and season with salt. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until they reach the desired texture. Cover and remove from heat.
    A cast-iron skillet with chopped red and green bell peppers and diced onions being sautéed, stirred with a wooden spoon.
  • Next, prepare the chicken. In three separate bowls, add the flour to one, whisked eggs to the second, and panko bread crumbs and salt to the third bowl.
  • Dredge a piece of chicken through the flour, then egg, and then the panko. Be sure it is fully coated. Set aside and repeat until all the chicken has been coated.
    Three white bowls with raw chicken pieces: one with flour, one with beaten egg, and one with breadcrumbs, showing the breading process.
  • Transfer the chicken to the air fryer and spray with avocado oil. Be sure the chicken pieces are not overcrowded. Cook at 400º for 5-8 minutes (depends on what type of air fryer you’re using) or until the chicken is golden brown and crispy. You may need to cook the chicken in batches. We are looking for an internal temperature of 165ºF.
    Eight breaded chicken nuggets are arranged in the basket of an air fryer, cooked to a golden brown color on a textured light surface.
  • Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl and toss with the sauce until coated. Serve the chicken and peppers over rice or on their own.
    A clear glass bowl filled with breaded, sauce-coated cauliflower bites is being held by two hands over a light-colored surface.

Video

Notes

  • We used orange marmalade, but you can replace that with any type of jam. Note that if you use a different fruit, it will change the flavor of the sauce.
  • Option to replace the orange marmalade with orange juice. Note that you may need to add a bit more cornstarch to thicken the sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 8g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g