Sweet and Sour Chicken With Lemon Recipe

By
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
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Updated on 04/28/22
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken
Diana Rattray
Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 60 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 6 servings

The author writes: "This recipe is for sweet and sour chicken, but you can substitute pork tenderloin or lean beef instead. If time is short, you can use commercial sweet and sour sauces that are available in the Asian food section of your supermarket." This recipe is reprinted with permission from Janis Gardens. More recipes can be found on her Cooking Companion site.

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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken, skinned, deboned, cut into bite-sized pieces

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • Fresh ground black pepper, to season flour, to taste

  • Ground ginger, to season flour, to taste

  • Garlic powder, to season flour, to taste

  • 1/2 cup milk

  • 2 large eggs

  • Vegetable oil, for frying

  • 1 green bell pepper, washed, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch-square bits

  • 1 red bell pepper, washed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch-square bits

  • 1 large yellow onion, root end removed, cut into 1/2-inch bits

  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and trimmed, sliced thinly on the diagonal

  • 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks in juice, no added sweeteners

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice

  • 1 cup water

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 4 to 6 drops food coloring

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with enough cold water to make a slurry

Steps to Make It

For Chicken

  1. When cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces, remove any fat, gristle or connective tissue. If the chicken is soft-frozen or almost thawed it is easier to cut.

  2. In small frying pan, add 1/2-inch vegetable oil. Heat to deep-frying temperature.

  3. In a bowl mix eggs and milk. Beat until well combined.

  4. Place flour and seasonings in a shallow bowl and mix.

  5. Dunk pieces of chicken in the egg and milk mixture. Allow excess to drain.

  6. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour coating thoroughly. Here is your chance to practice with your chopsticks and keep the flour off from your fingers.

  7. Drop pieces into the hot oil and fry until deep golden brown. Turn as necessary to cook evenly on all sides. When golden brown, remove to paper towel covered plate to drain.

  8. Repeat until all chicken pieces are cooked. Set aside until assembly.

For Sweet and Sour Sauce

  1. Place pineapple and water in sauce pan. Heat over low flame. Slowly add sugar while stirring.

  2. When sugar has dissolved, slowly add the vinegar and the lemon juice while stirring.

  3. Add cornstarch slurry and stir while heating. Bring to a boil.

  4. Stir constantly until thickened. Add food coloring (a couple drops at first and then adjust until you have the red color you like) and stir well to mix. Continue to heat and stir until almost a syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.

  5. Note: You will be judging the thickness of the sauce while it is hot. It will thicken considerably when it is set aside and cools. Later, when added to the vegetables, the moisture from the vegetables will thin the sauce quite a bit.

Assembling Completed Dish

  1. Add a little vegetable oil to a large frying pan or wok. Bring to frying temperature over medium heat. Add vegetables (but not the pineapple) and cook, stirring frequently, until onions begin to caramelize.

  2. Add sweet and sour sauce and continue cooking and stirring until vegetable are bite tender and sauce has re-thickened and clings to the vegetables.

  3. Add pineapple and chicken bits and fold into the vegetables and sauce. Simmer until heated through. Serve.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
759 Calories
38g Fat
53g Carbs
50g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 759
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 38g 49%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 198mg 66%
Sodium 185mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 53g 19%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 29g
Protein 50g
Vitamin C 68mg 339%
Calcium 98mg 8%
Iron 4mg 22%
Potassium 770mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)