This Copycat Panda Express Sweet and Sour Chicken is an easy-to-make family favorite. With its sweet and tangy flavor, it’s sure to please even the pickiest of eaters, and you can save money by avoiding the fast food restaurant chain and making it at home.
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Why you'll love this recipe
✔️ You only need simple ingredients that are all easy to find at your local grocery store.
✔️ It's a great meal to make on busy weeknights because it comes together in under 30 minutes.
✔️ You can save money by making this homemade version instead of heading out to the restaurant.
Ingredients
Please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements.
- olive oil
- skinless chicken breasts in cubes about 1 inch
- salt
- black pepper
- red bell peppers diced
- medium onion diced
- garlic cloves minced
- fresh ginger minced
- fresh pineapple cubes
- green onions slices
- sesame seeds
- for the sauce - soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, barbecue sauce, and chicken broth. If you'd prefer, use your favorite store-bought sweet and sour sauce.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For complete directions, scroll down to the bottom.
- Start by heating the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the diced chicken, salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Once cooked, remove from pan and set aside.
- Add red bell peppers and onion to skillet, cook for 6 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and ginger; cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Stir in pineapple cubes then return chicken back to skillet, toss to combine ingredients together.
- In a bowl mix the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, barbeque sauce and chicken broth and pour into skillet as well.
- Simmer for 8–10 minutes stirring occasionally until sauce has thickened up a bit.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Equipment
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FAQ's
Yes, Panda Express still has sweet and sour chicken available at many of their locations. However, it is typically a made to order item.
Sweet chili sauce is typically spicier and made with fresh or dried chilies, garlic, ginger, and vinegar. Sweet and sour sauce is a combination of sweetness from pineapple or sugar and tanginess from vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, or lemon juice.
Sweet and sour chicken is red because it's usually made with ketchup, which contains tomatoes and other spices. Additionally, the marinade may include a red dye or food coloring to enhance the color.
General Tso Chicken is a Chinese-American dish that typically includes chicken pieces deep fried and tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. Sweet and Sour Chicken is usually made with chunks of chicken that have been either deep-fried or stir-fried and dipped in sweet and sour sauce.
Test kitchen tips
- When you are cutting the chicken into bite-sized pieces try to get them even, so that they cook at the same rate.
- The internal temperature of your chicken needs to reach 165 degrees F to ensure that it's cooked through. Check the center of the largest piece.
- My favorite to serve this dish is over a bowl of white rice or brown rice. However, if you are watching your carbs you could also serve it over cauliflower rice.
- Sesame seeds or sliced green onions make a great garnish for this copycat recipe.
Variations
- Do you want add to some additional heat to this simple recipe? Add a dash of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the sauce for a nice kick of spice.
- Give this sweet chicken recipe a fruity flavor by adding a splash of orange juice or pineapple juice to your sauce.
- Want to make sweet and sour pork instead? Use diced pork loin chops in place of the chicken breasts for a pork version of this classic dish.
- Are you out of chicken breasts? Swap out the chicken breasts for chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken thighs for an equally delicious recipe.
- For a tropical twist on this dish swap out the pineapple for a different fruit like mango, papaya, or even kiwi for a tangy, tropical twist. But, the pineapple will give you the restaurant-quality flavor.
- For those who are vegetarian or vegan, you could try using firm tofu instead of chicken. Just dice it and cook it in the skillet like you would the chicken.
Storage
Refrigerate - Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.
Freezer - To freeze, place in a freezer-safe container or storage bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat - Reheat either on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. However, if you are reheating on the stovetop use medium-high heat to prevent burning.
Related recipes
- These Pan Fried Ramen Noodles are another great recipe to make when you need something filling, easy to make, and budget-friendly. The whole family will love it.
- This Teriyaki Chicken Brown is a takeout fakeout that tastes so much better than the restaurant version, and it's easy to make! Add to your shopping list this week so you can enjoy it at your next meal.
- This Crockpot Orange Chicken recipe is the best orange chicken recipe that you will ever make. It's quick to put together and the slow cooker does all the work so you can spend more time with your family.
Serve with
- You can't have Chinese food without fried rice! I think that's a law. And, this Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice recipe is my go-to recipe to make at home.
- Not a fan of rice? Chicken Chow Mein might be your style! Not only is it easy to make at home but it pairs so well with this sweet and sour chicken recipe.
- Homemade Potstickers are also a great side dish to round out the meal. Any of these recipes would be the perfect accompaniment to your sweet and sour chicken dinner.
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Panda Express Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 skinless chicken breasts in cubes about 1 inch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 red bell peppers diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
- 1 cup fresh pineapple cubes
- 2 green onions slices
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
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Instructions
- Start by heating the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the diced chicken, salt and pepper. Cook until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Once cooked, remove from pan and set aside.
- Add red bell peppers and onion to skillet, cook for 6 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and ginger; cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Stir in pineapple cubes then return chicken back to skillet, toss to combine ingredients together.
- In a bowl mix the soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, barbeque sauce and chicken broth and pour into skillet as well.
- Simmer for 8–10 minutes stirring occasionally until sauce has thickened up a bit.
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Nutrition
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