Make Air Fryer Sweet and Sour Chicken and enjoy this Chinese takeout favorite at home! Crispy and juicy with lots of pineapple flavor.
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time20 minutesmins
Servings: 3
Ingredients
Chicken:
1poundskinless chicken breasts or chicken thighscut into bite-size cubes
2tablespooncornstarch
1/2teaspoonsalt
1/2teaspoonblack pepper
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1cupcanned pineapple juice
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
1/3cuprice vinegar or regular vinegar
3tablespoonsketchup
2tablespoonsoy sauce
2-3drops of red food coloringoptional
1 1/2tablespoonscornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water
Can of pineapple chunksdrained
Instructions
Set the air fryer to preheat at 380 degrees F for 3 minutes.
Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces. Put the chicken chunks in a bowl and add the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat the chicken thoroughly. to make the chicken crispier, add ½ tablespoon cooking oil or spray with cooking spray.
Put the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 380 F for 8 minutes.
Flip the chicken over and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the chicken's internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F.
Make the sauce while the chicken air fries. Combine the pineapple juice, brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce in a saucepan.
Cook on medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the mixture just starts to boil. Lower the heat to low.
Mix the water and cornstarch in a small bowl, then add them to the saucepan. Keep stirring, so it doesn't get lumpy.
Cook for about 2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove the sauce from the heat.
If you are using food coloring, add it now. Then add the drained canned pineapple to the mixture.
Once the chicken is done, add it to the saucepan with the still warm sweet and sour sauce and stir, so the sauce evenly coats the chicken.
Serve with rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Add sliced bell peppers, onions, or another veggie to the air fryer during the last 5 minutes of cooking time if desired.If using frozen chicken cubes, increase the air frying time by 2 minutes. Make sure to use an instant-read thermometer to verify the chicken has reached 165 F internally and increase the cook time if necessary.