Sweet and sour breaded chicken
Make crispy sweet and sour breaded chicken at home! Juicy chicken coated in golden breading and tossed in a tangy-sweet sauce that is better than takeout.
Ingredients
 | 8-10 pieces of chicken – you can use any type of fresh chicken, but I’m using drumsticks in this recipe. |
 | 4 cups of vegetable oil with a high smoking point like avocado, sunflower, or peanut oil. |
 | 2 cups fresh milk (to make buttermilk unless you can buy buttermilk directly) |
 | 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lime juice – to make buttermilk (unless you can buy buttermilk directly) |
Spices, herbs and ingredients for flavor:
 | 1 cup sweet and sour sauce |
 | 1 cup of all-purpose flour |
 | 1 cup of breadcrumbs – any type of breadcrumbs, such as panko, fresh toasted, etc. |
 | 1 lemon |
 | 1 tablespoon of garlic powder or flakes |
 | 1 tablespoon of onion flakes or powder |
 | (Optional) 1 tablespoon of paprika |
 | Pinch of salt and pepper |
How to make this sweet and sour breaded chicken
- Pat dry the chicken with paper towels.
- Mix the milk and lemon juice in a large bowl to create a quick buttermilk marinade.
- Marinate the chicken in a ziplock bag with the buttermilk for at least 15 minutes.
- Combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, and optional spices in a large bowl.
- Coat each piece of chicken thoroughly in the flour mixture.
- Cover the chicken evenly with breadcrumbs using your hands.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or deep pan.
- Fry the chicken in batches for about 10 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Transfer the fried chicken to an oven-safe casserole dish and brush lightly with sweet and sour sauce.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Check the internal temperature with a thermometer; it should reach at least 165°F (74°C).
- Garnish with lemon slices and serve warm.
Crunchy, tangy, and a little bit sweet, this sweet and sour breaded chicken is a favorite you can easily make at home. Golden breaded chicken pieces are tossed in a glossy sweet and sour sauce for that perfect balance of sweetness and zing.
Quick to make and bursting with color, it’s the perfect meal to brighten up your dinner table and a guaranteed family favorite. Serve it with rice or salad for a comforting, crowd-pleasing meal that’s ready to impress.
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Sweet and sour breaded chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8-10 pieces of fresh chicken
- 4 cups of vegetable oil
- 1 cup sweet and sour sauce
- 1 lemon, for decoration
To make buttermilk
- 2 cups fresh milk
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar
To make the seasoning
- 1 cup of flour
- 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon of onion powder
- 1 tablespoon of paprika (optional)
- pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Lay the chicken out on a paper towel and pat them dry.
- Mix the milk and lemon juice together in a large bowl to make the buttermilk.
- Place the chicken in a ziplock bag along with the buttermilk, and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes or more.
- In a large bowl add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and optional spices and mix.
- Transfer each piece of chicken into the spice mixture and coat each piece fully.
- Add the breadcrumbs to the chicken and mix by hand so all of the chicken drumsticks are covered.
- Heat the oil in a deep fry casserole or fryer.
- Cook the chicken in batches for at least 10 minutes until golden brown, flipping every 5 minutes or so that they become crispy all over.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Remove from the fryer and place in an oven-friendly casserole dish. Baste the chicken lightly with the sweet and sour sauce.
- Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes.
- Check that the chicken is properly cooked using a food thermometer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the meat should read at least 165°F degrees (74°C).
- Decorate with a slice of lemon and serve while warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note: We are not certified nutritionists and these estimates written and produced for entertainment purposes only.
What to serve with it?
These sweet and sour breaded chicken drumsticks can be served with a great side dish like this avocado rice with fried egg or these sarladaise potatoes with mushrooms and peas.
How to store it?
You can easily prepare these sweet and sour breaded chicken drumsticks in advance and leave it in the fridge. Let the drumsticks cool and store it in an airtight glass container.
