Sweet & sour pork (I cook with chicken because I enjoy it more) was one of the dishes I always looked forward to as a kid — it felt like a big treat every time my mom made it! But these days, I find that ordering it outside just doesn’t hit the same. It’s often more batter than meat and way more grease than I’d like.

So I created this version that’s cooked entirely in the air fryer — chicken and sauce! It’s lower in oil, higher in protein, and doesn’t require deep frying. This is now my go-to when I’m craving sweet & sour at home!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

✅ Classic sweet & sour flavour without the deep fry splatter

✅ Meaty nuggets that’s worth eating

✅ Entirely cooked in the air fryer (including the sauce!)

✅ Higher protein, balanced, yet perfect for pleasing the family

To be fair, you can absolutely use a sweet and sour sauce packet! I like making my own so I can be in full control of what I’m eating – some pre-made sauces contain fillers and additives so if I’m able to mix my own, I usually skip store-bought.

Prep Time: 10 - 15 mins
Cook Time: 18 mins
Serves: 2

Ingredients

Chicken

400g chicken breast/bonesless thighs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp soy sauce

Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
3/4 tsp baking powder
Neutral oil (spray or brush on)

Sauce

3 tbsp tomato ketchup
2.5 tbsp rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
2–2.5 tbsp brown sugar (this might vary with the ketchup you use, mine has no sugar added)
1 tbsp water (add more after cooking, if needed)
Sliced onion, bell pepper, pineapple (You can add cucumbers but they release a lot of moisture when cooked which can affect the final sauce flavour and consistency, they don’t keep well as leftovers either so beware)

Method

1️⃣ Season the chicken
Cut chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl, mix with salt, garlic powder, and soy sauce. Let it marinate briefly while you prepare the batter.

2️⃣ Make the batter.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs. In another bowl, mix flour and baking powder well. Coat chicken pieces in egg, then dredge in the flour mixture. You want each chicken piece to be well-coated, but not overly covered with flour! Doing so might result in residual flour on the surface of each air fried chicken – taste won’t be affected so no worries. Just lightly tap off excess until the flour is not falling off from the chicken pieces.

3️⃣ Prepare the sauce.
In a small bowl, combine tomato ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and water. Stir well until sugar has completely dissolved. Then add sliced onions and vegetables.

4️⃣ Set up the air fryer.
Pour sauce mixture into a foil packet (fold edges to contain the liquid). If you are afraid this will spill in your air fryer while it cooks, wrap with another layer of foil. OR mix sauce in a small metal boil and cover with foil if it fits in your air fryer. Place it at the bottom of your air fryer. Stack your silicone basket with the battered chicken on top of the foil packet.

5️⃣ Air fry.
Air fry at 185°C for about 18 minutes. After about 5 minutes, spray or brush on oil on the chicken and continue to cook for another 4 - 5 minutes before flipping. Adjust time slightly based on your air fryer and/or size of chicken.

6️⃣ Combine and serve.
Once done, check that the vegetables are at the doneness you enjoy, if not continue to cook sauce in the air fryer until that is achieved. Feel free to add a bit of water if the sauce becomes too dry. Taste the sauce, then pour the sauce over the chicken and toss together. Enjoy with a side of rice!~

Storage & FAQ

How do I store leftovers?
Store cooled chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the air fryer! *I have not tried reheating chicken + sauce in the microwave – best to store separately.

Can I freeze it?
I don’t recommend freezing as the batter may lose crispness and/or the meat texture may become odd unlike store-bought frozen foods with stabilizers and additives.

What if my air fryer isn’t glass?
Actually, a glass air fryer might not heat the sauce at the bottom as quickly as you think. If unsure, give the sauce a 3–5 minute head start before adding the chicken. I had to continue cooking my sauce after the chicken was done to further soften the onions and bell peppers.

What tools do you use?
I’ve linked them in the next section:)