Spicy sweet and sour chicken
This spicy sweet and sour chicken is the perfect mix of heat, tang and sweetness — a vibrant, flavour‑packed dish that comes together quickly and always hits the spot. It’s incredibly quick to make, making it ideal for a midweek dinner when you want something tasty without the fuss.
If you love dishes that balance spice with a little sweetness, this one’s a winner: the sauce is bold, bright and beautifully sticky, clinging to the tender chicken for a comforting bowlful that feels both familiar and exciting.
What’s best served alongside this dinner?
Plain boiled rice is the perfect side for this dish, keeping things simple and letting the spicy sweet and sour flavours shine.
Spicy sweet and sour chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 2 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 4 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
- 1½ tbsp dry sherry
Sauce
- 100 ml mirin
- 4 tbsp light soy sauce
- 4 tbsp rice vinegar
- 4 tbsp runny honey
- 2 tsp chilli bean paste
Instructions
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bow, then set aside.
- Heat a pan over a medium heat the oil (be careful as the oil will spit) add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook for a few seconds.
- Add the chicken and stir fry until cooked.
- Add the sherry and cook for another 2 mins. Pour in the sauce and stir fry until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
- Serve alongside some plain rice and crispy seaweed.