Go Back

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs

A delicious sweet and sour sauce simply made with ketchup, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce is baked into breading of fried chicken thighs. Most often requested recipe of my family. Worth the effort every time. Serve over white rice.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 3887.5 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Skillet For browning chicken
  • 1 9x13 inch Casserole Dish For baking the chicken
  • 2 Shallow Bowls For egg and cornstarch dredging
  • 1 Mixing Bowl For preparing the sauce
  • 1 Instant-Read Thermometer For checking chicken doneness

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt
  • 8 5 ounce bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or as needed
  • 1 pinch onion salt or to taste
  • 1 pinch garlic salt or to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ cups white sugar
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • Prepare chicken: Place beaten eggs in a shallow bowl. Combine cornstarch and garlic salt in a second shallow bowl.
  • Dip chicken in egg, then press in cornstarch mixture to coat.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in hot oil until brown on all sides, sprinkling with onion salt, garlic salt, and pepper while frying, 3 to 5 minutes. Place browned chicken in a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
  • Make sauce: Combine sugar, vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce in a bowl. Pour sauce over chicken.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 40 to 60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center near the bone should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Notes

Achieving a truly crispy exterior on your chicken before it enters the sauce is key; ensure your skillet oil is hot and avoid overcrowding to prevent steaming. For deeper flavor, consider adding a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger and a minced clove of garlic to your sweet and sour sauce before pouring it over the chicken. A splash of toasted sesame oil in the sauce can also elevate the aroma. To avoid dry chicken, rely on an instant-read thermometer; pull the thighs at 165°F (74°C) as they will continue to cook slightly with residual heat. Garnish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds for added freshness and visual appeal.