Irresistible Char Siu Chicken Recipe with 10 Minute Prep Magic

You catch the smell through the steam vent and suddenly you are starving. That kind of smell that sneaks up on you and makes your stomach grumble loud. Its the mix of sweet and tangy scents rolling out, telling you dinners about to hit your kitchen hard with flavor.

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You spot the bubbles on the lid, the pressure build inside your cooker starting to tell ya its almost done. You recall how last weeks dinner got that tender pull on the chicken, all juicy and soft from the broth depth your cooker made. This time you know its gonna be even better cause you got this sweet and sour vibe going on.

In the back of your mind, you remember steamin up some rice while the chickens finishing. Those steam cues pop off when the timings right, and you aint gotta be stuck watching the pot forever. Dang, youre just ready for that first bite that hits your tongue like takeout but way better.

Why Your Cooker Beats Every Other Pot

• It locks in flavor real good with that pressure build.
• The steam cues tells you exactly when stuff is nearly done.
• You get a tender pull on chicken every single time.
• Broth depth develops fast, making sauces taste richer.
• Cooks faster than a regular skillet or oven.
• No need to babysit, your cooker does the heavy lifting.
• Cleanup is way simpler, fewer pots to wash.

All the Pieces for This Meal

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces. These get nice and tender real fast.
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce for that salty, savory kick you need.
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar to add just the right tang.
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce brings on the sweet umami flavor.
• 2 tablespoons ketchup is kinda sneaky but it adds a sweet tomato punch.
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar for that caramelized sweetness.
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch helps thicken the sauce perfectly.
• ¼ cup pineapple juice gives it that tropical zing you remember from takeout.
• 1 red bell pepper and 1 green bell pepper, chopped for color and crunch.
• 1 small onion, chopped to mellow out the sweetness and add depth.
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to get everything cooking smooth.
• Salt and pepper to taste - dont skip this, its key.

Walking Through Every Single Move

First, you mix together soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, pineapple juice, and cornstarch in a bowl. Stir it all up till its smooth and set it aside for now. This sauce is gonna come together real nice in the cooker.

Next, season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dont be shy now, gotta get that flavor on the meat itself.

Heat your vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When its hot, add in the chicken. Cook it till its golden brown and cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes. This step gets your chicken with some color and locks in juices. Then remove the chicken and set it aside.

In the same skillet, toss your chopped bell peppers and onion in. Sauté these babies till they get tender, maybe about 5 minutes. You want them soft but with a little bite still.

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Return the chicken to the skillet and pour in that sauce mixture you set aside. Stir everything together real good and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes. You watch that sauce thicken and get all glossy, coating your chicken perfectly.

Serve this hot over steamed rice or noodles. Youll see that sweet and sour sauce clinging to every bite. The steam cues will tell ya when its ready to dive in straight away.

Time Savers That Actually Work

Start by chopping your veggies ahead of time, maybe in the morning or the night before. This way you arent scrambling to get things ready when youre hungry.

Use pre-cut chicken thighs if you can find them. Saves all that cutting time and mess on your counter.

While your chicken cooks, get the rice steaming. Your pressure cooker steam cues will help you time it just right so stuff finishes together. That way you avoid waiting around.

Your First Taste After the Wait

The first bite hits you with a splash of tangy sweetness. Its just enough to make you wanna lick your lips and grab more.

Your chickens tender pull makes each piece melt a little in your mouth. Its juicy and has soaked up all that broth depth from the sauce.

Those bell peppers and onions add a fresh crunch with a bit of bite. They cut through the sweetness and keep the dish feeling lively.

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Overall its that homemade takeout feeling with none of the hassle. Youll find yourself thinking its even better than last time you ordered out, no joke.

Smart Storage That Actually Works

Cool your leftovers to room temperature before packing. This keeps moisture from building up and making stuff soggy.

Use airtight containers so flavors stay tight and dont wander off into your fridge.

If you want to save longer, freeze individual portions in zip bags. This lets you pull out just what you need for a quick meal later on.

Reheat gently on the stove or microwave with a splash of water to revive that sauce and keep chicken soft. Steaming it again works too if youve got time.

What People Always Ask Me

• Can I use chicken breast instead? Yep, but thighs stay juicier and wont dry out as fast in the cooker.
• What if I dont got pineapple juice? You can substitute with orange juice or add a little extra vinegar and sugar.
• Do I gotta brown the chicken first? It does add flavor and texture but you could skip it to save time.
• How do I know when to natural release? Usually after cooking is done, let pressure drop by itself around 10 minutes. It keeps chicken super tender.
• Can this sauce be made less sweet? Sure just cut down the brown sugar by half and add more vinegar if you like tangier.
• Can this be frozen? Totally. Just cool fully then freeze in portions. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating.

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Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe Better Than Take Out!

A tangy, sweet, and savory chicken dish combining juicy chicken thighs, colorful bell peppers, and pineapple juice in a glossy homemade sauce. Quick prep and skillet cooked to perfection - a better-than-takeout favorite.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 4 servings

Calories 380 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Large skillet
• 1 Mixing bowl

Ingredients

  

Main ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ¼ cup pineapple juice
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Mix together soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, pineapple juice, and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth. Set aside.
• Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 7–10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• In the same skillet, sauté chopped bell peppers and onion for about 5 minutes until tender but still crisp.
• Return chicken to skillet and pour sauce mixture in. Stir to combine.
• Cook everything together on medium heat for 5–7 more minutes until the sauce thickens and coats chicken well.
• Serve hot over steamed rice or noodles.
• Enjoy immediately or store leftovers in airtight containers once cooled.

Notes

For a less sweet version, reduce brown sugar and increase vinegar. Swap in orange juice if pineapple juice isn’t available. Reheats well—add a splash of water or steam to bring it back to life.