Sweet and Sour Chinese Chicken Balls

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One Chinese takeaway dish I was introduced to early when I moved to the UK, way back in 1993 was Sweet and Sour Chinese Chicken Balls. I went out for Chinese food regularly when I lived in California but Chinese Chicken Balls were not on the menu. These balls of sweet and sour chicken are British/Chinese and something I was determined to learn how to make!

If you’ve ever ordered from a British-style Chinese takeaway, you probably know exactly what I’m talking about They’re hot, crunchy, and somehow light as a cloud inside, perfect for dunking, double-dunking, and inevitably running out of sauce before you’ve eaten them all.

Sweet and sour chicken balls on a serving plate.

About This Recipe

Here’s the thing… making Chinese chicken balls at home is not just possible, it’s surprisingly easy. In fact, the results you will get using the following recipe are far better than what I have found at any Chinese takeaway.

You can literally eat them fresh out of the fryer so you won’t have any steamy box effect. Blah! You can also control the seasoning and make the sweet and sour sauce exactly to your taste. Less sugar and more tang if you’re like me!

This post will walk you through everything:

The exact batter that makes them puff like the real thing.
How to prepare the chicken so it’s juicy, not dry.
My foolproof sweet and sour sauce recipe — tangy, fruity, and silky smooth.
All the tips to make them taste like they came from your local Chinese takeaway… only hotter and crispier.

So, let’s get started.

Why you will love Chinese Chicken Balls...

If you live in the UK, you will already know why.

In the UK, Chinese takeaways have their own style. It’s a fusion of Cantonese techniques and British tastes. Chicken balls are the perfect example. They’re not traditional Chinese street food, but a chippy classic. You don’t really find them in Hong Kong or Beijing, but you do find them in every high street takeaway menu from Aberdeen to Brighton.

They’re comfort food. Finger food! They’re “kids-will-actually-eat-these” food. And when paired with sweet and sour sauce, they hit that perfect balance of crispy, savoury, tangy, and sweet.

Ingredients

The magic of chicken balls is all in the batter. You want a coating that’s light, airy, and puffs up when fried — almost like tempura, but thicker and more indulgent. Here’s what you’ll need. The exact measurements for the ingredients are in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Chicken breasts
MSG (optional)
Salt (optional)
Light soy sauce
Black pepper
Cornflour (corn starch)
Self-raising flour
Baking powder
Ice cold soda water
FOR THE SAUCE
White rice vinegar
Ketchup
Orange juice (optional)
Granulated sugar
Red food colouring (optional)

See recipe card for quantities.

Step by step photos

Check out these step by step photos to see just how easy it is to make Sweet & Sour Chinese Chicken Balls at home.

Adding the marinade ingredients to the chicken in a mixing bowl.

Step 1: Place the chicken in a bowl and add the MSG (optional), black pepper, sesame oil and soy sauce.

Mixing the marinade right into the chicken.

Step 2: Mix the marinade ingredients right into the chicken. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. The longer the better.

Melting sugar in a pan to prepare the sweet and sour sauce.

Step 3: To make the sweet and sour sauce, begin melting the sugar over a medium heat in a pan.

Adding the ketchup, orange juice, vinegar and food colouring to the pan.

Step 4: Add the vinegar, orange juice and ketchup to the pan and continue simmering over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Taste and adjust the sweet and sour flavours to taste and set aside.

Step 5: Just before serving, make a slurry with 1 tbsp cornflour and 2 tbsp water. Slowly heat the sauce over a medium heat and stir in the slurry a little at a time until the sauce has thickened. You may not need it all the slurry but the sauce should be thick and gooey.

Dipping a piece of chicken into the prepared batter.

Step 6: Pour the self raising flour, the remaining cornflour and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Then slowly whisk in the water. You might not need it all. The batter needs to be thick enough to coat the chicken.

Slowly lowering a battered piece of chicken intro the oil to fry for 4 minutes

Step 9: Slowly lower each piece of battered chicken into the hot oil to fry for 4 minutes. The chicken may not be completely cooked through. Be sure to cook the chicken in small batches to maintain the 170°/340°F cooking temperature.

The par-cooked chicken on a paper towel.

Step 10: Transfer the par-cooked chicken to a paper towel or wire rack to rest while you cook the remaining chicken.

Frying the Chinese chicken balls for a second time to crisp and colour them.

Step 9: After frying all the chicken one time, increase the cooking temperature of the oil to 190°C/385°F and fry for a second time for a couple of minutes to make them extra crispy and golden.

Chinese chicken balls with sweet and sour sauce served at the table.

Step 10: Serve hot. You can dip the chicken balls in the sauce and or pour the sauce over the top. Enjoy!

3 Steps to the Perfect Chinese Chicken Balls.

Step 1. Preparing the Chicken

Cut your chicken into even chunks so they cook at the same rate. The key here is to cut them into nice, large bite sized chunks. If they are too small, they will fail to impress!

In a bowl, toss the chicken with salt, pepper, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Let it marinate while you make the batter. 15 minutes in the marinade is plenty as it adds a subtle seasoning to the meat without overpowering the dish.

Step 2. Mixing the Batter

The batter is everything. It’s thick enough to cling, but light enough to puff up in hot oil.

In a large bowl, mix self-raising flour, cornflour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the centre.

Pour in your ice-cold water (or soda water) and beaten egg. Whisk gently until smooth. The cold water keeps the batter airy, just like tempura — don’t over-mix or you’ll lose that lightness.

Step 3. Frying

Heat your oil in a wok or deep saucepan to 170°C (340°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a little batter in. It should sizzle immediately and float to the surface within a second or two.

Dip each piece of chicken into the batter, making sure it’s well coated. Let the excess drip off, then carefully lower into the hot oil.

Work in batches. Overcrowding cools the oil and makes the batter soggy. Fry for about 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until light golden brown and almost cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack.

Increase the cooking temperature of the oil to 190°C/385°F and fry for another couple of minutes to make them extra crispy.

Drain on a wire rack over kitchen paper (a rack keeps them crisp, paper alone can make them steam).

And That Sweet and Sour Sauce?

The sweet and sour sauce is nothing like an authentic Chinese sweet and sour sauce. It is an easy alternative to the real thing. Takeaway style sweet and sour sauce also happens to taste amazing.

Be sure to taste it after you make it and adjust the sweet and sour flavours to taste. This is. a gooey, thick sauce which is done by adding a slurry to thicken it. I recommend adding the slurry right before serving as it can thicken too much if left to sit.

Variations

Spicy twist – Add chilli flakes to the batter or sauce for a little heat.

Pork balls – Exactly the same method with pork tenderloin instead of chicken. Chinese pork balls are almost as popular as Chinese Chicken Balls.

Veggie balls – Try chunks of bell pepper, mushrooms, or even cauliflower in the batter.

Equipment

Deep fat fryer or large pot: For frying the Chinese chicken balls. A good wok will also work well for this.

A wire rack: To rest the chicken balls on when cooked. This will help ensure they remain crispy and not soggy.

Storing & Reheating

If you somehow have leftovers (it has honetestly never happened at my house), keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat, bake in a 200°C (400°F) oven or air fryer for about 10 minutes to re-crisp. The microwave is a no-go unless you enjoy soggy batter.

The sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat gently on the hob, adding a splash of water if it’s too thick.

Top Tip

Keep everything cold – Cold batter hitting hot oil equals puffiness. Warm batter equals heavy coating.

More important tips for Chinese Chicken Ball perfection.

Use the right flour blend – The combo of self-raising flour and cornflour gives you a crisp yet fluffy texture. It is also very important to sift the flour before whisking into a batter.
Maintain oil temperature – Too cool, and they soak up oil. Too hot, and they brown before the chicken cooks through.
Drain on a rack – This stops steam from making the crust soggy.

FAQ

Do you have to add baking powder to the self-raising flour?

Yes. Self-raising flour already has baking powder in it but you need a bit more to make these Chinese chicken balls. Trust me.

Do you have to cook the chicken balls twice?

No but they will be better if you do. The first dunk into the oil almost cooks them through and starts the crispy coating. The second dunk, cooks them through while making them extra tender and crispy.

Why is my batter not puffing up?

Your batter may not be cold enough or your oil is not hot enough. Try chilling your batter longer in the fridge and increasing the oil cooking temperature.

Why are my chicken balls greasy?

This is the same answer as above. Either your batter is to warm or your oil not hot enough. Ice cold batter and hot oil required!

If you like these Chinese Chicken Balls, you might also like to try some of these popular Chinese takeaway recipes.

Pairing

Although these chicken balls do make a good main, they are equally as good served with a selection of starters like these...

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