How Many Calories Are in Sweet and Sour Chicken? A Detailed Look at This Popular Chinese Takeout Dish

Sweet and sour chicken is one of the most popular dishes ordered at Chinese restaurants across America. With its crispy battered chicken bites coated in a sticky sweet and sour sauce, it’s easy to see why it’s such a crowd pleaser. But depending on how it’s prepared, this dish can also be high in calories, sodium, and other not-so-healthy extras So how many calories are actually in your favorite takeout order of sweet and sour chicken? Let’s take a detailed look

Calorie Count Can Vary Greatly Between Restaurants

One of the biggest factors determining the calorie content of sweet and sour chicken is where you order it from. Chinese restaurants all have their own recipes and preparation methods, meaning nutrition information can vary quite a bit between different establishments.

For example, an order of sweet and sour chicken containing 706 grams or about 1.5 pounds from one popular chain restaurant contains a whopping 1,969 calories. However, a different restaurant’s sweet and sour chicken with the same 706 gram serving size may have only 1,300 calories or so. That’s a difference of nearly 700 calories just between two restaurants!

So if you’re wondering exactly how many calories are in the sweet and sour chicken from your favorite local takeout spot your best bet is to check their website or call and ask for nutrition information. Most larger chains provide calorie counts online. Smaller restaurants may be able to give you at least a rough estimate if you inquire.

Chicken Frying Method Impacts Calories

In addition to differences between restaurants, the specific preparation method also significantly affects the calorie content of sweet and sour chicken. This dish generally consists of fried chicken chunks coated in a thick sauce. The frying technique makes a big difference in just how fattening it ends up being.

Sweet and sour chicken can be fried in a few different ways

• Battered and deep fried – The chicken is dipped in a thick batter then fully submerged in hot oil. This adds a lot of extra calories from the batter and absorbing oil.

• Breaded and pan fried – The chicken is coated in breadcrumbs or flour then fried in a skillet with a small amount of oil. Healthier than deep frying.

• Baked or air fried – The chicken gets a light breading and is cooked in the oven or air fryer without any added oil. Lowest calorie option.

As you can imagine, the deep fried sweet and sour chicken packs the most calories, sometimes over 700-800 calories per serving! The baked or air fried versions are the lightest, with closer to 400-500 calories.

Sauces Can Also Significantly Boost Calories

Beyond the chicken frying preparation, the sweet and sour sauce itself can add a lot of extra calories. Traditional sweet and sour sauce gets its flavor from ingredients like sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, and pineapple juice. Some restaurants make it creamier by adding cornstarch, butter, or other fats.

A thick, sugary sauce means more calories soaked up by the chicken. Just a few tablespoons of sauce can tally 100 calories or more. Asking for the sauce on the side can trim some fat and calories if you don’t dunk every bite. Or request a lighter sauce made without butter or cream to cut back on the richness.

Nutritional Contents Will Differ Besides Calories

When looking at nutritional information for sweet and sour chicken, calories aren’t the only number that matters. You’ll also want to pay attention to stats for fat, carbs, protein, sodium, and more based on health priorities.

Here are some of the key nutrition ranges you can expect to see:

• Protein – 8 to 20 grams per serving. From the chicken.

• Fat – 9 to 23 grams. Mostly from frying and sauces.

• Carbs – 25 to 60 grams. Sugar in the sauce adds carbs.

• Sodium – 600 to 1800 mg. Soy sauce and table salt bump up sodium.

• Sugar – 10 to 30 grams of added sugar in sauce.

As you can see, the nutritional values can span quite a wide range. Again, preparation technique makes a big impact. Getting it baked instead of fried or asking for lower sodium can improve the nutrition profile.

Typical Serving Sizes of Sweet and Sour Chicken

Besides looking at overall nutrition info, pay attention to serving sizes which can alter calorie counts significantly. Here are some typical serving sizes restaurants provide:

• 3 chicken pieces – Around 55 grams or 2 ounces of chicken.

• 6 chicken pieces – About 110 grams or 4 ounces of chicken.

• 9 chicken pieces – Roughly 165 grams or 6 ounces of chicken.

• 200 calories – Portion with around 80 grams or 3 ounces of chicken.

• 100 grams – Provided for easy comparison. About 1/4 pound of chicken.

A smaller 3 or 6 piece serving will have far fewer calories than a giant 9 piece plate of sweet and sour chicken! Adjust your order or set aside leftovers based on portion needs.

Tips to Lighten Up Your Sweet and Sour Chicken

If you want to enjoy this tasty takeout dish while limiting the calories, fat, and sodium, there are a few easy ways to make it a bit healthier:

• Request it baked or air fried instead of deep fried

• Ask for sauce on the side and use sparingly

• Choose chicken and veggies instead of pork or shrimp

• Opt for brown rice rather than white rice

• Flavor rice with a squeeze of lemon and ginger instead of extra sauce

• Share or take half home so you don’t overeat

• Pair with a side salad instead of double carbs like rice and noodles

With a few tweaks, you can feel good about indulging in sweet, sour and salty Chinese chicken. Just be mindful of servings and know approximately how many calories your meal contains.

The Bottom Line

So how many calories are in sweet and sour chicken? The answer can range wildly from 300 to over 1,000 calories depending on the restaurant and preparation methods. Your best bet is to look up nutrition info for your favorite local takeout spot or ask them for calorie estimates. And when ordering, choose baked, skip the batter, and go easy on the sauce to keep your meal a little lighter. With a few simple tricks, you can still enjoy this tasty takeout treat without overdoing it on calories or fat.

A serving of sweet and sour chicken without the sauce, like the Wegmans Prepared Foods Wokery Sweet & Sour Chicken (no sauce), typically contains around 380 calories.