Sweet and sour chicken is not authentic Chinese.
Although the concept of sweet and sour chicken and sweet and sour flavors exist in Chinese cooking the heavy thick sauce and use of the ingredients such as pineapple in the Western version are largely adaptations that are made to cater to non Chinese palates.
This makes the sweet and sour chicken and sweet and sour sauce more of an Americanized Chinese dish.
Sweet and sour chicken and sweet and sour sauce is 100 percent an American thing and not traditionally Chinese although Chinese restaurants often serve it as well.
The Chinese Sweet and Sour Chicken also shares many similar characteristics as other famous Chinese chicken recipes, such as General Tso's Chicken, Orange Chicken and Lemon Chicken.
And while they all feature crunchy, deep-fried chicken, there are slight nuances between each, mostly in the sauce.
Sweet and Sour Chicken is a juicy chicken that is coated in a batter, deep-fried and tossed in sweet, tangy sauce with pineapple and bell peppers.
Sweet and sour chicken is a very popular Chinese food served at many Chinese restaurants or for takeout.