A little sweet, a little tangy, and an all-around delight, Sweet and Sour Chicken is the kind of dinner company you want at your table. This easy weeknight meal is so much better than takeout!
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Here’s a brief headline.
Sweet and sour chicken is a homemade riff on the Chinese-American take-out favorite.
- Like its takeout cousins Healthy Orange Chicken and General Tso Chicken, sweet and sour chicken is made of pieces of crispy chicken thighs or breasts, tossed in a sticky, sweet sauce.
- The sauce has both more vinegar (the sour) and more sugar (the sweet) than either orange chicken or General Tso, and it features the addition of pineapples, bell peppers, and onion.
all-in-one meals, because they provide servings of protein and vegetables (and here even fruit!) in a single large skillet.
The hang-up is that many takeout-style stir fries (like most other recipes for Bourbon Chicken) are high in sugar.
- Many “from scratch” versions of sweet and sour chicken I saw called for ketchup (which contains a good amount of sugar) and brown sugar in the sauce.
- When I’m cooking for myself, I prefer to keep the ingredients simple and nutritious…all without losing the pleasure and spirit that is a yummy bowl of sweet and sour chicken, of course!
That’s where this healthy sweet and sour chicken with pineapple comes in.
It’s still sweet and sticky but uses better-for-you ingredients where possible (like my Sesame Chicken, Pineapple Chicken, and my classic Orange Chicken).
This easy, from-scratch sweet and sour sauce is made with rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and a little tomato paste (my trick to making it without ketchup), plus garlic and ginger to give it plenty of fresh flavor.
You can stick to the traditional sweet and sour vegetables (bell pepper, onion, and pineapple), or mix it up by adding any vegetables that are in season or that you have on hand. (Is it summer? Try Zucchini Stir Fry.)
5 Star Review
“Made this for dinner tonight! Wonderful flavors and so easy! A welcome change from all of the rich and sweet treats over the holiday week. This will be a repeat dinner!”
— Donna —
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Chicken. Whether you choose to make sweet and sour chicken breasts or thighs, the meat will be deliciously tender and coated in the flavorful sauce. Chicken is a wonderful lean protein to use for recipes like this. No need to deep fry this one! Try my Sweet and Sour Pork next!
- Sweet and Sour Chicken Marinade. Rice vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper help flavor and tenderize the chicken. Cornstarch creates a crispy sweet and sour chicken crust that mimics your favorite takeout fried sweet and sour chicken.
- Pineapple. One of the sweet components in the dish. Be sure to look for canned pineapple in 100% juice (we’ll be using both the juice and the chunks).
- Rice Vinegar. Rice vinegar is the sour component in the dish. It has a slight sweetness that makes it a good choice for this recipe. You can not use apple cider vinegar in this recipe.
- Honey. Sweet and sour chicken is healthy when you use lightened-up swaps like honey in moderation.
- Tomato Paste. Gives the sauce body without the need for ketchup.
- Soy Sauce. For that must-have umami goodness.
- Sambal Oelek. Also known as garlic chili paste, this ingredient adds spice and a touch of acidity.
- Cornstarch. Helps thicken the sauce so it’s luscious and delicious.
- Allspice. Although Chinese 5 spice powder is more traditional for sweet and sour chicken, it’s not an ingredient many in the U.S. regularly stock. Allspice is a decent five spice substitution. If you have five spice powder on hand, absolutely feel free to use it here.
- Veggies. Bell peppers and onion are scrumptious vegetables to use in this dish. They add color, nutrition, and crunch.
- Garnishes. Green onions are my go-to garnish. You could also try some red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.
How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken
Marinate the Chicken (photo 1). Whisk the marinade ingredients together. Add the chicken and let marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Make the Sauce (photo 2). Stir the sauce ingredients together. Prep the veggies and pineapple.
Cook the Chicken (photo 3). Stir fry the chicken in oil. Remove it to a plate.
Finish the Stir Fry (photo 4). Cook the vegetables and pineapple. Return the chicken to the pan, pouring the sauce over the top. Stir and let simmer until the sauce has thickened. Serve over brown or cauliflower rice with a generous amount of the sauce and garnish with green onion. ENJOY!
What to Serve With Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Rice and Grains. Try white rice, brown rice (or Instant Pot Brown Rice), or quinoa, or swap in spring-y rice noodles.
- Fried Rice. Pair this stir fry with Egg Fried Rice or my Shrimp Fried Rice Recipe.
- Cauliflower Rice. This Cauliflower Fried Rice is my favorite, or just make plain cauliflower rice and let it soak up the sweet and sour sauce.
- Salad. We love this crisp Asian Cucumber Salad and Asian Cabbage Salad.
Leftover Ideas
Take inspiration from my Asian Lettuce Wraps, and tuck leftovers into lettuce leaves for a light and healthy meal.
Sweet and Sour Chicken
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Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN AND MARINADE:
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
FOR THE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE:
- Juice from 1 (15-ounce) can pineapple in 100% pure juice about ½ cup, use the pineapple chunks for the stir fry
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic about 3 cloves
- ½ tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons sambal oelek (garlic chili paste) plus additional to taste
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice or ¼ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice powder
FOR STIR FRYING & SERVING:
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 orange or yellow bell pepper
- 1 small yellow onion
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pineapple chunks from 1 (15-ounce) can pineapple use the juice for the sauce
- 1 tablespoon canola oil or grapeseed oil divided, or another neutral, high smoke point cooking oil
- Cooked brown rice for serving
- Chopped green onion optional for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken and marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
- Add the chicken and stir to evenly combine. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes while you prep the rest of the recipe or (in an ideal world where time allows) refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Let come to room temperature prior to proceeding with the recipe.
- While the chicken marinades, prepare the sweet and sour sauce: In a large bowl, combine the pineapple juice, rice vinegar, honey, tomato paste, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sambal oelek, cornstarch, and allspice. Stir until evenly combined.
- Prep the veggies: core the bell peppers and cut into 1-inch chunks. Cut the yellow onion into 1-inch chunks. Drain any extra juice away from the canned pineapple chunks.
- When ready to stir fry, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large, sturdy nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Scatter on the chicken pieces in a single layer (discard any excess marinade). Stir fry until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and increase the heat to high. Once the oil is very hot and shimmering, add the bell peppers, onion, and pineapple. Stir fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender and lightly charred in a few places, about 7 minutes. Sure periodically, but don’t disturb the vegetables too much so that they brown.
- Reduce the heat to medium high. Return the chicken to the skillet along with any juices that have collected. Pour the sauce over the top, then stir to coat the vegetables and chicken. Let cook until the sauce is thickened and glossy and everything looks saucy and delicious. Serve over brown rice with a generous amount of the sauce and sprinkled with green onion.
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate chicken in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze chicken in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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