When going out for Chinese isn’t an option, make your own easy sweet and sour chicken right at home. This easy sweet and sour chicken skillet recipe is perfect when you have a Chinese craving!
Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken Skillet
This sweet and sour chicken recipe is just as good if not better than your favorite Chinese restaurant’s recipe. Perfectly fried chicken pieces slathered in homemade sweet and sour sauce with crisp onions and bell peppers will have your whole family thinking you bought take-out.
This easy chicken recipe is made all in one skillet too! You need a few bowls for making the dressing and such, but everything is cooked in one skillet. A healthier alternative made in one skillet? Yes, please!
Why You’ll Love this Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe:
- It tastes like take out. Because you are making your own sweet and sour sauce with pineapple, brown sugar, soy sauce, and ketchup, the flavor is almost identical to the real deal.
- It’s super easy to make. The hardest part is frying your chicken which isn’t hard at all. You’ll have this delicious dish done in a jiffy.
- Your meal is hearty and healthy. Sweet and sour chicken packed with fresh onions and veggies makes this recipe both hearty and healthy.
How to make Sweet and Sour Chicken from Scratch
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Make your sweet and sour sauce..
- Cut your chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces.
- Add the chicken to the heated skillet.
- Cook your chicken for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Saute the veggies until crisp and tender.
- Add your chicken, sauce, and pineapple to the veggies.
- Simmer until thickened.
Can I make this in the Instant Pot?
Absolutely! Instead of using the skillet to make your chicken a golden brown, you will use the saute button to fry your chicken.
Then, you will pressure cook the chicken, sauce and veggies for 3 minutes. Or, you can follow this Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe.
Can I make this in the Crock Pot?
You can make sweet and sour chicken in the crock pot as well. The difference is that the chicken will not be crispy. So, the texture and flavor will be a little bit different.
Basically with the crock pot method, you would make the sauce, then throw all the ingredients in the crock pot, and let it cook for about 4.5 hours. You can use this Crock pot Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe instead.
Can it be made gluten-free?
By switching out the soy sauce, you can make this recipe gluten free. To make this recipe gluten free, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Make sure your oil is hot before placing the chicken in. You can make sure it’s ready by dropping a drop of water in. If it sizzles, it’s ready for your chicken.
- If you are having trouble getting the corn starch to stick to your chicken, roll your chicken in eggs first. Then, dip it in the cornstarch.
- To substitute fresh pineapple: use 1 ½ cups chopped pineapple. Replace the pineapple juice with chicken broth and increase the sugar by ¼ cup.
- etc
Sweet and sour chicken is an easy weeknight dinner that everyone in the family will love. It is full of healthy vegetables and can be easily customized.
More Chinese Chicken recipes we love
If you love Chinese food as much as I do, you have to check out some of these other Chinese chicken recipes:
- Air Fryer General Tso’s Chicken
- Easy Chicken Fried Rice
- Easy Orange Chicken
- Honey Sesame Chicken
- Easy Chicken Lo Mein
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the Chicken
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 15 oz pineapple chunks
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Toss the chicken with the cornstarch until well coated.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the chicken and cook until golden and no longer pink in the center. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Wipe out the skillet and add in the remaining olive oil. Sautee the onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper until crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Add in the chicken, sauce, and pineapple. Simmer until thickened. Serve over rice and enjoy!
Notes
- To make this recipe gluten free, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- To substitute fresh pineapple: use 1 ½ cups chopped pineapple. Replace the pineapple juice with chicken broth and increase the sugar by ¼ cup.
Jessie says
This recipe is fab. I subbed coconut sugar because that’s all I had and it was fine. The amount of juice in a can of pineapple works perfectly for the recipe. Cheaper and better than takeout with higher quality ingredients.
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Jessie!
Mary says
Made the full quantity but my husband and I ate all but a small bowl full (will have that tomorrow) delicious, definitely on our favourite list.
Becky Hardin says
Leftovers are the best!!
Al says
First recipe of two of yours I made this week. Family and I loved both (pan fried chicken breast, the other). Keep up the great work and for helping me to learn to cook.
Becky Hardin says
I’m so happy to hear you’re loving my recipes, Al!