Add a restaurant favorite to your dinner: This easy, Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken served over rice makes a classic dinner lots more convenient!

Overhead view of Sweet and Sour Chicken

About this recipe

Looking for a delicious and easy-to-make Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe? Look no further — this is your recipe!

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5 from 5 votes

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This easy Sweet and Sour Chicken is the perfect balance of savory and tangy flavors! Crispy chicken bites, roasted broccoli, and juicy pineapple chunks are tossed in a sweet and sour sauce made with apple cider vinegar, pineapple juice, and a hint of spice.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Marinade Chill Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

  • Large pan
  • large sheet pan,

Ingredients 
 

  • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon cornstarch divided
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 head broccoli
  • Cooking spray
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil divided
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger optional
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks drained, but reserve sauce

Sauce

  • 1 cup brown sugar or granulated sugar, to sweetness preference
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pineapple juice reserved from the can of pineapples
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more, optional
  • Salt and pepper
  • Cooked rice for serving
  • Green onions optional

Instructions 

  • Fill a large resealable plastic bag with 1 cup cornstarch. Set aside. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle with salt (about 1/2 teaspoon). Add to a bowl and toss with eggs. Shake off excess egg and transfer to the prepared bag with cornstarch.
  • When all chicken is in the bag, seal it (with plenty of air) and shake to generously coat the chicken. Pull chicken out and discard extra cornstarch and bag.
  • Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large pan on high (use 2 tablespoons for smaller pan and do 2 batches). Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes, turning every 30 seconds just to make the outside light golden and a bit crispy. The chicken should be raw inside and not cooked through at all. Transfer to a very large sheet pan, taking up 3/4 of the tray. Chop broccoli into bite-sized pieces and add to remaining 1/4 section of the tray (donโ€™t overlapโ€”you want everything to bake, not steam!) Spray everything generously with cooking spray and bake 15โ€“20 minutes or until internal temperature of the chicken registers 165ยฐF.
  • Meanwhile, discard any extra oil in the pan and reduce heat to medium high. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Add chopped onion and sautรฉ a few minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chopped red pepper and cook 2 more minutes.
  • Add brown sugar (to sweetness preferenceโ€”from 3/4โ€“1 cup), apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, pineapple juice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the sauce begins to lightly bubble. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining tablespoon of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water until dissolved.ย 
  • Add cornstarch mixture to the sauce and stir constantly for about 2โ€“4 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in pineapple chunks and cooked chicken + broccoli. Add red pepper flakes if desired.
  • Serve immediately over rice. Add green onions if desired.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition Note: Nutrition information does not include the rice.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 797kcal | Carbohydrates: 130g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 528mg | Potassium: 1148mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 2174IU | Vitamin C: 180mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 5 votes

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Recipe Rating




14 Comments

  1. Millifa Jack says:

    5 stars
    Tonight, I did this stir and DELICIOUS!!! LOVED by my dad! Thank you for a good simple, delicious sour, and sweet recipe.

    1. Chelsea Lords says:

      I’m so happy to hear! Thanks so much for your comment! ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Julia Stearns @ Healthirony says:

    5 stars
    Fantastic photos, and amazing looking baked sweet sour chicken! I am obsessed with chicken! I’ll definitely try it! Thanks a lot for sharing!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Ahh thank you so much! I can’t wait to hear what you think! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Kelly says:

    5 stars
    I made this stir fry tonight and it was DELICIOUS!!! My family LOVED it! Thank you for an easy healthy tasty sweet and sour recipe.

  4. Karly says:

    This would be such a fabulous weeknight meal, so vibrant! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Thanks so much Karly! And thanks for hosting the party and coming by to comment ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says:

    Yay for sweet and sour stuff! It’s definitely one of my favorite combos. And pineapple in my stir-fry? Sounds awesome, I’m dying to try this! It looks so colorful and fresh, what a lovely lunch! x

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Thanks so much Consuelo! Have a wonderful weekend ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Beth @ bethcakes says:

    Oh, this dish is so colorful! That’s one of my new year’s resolutions – add more color to my meals. ๐Ÿ™‚ I love all the flavors working together in this recipe. Wish I had a bowl of this for lunch today!

  7. Ashley says:

    I LOVE stir fries!! And with all that pineapple – yes yes yes! And the sauce doesn’t hurt either – sweet and sour is always such an awesome combo!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Isn’t pineapple the best?! Plis it makes me forget how cold it is outside ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks Ashley, have a great weekend ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Taylor @Food Faith Fitness says:

    Sweet and sour anything, is my favorite! I love how quick, easy and healthy this looks! Plus, with all those colors, it’s pleasin’ to my eyeballs. Yum!

    1. chelseamessyapron says:

      Thanks Taylor! I’m with you -sweet and sour is the best!