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close up of sweet and sour chicken with rice in white bowl
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Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

Lean chicken breast made with peppers and pineapple and cooked in with a delicious sweet and sour sauce Ready in just 30 minutes.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 294kcal
Author Rena

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp groundnut oil divided
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 red bell peppers cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 yellow bell pepper cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 small yellow onion cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1- inch knob of ginger grated or minced
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos liquid
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 small pineapple or 1/4 from a big pineapple
  • 2 tbsp thinly sliced green onion for serving
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds for serving
  • Optional: cooked rice

Instructions

  • Heat half a tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium heat.
  • Add prepared veggies and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, until just beginning to get tender. Set aside.
  • To the same preheated skillet add garlic, ginger, and fry for 1 minute. Add in the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and cooked through.
  • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, Worcestershire, vinegar, tomato paste, and cornstarch. Whisk well until cornstarch is fully dissolved.
  • Pour this mixture over the cooked chicken and stir to coat, allowing it to simmer for a couple of minutes; You'll see it begins to thicken almost immediately.
  • Return the cooked veggies back to the pan, together with the pineapple chunks.
  • Toss everything to combine and coat with the sauce.
  • Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion and serve over cooked rice, if desired.

Notes

  • Veggies: We used red and yellow peppers, but you may add in other veggies like carrots, snow peas, mushrooms, or leeks. 
  • Oil: if you don't have peanut oil, you may use sesame oil.
  • Garlic and ginger: we highly recommend you use fresh garlic and ginger for optimum flavor.
  • Use coconut amino in place of soy sauce.
  • Honey: You may use brown sugar or coconut sugar.
  • Chicken: Use lean chicken breast. Other options can be boneless chicken thighs or skip the chicken and use shrimp.
  • Storage: Place leftovers in a container and store them in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave when ready to eat. You can freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Nutritional facts: For one cup of sweet and sour chicken without rice. Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 567mg | Potassium: 828mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 1449IU | Vitamin C: 163mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 2mg