This Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken has all the great flavor of takeout in a lightened up version. Tender chicken, flavorful veggies, and juicy chunks of pineapple combine in a simple sauce for a taste that is out of this world. You won't believe you made this yourself!
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Lightened Up Sweet and Sour Chicken
This Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken is a lightened up version of the classic Chinese-American favorite. It’s super easy to make and more affordable than takeout. Packed with pieces of tender chicken and veggies this delicious dish is packed with 27 grams of protein per serving and naturally sweetened with juicy pineapple, so no extra sugar is needed!
Like my Chicken Breast Stuffed With Stuffing, Crockpot Southwest Chicken, and Bone Broth Chicken Soup, this Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe is super simple to make, kid-approved, and great for meal prep.
I love to make a big batch to enjoy throughout the week. Serve this sweet and sour chicken with rice or noodles for a great meal any night of the week - no take out required!
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders - cut into 1-inch pieces
- All-purpose flour - use a gluten free flour if required
- Avocado oil - or vegetable oil
- Bell peppers - cut into strips or squares. Use yellow, orange, or red bell pepper.
- Carrots - sliced thinly or julienned
- Onion - use white or yellow onion, cut into slices or strips
- Canned pineapple - drain and reserve the juice for the sauce
- Scallions - or “green onions”, for sprinkling
- Sesame seeds - as garnish
For the sweet and sour sauce
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Reserved pineapple juice - or 100% canned pineapple juice
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Low sodium soy sauce - or tamari or coconut aminos
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No-sugar-added ketchup - or any ketchup
-
Rice vinegar - swap for a apple cider vinegar if you don't have any
-
Cornstarch - arrowroot powder or tapioca powder can also be used in place of
-
Fresh garlic - minced
-
Dried ginger - you can grate some fresh ginger instead, if you want
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This version of the instructions is a slightly shorter format than the recipe card directions. Use the full instructions found at the bottom of the post for best taste results.
- Step 1: Make the sauce. In a bowl or measuring cup combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, garlic, dried ginger and cornstarch.
- Step 2: Whisk together until smooth. Set aside.
- Step 3: Place chicken pieces in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with flour and salt.
- Step 4: Mix together to coat.
- Step 5: Slice the carrots, onions and peppers.
- Step 6: Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- Step 7: To the same pan, add carrots and onions. Cook, stirring often for a few minutes.
- Step 8: Once the onion softens, add bell peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes, moving the veggies around.
- Step 9: Now add the sauce, browned chicken pieces and pineapple.
- Step 10: Cook, stirring, for a few more minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Serving suggestions
Serve this sweet and sour pineapple chicken over white or brown rice. For a low carb version, serve it with cauliflower rice. You can also serve it with noodles, such as rice noodles or soba noodles.
I like to serve this with an extra side of extra veggies, such as steamed broccoli or sauteed bok choy.
If this chicken dish is part of an Asian-inspired dinner, pair it with other healthy options, such as my Shrimp Yaki Udon or Salmon Sushi Bake. You can also find recipe inspiration for a wide variety of Asian and Asian-American recipes in my Asian-Inspired Recipes category page.
How to Store Leftover Sweet and Sour Chicken
Allow any leftovers to cool completely before transferring to the refrigerator for storage. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheating
Stovetop - Heat a little oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the chicken leftovers. Saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until heated through.
Oven - preheat the oven to 450. Place leftovers in an oven safe dish and heat for about 10 minutes or until heated through
Air Fryer - Only use if you have a fitted tray without slots in it. Heat on the air fryer tray at 400° for about 7-8 minutes.
I avoid reheating this in the microwave because the chicken tends to lose its crispy exterior. But if you don’t mind that, you can also reheat in the microwave for 3-4 minutes until hot.
More Tips & Tricks
- To make this recipe gluten free, simply use your favorite gluten-free flour to coat the chicken pieces.
- If you want to use fresh pineapple, make sure it's ripe. In the case that you do use fresh pineapple, you may need to just use bottled or canned pineapple juice for the sauce if you don’t get enough juice from the pineapple.
- Toss in some red pepper flakes to add a little heat to the sweet and sour sauce
- If you want to add or use other veggies for your stir fry, broccoli, snow peas and/ or mushrooms are just a few great options.
Top Tip
Share something here that you think is key to making this recipe well, such as: Don't overcook the burgers! Sear the outside and cook to a minimum internal temperature, but they should still be juicy for best results.
FAQ
No, but both dishes are popular in Chinese-American cuisine. Sweet and sour chicken has a tangy, fruity sauce made with vinegar, sugar, and ketchup, while orange chicken features a sweeter, citrusy glaze with orange juice and soy sauce. Orange chicken is richer and stickier, whereas sweet and sour chicken is more tart and vibrant.
Yes, you can. Thigh meat is higher in fat and it takes longer to cook so you will need to sauteé it until browned and cooked through.
This recipe calls for no sugar added ketchup and I wouldn’t skip it. I like Primal Kitchen’s paleo-friendly ketchup or just no sugar Heinz.
Yes. If you prefer to use the air fryer, preheat it to 375 degrees, spray the basket with cooking oil, add the flour coated chicken pieces, spray with more oil and air fry for 6-7 minutes, shaking the basket after 4 minutes. Cook the veggies and sauce in the skillet and add the chicken towards the end.
More Asian inspired recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon flour all-purpose
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon avocado oil or vegetable oil
For the veggies
- 2 bell peppers red, yellow or orange, cut into strips or squares
- 2 carrots sliced thinly or julienned
- ½ onion large, or 1 small onion, cut into slices or strips
- 8 oz canned pineapple chunks 1 can, juice drained and reserved
- 2 teaspoon avocado oil or vegetable oil
Sweet and sour sauce
- reserved pineapple juice about ½ cup
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari or coconut aminos
- ⅓ cup no sugar added ketchup (or any ketchup)
- 3 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon corn starch or arrowroot powder or tapioca powder
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ teaspoon dried ginger
Garnish
- 2 scallions or green onions, sliced diagonally
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: whisk together soy sauce (or coconut aminos), ketchup, rice vinegar, garlic, dried ginger, reserved pineapple juice and corn starch until smooth. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl add diced chicken, salt and 1 tablespoon flour. Mix thoroughly to coat.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet. Add chicken pieces in one layer so that they don't touch each other. Sautee over medium heat for 4-5 minutes without turning, then flip to the other side and cook for 3-4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
- Add 2 additional teaspoons of oil to the empty skillet (brown bits on the bottom are ok). Add carrots and onions and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, making sure not to brown the onions. Then add bell peppers and cook together until fork tender, 3-4 minutes more, stirring often.
- Now add the cooked chicken and drained pineapple chunks. Pour in the sauce you prepared earlier. Stir together and keep cooking over medium-low heat a few more minutes, until the sauce thickens.
- Serve immediately over rice, garnished with sliced scallions and sesame seeds.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Mike says
Better than trader Joe's frozen orange chicken, which is saying a lot.
Agnieszka says
Nice! Thanks for the comment, Mike.
Bogusia says
Great recipe. Will make it again.☀️👍