This Dump-and-Bake Sweet and Sour Chicken is a lighter, healthier version of the Chinese restaurant classic. With just one dish and about 10 minutes of prep, it’s even easier than take-out!
Hey, friends! When I posted my recipe for Dump-and-Bake General Tso Chicken last winter, one of my kind readers asked if I had a similar dump-and-bake recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken.
I thought that was a great idea, so I got to work in the kitchen and finally arrived at this incredibly delicious version!
How do you make Sweet and Sour Sauce for Chicken?
The key to a tasty Sweet and Sour Chicken is obviously the perfect sweet and sour sauce! It needs to be thick (not runny and watery like some slow cooker recipes), and it needs to have the perfect balance of sweetness and tang. You don't want so much sweet that you feel like you're eating candy, and you don't want so much sour that it makes your mouth pucker.
It's got to be juuuuuust right, and that's exactly what we have here!
I've created an easy sauce that takes advantage of some basic pantry ingredients -- so that you don't have to make a trip to a specialty grocer!
The homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce for Chicken includes:
- ketchup
- apple cider vinegar
- brown sugar
- soy sauce
- garlic
- ginger
Once you've whisked together your sweet and sour sauce, your job is practically done! You just toss the sauce with some uncooked chicken and vegetables and pop it all in the oven.
There's no need to stand over a skillet to stir-fry your meal, and there's no need to spend money on Chinese carry-out! This is seriously one of the tastiest and easiest family dinners that you will find!
What should I serve with the Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken?
We love a side of white sticky rice -- just like the Chinese restaurant serves! To get that same sticky rice texture, try using a rice cooker. It's so simple to just flip a switch and have the perfect rice waiting for you a short while later. I can't be trusted to babysit a simmering pot, so that little appliance has seen lots of use in our home!
If you want a lighter option, this Sweet and Sour Chicken is also delicious served over cauliflower rice. You can pick up a bag (or two) of frozen riced cauliflower in the freezer aisle at your grocery store. The freezer bags go in the microwave for a few minutes and you've got the perfect base for a healthy dinner!
Which option will you choose?
Are there any other favorite recipes that you'd like me to turn into easy, quick-prep dump-and-bake dinners? I'm always happy to accommodate another request, so please feel free to send them my way!
Enjoy!
Dump-and-Bake Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup diced onion
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- For serving: cooked rice (or cauliflower rice for a grain-free option)
- Optional garnish: sliced green onions; sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a medium baking dish with cooking spray (I have used both a deep 9-inch by 6-inch dish and an 11-inch by 7-inch dish, and both work well).
- Place chicken in the prepared dish. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss to coat.
- Stir in onion and bell peppers.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables; stir to combine.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Stir, return to the oven for 5-10 more minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and sauce has slightly thickened. If you find that your sauce is too thick when the chicken is done baking, you can add a splash of warm water (as necessary), and stir to thin.
- Serve over hot cooked rice, if desired. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Notes
Nutrition
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Karen Benitez
Hi Blair - thanks for all of the dump and bake recipes!! They work great for our church fellowship meals. Is it possible to do this sweet and sour chicken recipe in the crockpot?
Blair
Hi, Karen! I'm so glad that you enjoy the dump-and-bake recipes! 🙂
Yes, I think this dish would work very well in the slow cooker. The sauce might be a bit thinner than my baked version, since the condensation from the lid of the slow cooker will add liquid to the dish, but I still think that it will be fine. You can always add some additional cornstarch to the sauce at the end if you want to thicken it up a bit, too!
Karen Benitez
Perfect! Thanks. When I make it I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Blair
Awesome!
Anna
cover the slow cooker with paper towels before placing the lid on. This absorbs the condensation and keeps the food you are cooking from getting too much moisture.
Karen
Great idea Anna! Thanks!!
Rebel Lynn
Thank you for these dump and bake recipes! I loved this one very much!
Blair
That's great! I'm so glad that you liked it! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Buffey
This was fantastic! I added a can of pineapple tidbits during the last 5 minutes.
Blair
Awesome, Buffey! I'm so glad that it was a hit! The pineapple is a delicious addition. I'll try that next time!
Rachel
Sweet and sour chicken is a family favorite of ours! I'm excited to try your version which looks so easy and delicious! Thank you!
Michelle Gomez
Thank you for the recipe. My family and I loved it. I like that it is quick to prepare and has a good balance between sweet and sour without being to sweet like many others are. A winner in our house and we be making it again soon I am sure.
Blair
Wonderful! I'm so glad that your family enjoyed it! 🙂
Jude
I have just made this for my husband and 6 year old daughter. It was so easy and quick to make and turned out brilliantly. The sauce was perfect. Thanks so much for sharing.
Blair
Wonderful! Thanks, Jude!
Kayla
This recipe wS absolutely amazing! Followed it step by step and it will definitely be a must make for this house!!
Michelle
Wow. This was a home run with my husband and three boys. This was so easy to make after a night of games. I made the recipe exactly as directed except I marinated the chicken. Thank you so much for sharing this easy recipe.
Blair
Yay! I'm so glad to hear that, Michelle!
Laura Hluck
I made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit. I bought a three pack of medium sized bell peppers and used them all. My teenager daughter also loved it....and she's picky. Thank you!
Blair
That's awesome, Laura! Getting picky kids to eat veggies is always a win! 🙂
Kay
Delicious! This recipe is a keeper. My only change was using less bell pepper. I divided into 2 pans and baked one and froze one. I’m looking forward to trying other dump and bake recipes!
Blair
Awesome! I'm so glad that you liked it, Kay. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Shanna Thompson
I made this last night. I used shallots instead of onion. I can't eat soy sauce or brown sugar, so I substituted pineapple juice from a small can of pineapple bits with 1/4 tsp of salt added. Then, added the pineapple bits during the last 5 minutes as suggested by others. It was very good. Thank you so much!
Blair
Awesome! I'm so glad that it was a hit, Shanna. Thanks for letting me know!
Stephanie
Made this with the delicious addition of ripe pineapple! Yum.
Blair
Sounds perfect, Stephanie! Thank you!
CC
This was delicious! Everyone from my toddler to my grandma and everyone in between loved it!
Blair
That's so great to hear! Thanks for letting me know, CC. 🙂
Rochelle
This is now my go-to Sweet & Sour chicken recipe. I love Sweet & Sour, my husband likes it but it's never been a favorite until now. This is the first one he's ever requested for dinner. I also add pineapple like some others. Thanks for another winner!
Blair Lonergan
Oh, wow -- that's such a compliment that your husband approves, too. 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to leave me a note!