Easy Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe (A Skinny Suppers Favorite, Updated)

This easy baked sweet and sour chicken recipe has been sitting in my back pocket for years. It was one of the recipes readers loved most in Skinny Suppers, and I still make it more than almost anything else in that book. Tender chicken, sweet pineapple, crisp bell peppers, and a sauce that clings to every bite instead of pooling in the bottom of the dish.

I wrote that original version at a season of life when I was trying to lighten up everything we ate without losing flavor. It worked. But going back through it recently, I realized a few small changes would make it even better. A cast iron sear on the chicken instead of a plain skillet. Finishing the bake uncovered so the sauce actually caramelizes instead of steaming. A little butter stirred in right at the end. Small things, but they change the whole dish.

This is still the same easy baked sweet and sour chicken recipe you remember from the cookbook. It is just better now.

My teens are not shy about picking around vegetables they do not want, so I chop the peppers big enough to push aside if needed, and nobody complains. Serve it over rice with the sauce spooned generously over top, and you have got a dinner that feels like takeout without the drive-thru line.

Let’s get into it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Lightened up, not flavor-less. Reduced-sugar ketchup, real pineapple juice, and a monk fruit sweetener option keep this easy baked sweet and sour chicken recipe satisfying without the sugar crash.
• One dish, minimal cleanup. Sear the chicken, dump everything in the baking dish, and the oven does the rest.
• That sticky, glossy sauce. Finishing uncovered means the sauce actually reduces instead of staying watery.
• Picky eater friendly. Chop the peppers big so they are easy to set aside, and the sweet sauce wins most kids over anyway.
• Great for meal prep. This one reheats beautifully for lunches through the week.

Food for Thought: You Don’t Have to Carry It All

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Some days the weight of everything you’re holding sneaks up on you. The schedules, the worry about your kids, the thing someone said that you can’t stop replaying, the future you can’t control no matter how hard you try to plan for it.

We were never meant to carry all of that alone. Not because we’re weak, but because we were never designed to be the ones holding it all together in the first place.

Cast means throw. Not gently set down, not politely mention in passing. Throw it. Hand it over completely and let it actually leave your hands.

If you’re worn thin today, this is your reminder. He cares about the small stuff too, not just the big crises. The tired mornings. The decision you’re second-guessing. The thing you haven’t told anyone you’re worried about.

You don’t have to hold it together on your own today. You were never supposed to.

Ingredients for Easy Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• ⅓ cup cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sauce:

• 1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks packed in juice (I like Del Monte), juice reserved
• ¼ cup reduced-sugar or regular ketchup (I use Heinz)
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon less-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon monk fruit sweetener blend or sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Vegetables:

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

To Finish:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced

Ingredient Notes:

• Sweetener: Monk fruit blend keeps this lightened up and caramelizes closer to real sugar than stevia does. A stevia blend works too if that is what you keep on hand, or use 1 teaspoon regular sugar or honey if you are not watching sugar and want it a touch more classic.
• Cast iron: A cast iron skillet gets a deeper sear on the chicken than a nonstick pan will. If you do not have one, a heavy stainless skillet is the next best thing.
• Bell peppers: Chop these on the larger side. Easy to set aside for picky eaters, and they hold their texture better in the oven.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 11×7-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Coat the chicken. Add the chicken and cornstarch to a large resealable bag. Seal and shake until every piece is evenly coated.
3. Sear the chicken. Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Sear 2 to 3 minutes per side until deep golden brown. It won’t be cooked through yet, and that’s fine, you’re just building flavor here. Remove from the heat.
4. Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice for the sauce.
5. Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, ketchup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, monk fruit sweetener, red pepper flakes, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of cornstarch.
6. Assemble. Place the seared chicken in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add the pineapple chunks, onion, and bell peppers. Pour the sauce evenly over everything.
7. Bake covered. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Uncover and finish. Remove the foil and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and starting to reduce around the edges and the chicken reaches 165°F. This is the step that gives you that sticky, glossy sauce instead of a watery one, so don’t skip it.
9. Finish with butter. Pull the dish from the oven and stir in the butter until melted and glossy.
10. Garnish and serve. Top with green onions and serve hot over rice.

Tips, Swaps, and Make-Ahead Notes

• Make ahead: Chop the vegetables and mix the sauce up to a day in advance. Store separately in the fridge and assemble when ready to bake.
• Storage: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Cool completely and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Picky eaters: Leave the peppers chunky so they are easy to push aside, or leave them out of one corner of the dish before baking.
• Spice it up: Add a little extra red pepper flakes if your family likes heat.

FAQ

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes. Boneless, skinless thighs work well here and stay a little juicier. Cook time stays about the same, just verify they reach 165°F.

Why is my sauce too thin?

Give it those last 10 to 15 minutes uncovered. That’s what lets the sauce actually reduce and thicken instead of staying watery under foil the whole time.

Can I make this ahead for meal prep?

Absolutely. It reheats beautifully in the microwave or a covered skillet over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce back up.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this over steamed white or brown rice so the sauce has something to soak into. Fried rice works beautifully too if you want to go all in on the takeout-at-home feel. A simple cucumber salad or steamed broccoli on the side rounds it out for a Sunday supper or an easy weeknight dinner.

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Closing

This easy baked sweet and sour chicken recipe has been a family favorite for years, and now it’s even better. Same lightened-up recipe you loved from Skinny Suppers, just with a few small changes that make a big difference in the pan.

If you make it, I would love to hear how your family liked it. And if tonight’s supper needs a little extra encouragement alongside it, I hope the Food for Thought above gave you something to hold onto.

XO,