Skip the take-out and make this Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken recipe instead. It’s an easy dinner and a healthier twist on one of our favorite take-out dishes.
We’re certainly not opposed to ordering out from our favorite Chinese restaurant, but I like to make this baked sweet and sour chicken at home to save on the dollars and the calories. It’s lighter than the fried version, but still has all of the flavors.
I am not so sure I’d like to admit how many times our family’s go-to quick meal has been Chinese take-out. We love it and, for a long time, I felt like it was easier to order it. But after ordering, waiting for it to be ready, and driving across town to get it I realized I wasn’t saving any time.
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Our schedule is crazy with all seven of us going in different directions, so I’d rather use the little time we do have to make something a little lighter and healthier. So now this Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken is our go-to when we get a craving for take-out.
I first made this recipe after finding it on Facebook years ago before I started blogging. I’ve made it so many times since have tweaked it until it was perfect. My kids love this dinner!
Recipe Highlights
As much as we love it, the restaurant version is… shall we say, not so healthy? So for my homemade version, I skip the frying and bake it instead. It’s the sweet and sour sauce that we really love and so we don’t even miss the crispy breading on the chicken.
If you really love the crispy chicken, I have an air fryer orange chicken recipe you might like to try.
I also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs to keep things lighter, too. That, plus skipping the frying and heavy breading, gives my version a healthy twist that doesn’t leave you weighed down after dinner.
I don’t cut corners with the sauce recipe, however. It has that wonderful bright sweet and sour flavor and as it bakes in the oven it caramelizes and thickens. This recipe really is all about the sauce – it’s amazing.
I love it as is, but you can easily add your favorite veggies like diced bell peppers or broccoli florets. Pile it all on rice and no one will miss the take-out, I can promise you that.
How to Make It
Whisk the sugar, vinegar, chicken broth, ketchup, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
There are a couple of ways to make baked sweet and sour chicken. I’ve done them both and they work great, so choose your favorite option:
Option 1: Chicken Pieces
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, place them in the baking dish and pour the sauce over the top.
- Every 20 minutes, give it all a stir while it’s baking. It should be fully cooked in 60 minutes.
Option 2: Whole Chicken Breasts
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the whole chicken breasts in a baking dish and cover them with the sauce. Bake them for an hour and a half, turning them one to two times while they bake.
- Once the baked chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and caramelized take it out of the oven. Allow it to cool for a few minutes and then cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. Return it back to the sauce and stir to coat it evenly.
Sandra’s Recipe Tips
Variations
I love the flavor of the apple cider vinegar but you can use the same amount of rice vinegar if you prefer.
You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Depending on the size you may need to adjust the baking time.
For added texture, sprinkle some sesame seeds over the top for garnish. Or add some sliced green onions.
My family loves this dinner with some cooked broccoli, red bell peppers, and white rice or brown rice on the side. You could also add some pineapple chunks.
If you have leftovers, I also like to wrap the sauce and chicken up in tortillas with some shredded cheddar cheese, too.
The next time you get a Chinese food take-out craving I hope you’ll give this one a try. It’s a family favorite at our house and I love that it’s lighter and saves us a few bucks, too.
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Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken
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Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
For the Chicken
- 6 to 8 raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl whisk sugar, vinegar, chicken broth, ketchup, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
- You can prepare the chicken in this dish one of two ways.
OPTION 1:
- Place the whole chicken breasts in a 9×13 baking dish. Season the chicken with the garlic salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over chicken and place the baking dish in the oven. Bake it for 1 1/2 hours (turn the chicken one to two times) or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and dark in color.
- Remove the baking dish from the and transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes and then cut it into cubes. Add the chicken back to the sauce and serve.
OPTION 2:
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes and season them with the garlic salt and pepper. Place the pieces in a 9×13 baking dish and pour the sauce over the top. Bake the chicken for 60 minutes, stirring it every 20 minutes or until it's cooked through and the sauce is has thickened.
Notes
- If you like a spicy kick, add some sriracha to the finished dish.
- When you mix up the sauce, the consistency will be light and the color will be bright, but don’t worry. It will darken and thicken up as it bakes in the oven.
- If your sauce isn’t thick enough once it’s baked, just remove the chicken and add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the sauce and whisk to combine. You can do this right in the baking dish.
- This recipe makes a lot of sauce, which we love. Once the chicken is ready to serve, I will transfer the extra sauce to a small mason jar to have on the side so everyone can add more if they want it.
- There’s enough sauce to cook up to eight chicken breasts, which is what is included in the nutrition estimate. If you use less chicken, the estimate will vary.
- The finished dish holds well. Often, I make it early and cover it with foil to keep it warm until everyone is ready to eat.
This recipe was originally posted on A Dash of Sanity in December 2013 and has recently been updated.
Sandy, oh my, this looks and sounds scrumptious! I absolutely love a dish just like this! Thank you so shring your recipe and pinning! Hope you have a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend! 🙂
It is in the oven as I type! Smells great!
I love how versatile this recipe is. And you can’t go wrong with a healthy version of Chinese! Thanks for linking to the In and Out of the Kitchen Link Party. Hope to see you next week.
I’m trying to avoid white sugar.
Do you think honey or real maple syrup could be used instead?
Trying this tonight. Thanks!
This is one of my favorites. But do not know how to do it. Based on your recipe formula, I will try. Thank you!
has any one made this without the ketchup? It’s an allergy in our household, and I’d like to know if this can be made without it…
I just wanted to stop in and rave about this recipe. I made it last night, and it’s delicious.
This is one of our favorite take out dishes,. Can’t wait to try it at home!
This sounds so delicious and easy to make!
This needs to be added to our weeknight dinner rotation!
This was so flavorful and delicious! Thank you for the easy recipe!
Such a great flavor, and I love that it’s baked!
Oh my, this sounds incredibly delicious!! YUM!
I would love this for dinner! Looks delicious!!
I would love this for dinner! Looks delicious!!
Adding hot fudge sauce.
This is one of our favorite take out dishes,. Can’t wait to try it at home! I would love this for dinner! Looks delicious!! Such a great flavor, and I love that it’s baked!
This is one of my favorite dishes that I’ve ever cooked! Because it’s easy to make, healthy and delicious!
This Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken was a game-changer! It turned out just as juicy and flavorful as the takeout version but healthier. I really appreciated the tips on getting the sauce just right. It was perfect over some jasmine rice.
I absolutely love this version of a take-out alternative!