Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken – Simple Homemade Recipe

This homemade Sweet and Sour Chicken is loaded with tender chicken, colorful bell peppers, carrots, and sweet pineapple simmered in a rich, velvety sauce. It’s an absolute Asian restaurant favorite that’s not only insanely delicious, but making it at home is also way cheaper and healthier than takeout!

This easy dinner is guaranteed to win over the whole family—it’s a total crowd-pleaser that both adults and picky kiddos will devour.

In my easy step-by-step recipe, I’ll show you just how effortless it is to whip up incredible homemade Sweet and Sour Chicken with rice right in your Thermomix® in no time at all.

What Is Sweet and Sour Chicken?

Sweet and sour chicken is a total Chinese takeout classic that you’ll find on almost every restaurant menu.

The ingredient list is super simple: tender chicken breast, vibrant bell peppers, sweet onions, and juicy pineapple chunks.

What really makes this dish shine is the fantastic sweet and sour sauce. It coats every bite of chicken and veggies, bringing all those delicious flavors together into a total taste explosion.

Why You’ll Love This Sweet and Sour Chicken:

• A classic takeout favorite made at home
• Super delicious (and a total crowd-pleaser for kids and adults alike!)
• Quick and easy to make
• Budget-friendly and wholesome
• Prepped in a flash with your Thermomix®
• Perfect for a quick lunch or hassle-free weeknight dinner

My Top Tips for Making Sweet and Sour Chicken

Feel free to customize the veggies! Beyond the bell peppers and carrots, you can toss in scallions, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, or snow peas. If you add extra vegetables, just splash in a little extra of the reserved cooking liquid to keep everything nice and saucy.

If you like a little extra kick, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of spicy curry powder into the sauce.

When grabbing canned pineapple, make sure to look for pineapple packed in 100% juice rather than syrup.

Feel free to swap the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer an even juicier option!

Looking for a low-carb alternative to rice? Serve this over steamed broccoli or cauliflower rice instead.

Can you make this ahead of time and store leftovers?

You can prep the chicken a day in advance—just dice it up and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.

You can also whisk the sauce together a day ahead of time.

That said, I recommend cooking the actual dish all in one go right before serving—it just tastes best freshly made!

Any leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 to 3 days.

Just make sure to store the rice separately from the chicken and sauce so the rice doesn’t soak everything up and get soft and mushy.

What You’ll Need for Sweet and Sour Chicken

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 carrots
• 1 1/4 cups jasmine rice (250 g (approx. 9 oz))
• 1 can pineapple chunks (15 oz / 432 g (approx. 15 oz)), juice reserved
• 5 cups water (1200 g (approx. 42.5 oz))
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika

For the Sauce:

• 1 cup reserved cooking liquid (250 g (approx. 9 oz))
• 1/3 cup reserved pineapple juice (100 ml (approx. 3.5 fl oz))
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil or canola oil
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt

Note: You’ll find the full ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions down in the recipe card below.

How to Make Sweet and Sour Chicken

Prep Work:

Place the rice in the simmering basket, then set it into a bowl and cover completely with water.

Let it soak while you finish the rest of your prep.

Next, wash and dry the carrots and bell peppers.

Peel the carrots and slice them into thin strips.

Remove the seeds from the bell peppers and slice them into strips as well.

Pat the chicken breast dry with a paper towel and chop into small, bite-sized cubes.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Place the prepped veggies into the Varoma® dish and season with 1 teaspoon of salt.

Add the chicken to the Varoma tray and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of paprika.

Pro Tip: Make sure to leave some of the steam vents on the tray uncovered! If they’re completely blocked, the steam can’t circulate properly, and your food won’t cook evenly.

Pour 1200 g (approx. 42.5 oz) of water into the mixing bowl, and add 1 teaspoon of salt.

Insert the simmering basket with the soaked rice into place.

Now, place the Varoma® tray inside the Varoma® dish and cover it with the lid.

Set the Varoma® on top of the mixing bowl and cook for 25 min. / Varoma® / Speed 2.

Meanwhile, open the canned pineapple and drain it over a bowl to catch all that delicious juice. Chop the pineapple chunks into smaller, bite-sized pieces if needed.

Once the timer goes off, carefully remove the Varoma® and set it aside.

Use your spatula to remove the rice basket from the mixing bowl. Keep it warm.

Reserve the cooking liquid, then pour 250 g (approx. 9 oz) (about 1 cup) of it back into the mixing bowl.

Next, add the rest of your sauce ingredients: 100 g (approx. 3.5 oz) of the reserved pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

Mix for 5 sec. / Speed 5, then bring to a boil for 4 min. / 100°C (210°F) / Speed 3.

Add the pineapple chunks and stir in for 20 sec. / Reverse / Speed 1.

Finally, transfer the chicken and vegetables into a large serving bowl, smother everything with that gorgeous sauce, and serve alongside the warm rice.

Enjoy!

Note: You can find the exact ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.

The listed prep and cook times are averages.

Happy cooking!

If you loved my quick Sweet and Sour Chicken, you might also want to try my delicious Chicken Gyros with Bell Peppers and Mushrooms! 🙂

Best,
Christoph
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Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and sour chicken is super delicious, plus making it from scratch is budget-friendly and healthy!

Author: Christoph

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Cook-modePrevent screen from giong dark.

Prep time 15 minutes mins

Cook time 35 minutes mins

Course All-in-one, Main course

Cuisine Asian

Difficulty Easy

Servings 4

Calories 395 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 500 g Chicken breast fillets (approx. 17.5 oz)
• ▢ 1 Bell peppers
• ▢ 2 Carrots
• ▢ 250 g Jasmine rice (approx. 9 oz)
• ▢ 1 Can of pineapple chunks (432 g (approx. 15 oz)) reserve juice
• ▢ 1200 g Water (approx. 42.5 oz)
• ▢ 3 tsp Salt
• ▢ 1 tsp Paprika

For the sauce:

• ▢ 250 g reserved cooking liquid (approx. 9 oz)
• ▢ 100 ml reserved canned pineapple juice (approx. 3.5 fl oz)
• ▢ 25 g apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar (approx. 1 oz)
• ▢ 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ 3 tbsp soy sauce
• ▢ 1 tbsp sesame oil or canola oil
• ▢ 2 tbsp brown sugar
• ▢ 2 tbsp cornstarch
• ▢ ½ tsp salt

Instructions

 

Prep Work:

• 250 g (approx. 9 oz) Jasmine rice, 1200 g (approx. 42.5 oz) Water
  Place the rice in the simmering basket, put it in a bowl, and cover completely with water. Let it soak while you finish the rest of your prep work.
• 1 Bell peppers, 2 Carrots
  Next, wash and dry the carrots and bell peppers.
• 2 Carrots
  Peel the carrots and cut them into thin strips.
• 1 Bell peppers
  Deseed the bell peppers and cut them into thin strips as well.
• 500 g (approx. 17.5 oz) Chicken breast fillets
  Pat the chicken breast dry with paper towels and finely dice into bite-sized pieces.

Instructions:

• 1 Bell peppers, 2 Carrots, 3 tsp Salt
  Place the sliced vegetables into the Varoma® dish and season with 1 teaspoon of salt.
• 500 g (approx. 17.5 oz) Chicken breast fillets, 3 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Paprika
  Place the diced chicken onto the Varoma® tray and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon paprika. Pro tip: Make sure to leave some steam vents uncovered! If they're blocked, the steam won't circulate properly and your food won't cook evenly.
• 250 g (approx. 9 oz) Jasmine rice, 1200 g (approx. 42.5 oz) Water, 3 tsp Salt
  Pour 1200 g (approx. 42.5 oz) water into the mixing bowl and add 1 teaspoon salt. Insert the simmering basket with the soaked rice.
• Set the tray inside the Varoma® dish and cover with the lid.
• Set the Varoma® in place on the mixing bowl and cook for 25 min / Varoma® / Speed 2.
• 1 Can of pineapple chunks (432 g (approx. 15 oz)), 100 ml (approx. 3.5 fl oz) reserved canned pineapple juice
  Meanwhile, drain the canned pineapple over a bowl using a strainer, catching and reserving the juice. Cut the pineapple chunks into smaller pieces if needed.
• 250 g (approx. 9 oz) Jasmine rice
  Once cooking time is up, carefully remove the Varoma® and set it aside. Use the spatula to lift out the simmering basket with the rice. Keep warm.
• 250 g (approx. 9 oz) reserved cooking liquid
  Pour out the cooking liquid, reserving it, and add 250 g (approx. 9 oz) of it back into the mixing bowl.
• 100 ml (approx. 3.5 fl oz) reserved canned pineapple juice, 25 g (approx. 1 oz) apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp sesame oil or canola oil, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp cornstarch, ½ tsp salt
  Add the rest of the sauce ingredients to the mixing bowl: 100 g (approx. 3.5 oz) of the reserved pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
• Mix for 5 sec / Speed 5, then bring to a boil for 4 min / 100°C (210°F) / Speed 3.
• 1 Can of pineapple chunks (432 g (approx. 15 oz))
  Add the pineapple chunks and gently stir in for 20 sec / Reverse mode / Speed 1.
• 500 g (approx. 17.5 oz) Chicken breast fillets, 1 Bell peppers, 2 Carrots, 250 g (approx. 9 oz) Jasmine rice
  Finally, transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large serving bowl, pour the warm sauce over top, and serve alongside your fluffy rice. Enjoy!

Notes

1. Feel free to toss in other veggies alongside the bell peppers and carrots! Green onions, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, or snow peas work great. If you add extra veggies, you might want to use a little more of the reserved cooking liquid.
2. If you love a little kick, add 1-2 teaspoons of hot curry powder to the sauce.

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Nutrition

Calories 395 kcal

Protein 35 g

Carbohydrates 79 g

Fat 6 g

Keywords Chicken, Rice

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