This easy sweet and sour chicken recipe is the perfect solution for when you're craving American Chinese food, but you're not close to any Chinese restaurants (or are on a tight budget).
Thanks to pre-cooked crispy chicken pieces (aka chicken nuggets) and bottled sauce, this sheet pan recipe takes less than 30 minutes and uses just 5 ingredients!
Why You'll Love It:
- The perfect balance of flavors. Who can say no to the ultimate combo: sweet and sour? Paired with crispy chicken, it makes for a simple weeknight dinner.
- It doesn't get any easier than this. 5 ingredients, bottled sauce, and chicken nuggets make this a meal that is incredibly easy to put together (and kid-friendly).
- No fussing with making the sauce. Speaking of sauce, you can skip the corn starch, white vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and pineapple juice - a pre-made sauce works just fine. That being said, you can use homemade if you prefer!
Ingredients
- Frozen chicken nuggets: This puts the easy in "easy sweet and sour chicken"! Using pre-breaded chicken is a great shortcut, and you'll love the results. If you prefer, you could use frozen popcorn chicken, chicken bites, or even chicken tenders (if you don't mind the larger pieces).
- Sweet and sour sauce: We like to buy the bottled stuff because it keeps the recipe nice and easy, but if you have a homemade sweet and sour sauce recipe you love, feel free to use that instead!
- Pineapple: Either fresh or frozen can be used. If using frozen, be sure to thaw it first.
- Bell peppers: Use 2-3 bell peppers (depending on their size), and choose whatever colors you like best. Green pepper, yellow pepper - it doesn't matter! We like to use a variety of colors - nothing is more beautiful than a vibrant meal.
- Red onion: You need about 1 cup of red onion chunks, which is what a medium (or small-ish) onion should yield.
How to Make Sheet Pan
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Missing Chinese takeout? Try this "fake-out" version. No, it's not quite the same as the original, but it's a quick and easy dinner that definitely satisfies your craving on a budget.
- Add 1 ½ pounds of frozen chicken nuggets (or popcorn chicken) to a large bowl, along with ¾ cup of sweet and sour sauce.
- Fold the sauce into the nuggets until they are evenly coated.
- Spread the sauced-up nuggets onto a foil-lined baking sheet lightly sprayed with vegetable oil (or olive oil).
- Add 2 cups of pineapple chunks, spacing them out evenly.
- Next, add the chopped bell peppers and red onion. Bake in a 375ºF (190ºC) oven for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Drizzle on the remaining sauce and return the baking sheet to the oven for another 4-5 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and hot. Serve over hot cooked white rice and enjoy.
Top Tip: Use the Air Fryer
For extra crispy chicken, try cooking it in the air fryer first. While it cooks, bake the veggies in the oven. After about 10-12 minutes at 380ºF in the air fryer, the chicken should be crisp. Add it to the baking sheet and continue the cooking process as directed.
Variations
- Without chicken nuggets: You can prepare an unbreaded version by slicing skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts into super-thin strips.
- Using homemade sauce: Choose your favorite recipe, and add the sauce ingredients to a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat (or however directed in the recipe) until thickened. Pour it into a small bowl and allow it to cool down before using.
- Add more flavor: Feel free to garnish and serve this recipe however you like! Sliced green onion, sesame seeds, or a drizzle of rice vinegar are all delicious options.
Storing Leftovers
Tangy sauce, juicy chicken, and fresh pineapple - delicious, right? Well, we recommend eating this meal shortly after it is baked, because those liquid-heavy ingredients begin to soak into the breaded chicken, causing it to become softer.
That being said, leftovers are still pretty delicious! Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The leftovers can be reheated in the air fryer (for the best results) or the microwave until warmed through. Serve over hot rice.
If you loved this recipe for easy sheet and sour chicken, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or commenting below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds frozen chicken nuggets or frozen popcorn chicken (about 24 ounces or 680g)
- 1 medium red onion cut into chunks (about 1 cup)
- 2-3 bell peppers seeded and cut into chunks (about 2 cups)
- 2 cups pineapple chunks fresh, or canned and drained
- 1 ⅔ cup sweet and sour sauce roughly the amount in a 14oz bottle
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups cooked rice for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and line a rimmed sheet pan with foil. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray or olive oil.
- Add the frozen chicken nuggets to a large bowl and pour in about ¾ cup of the sauce. Gently fold the sauce in until the nuggets are evenly coated.
- Place the chicken nuggets (or popcorn chicken) evenly throughout the baking sheet.
- Add the pineapple chunks to the baking sheet, spacing them out evenly so that none are touching each other or the chicken pieces.
- Next, add the onions and bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the chicken nuggets are heated through (a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF or 74ºC).
- Drizzle the remaining sweet and sour sauce over the top.
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 4-5 minutes, or until the sauce starts to bubble.
- Remove from the oven and serve over hot cooked rice. Enjoy!
Notes
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Dorothy Bigelow says
This recipe is SO easy and my son loves it. It's easy for kids to help prepare, which makes them *a little* more likely to try some of the veggies.