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4.92 — Votes 12 votes

Oven Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

The crispiest oven-baked chicken coated in a gooey sweet and sour sauce that fills the nostalgia of takeout vibes, but so much better!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Lindsay Bare

Ingredients

  • pounds chicken thighs boneless, skinless
  • 6 ounces pineapple juice
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ½ cup arrowroot starch + 1 tablespoon
  • ½ cup white rice flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 bell peppers red
  • 1 onion white
  • rice for serving
  • 3 tablespoons avocado spray or avocado oil

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then lightly spray it with avocado oil spray (or brush with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil).
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the arrowroot starch, white rice flour, and sea salt.
  • Cut the chicken thighs into 1” cubes, then dredge in the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour, and place the chicken pieces on one side of the baking sheet.
  • Slice the bell pepper and onions and spread them out on the other side of the baking sheet. Lightly spray the chicken and veggies with avocado oil spray (or brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of avocado oil).
  • Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the chicken and pull the pan of veggies out of the oven. Bake the chicken for an additional 10 minutes until it's browned and crisp.
  • While the chicken and veggies are cooking, whisk together the pineapple juice, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, and soy sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Whisk together 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl, then add the mixture to the sauce and whisk to combine. Reduce the heat to low and remove the sauce from the heat once thickened.
  • Toss the chicken with the sweet and sour sauce, then garnish with white sesame seeds. Serve over white rice and enjoy!

Notes

  • Make it gluten. Use gluten free soy sauce or tamarind to make this recipe gluten free. 
  • Make it low-FODMAP. Substitute broccoli florets for the onions in the vegetables.
  • Change the vegetables. Feel free to substitute the bell peppers and onions for any other vegetable of your liking! Something that will roast in the 20-30 minute cooking time is best.
  • Use a different protein. Use pork tenderloin for a fun spin on this classic combo. It’s just as tasty!

Nutrition

Calories: 602kcal | Carbohydrates: 104.4g | Protein: 15.9g | Fat: 13.5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 52.5mg | Sodium: 1132.3mg | Fiber: 3.1g | Sugar: 56.1g