Sweet & Sour Chicken (Gluten-Free, Paleo, Allergy-Free)

Name: Sweet & Sour Chicken (Gluten-Free, Paleo, Allergy-Free)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs Chicken Tenders (cut into 1-inch chunks); 1 TB Corn Starch (or Arrowroot Starch); Black Pepper (to taste); 1 TB Neutral Oil; 1 Cup Pineapple Chunks in 100% Juice; 1/4 Cup Homemade Ketchup (or a Natural Ketchup); 3 TB Rice Vinegar; 2 TB Coconut Aminos; 1/2 Tsp Minced Garlic; 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder

July 29, 2019 by Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine 44 Comments

The best quick and easy recipe for Sweet & Sour Chicken! A Chinese takeout favorite that’s homemade, gluten-free, paleo, and allergy-free! This healthier unfried version is made in a wok or skillet on the stove and tossed with a sweet and sticky sauce that’s naturally sweet!

People are always telling me that sweet & sour chicken is their FAVORITE Chinese takeout dish. For good reason too! It’s battered and deep-fried chicken, coating in that iconic reddish/orange sweet, tangy, sticky sauce that’s just to die for! But, it is the healthiest? Is it gluten-free? Is it easy to make at home on a busy weeknight? No. However, we can fix that! This super easy allergy-free version of sweet & sour chicken is just the recipe you need to satisfy the craving no matter what your dietary needs are!

Homemade Sweet & Sour Sauce

Since we’re not frying this chicken, the SAUCE has to be on point! This sweet & sour sauce is 6 ingredients, allergy-free, no added sugars, no oils, no soy!

Pineapple
Coconut Aminos
Rice Vinegar
Ketchup
Garlic
Onion Powder

Blitz those ingredients together in a blender or food processor and you’ll have the BEST sweet & sour sauce! It’s tangy, sweet, salty, umami; you may just want to whip up an extra batch to keep on in the fridge for other meals besides this chicken!

How to Make Sweet & Sour Chicken

Once you’ve made that bangin’ homemade sweet & sour sauce, you just need to grab some chicken tenders, corn starch (or arrowroot for a paleo version!), and a touch of black pepper.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch chunks and toss it in the starch and black pepper to coat.
Add the coating chicken pieces to a hot oiled skillet and stir fry for 5 minutes.
Pour in the prepared sweet and sour sauce, continue cooking till the sauce thickens and the chicken is cooked through for about 8-10 minutes!

Serve your sweet & sour chicken with rice and chopped scallions or cauliflower rice for a grain-free paleo meal! It’s a perfect quick weeknight gluten-free dinner for the family and if you don’t have a crowd to feed, don’t worry! This takeout chicken makes an amazing leftover lunch option (we all know how good Chinese takeout is the next day! *hint: even better*)

Healthy Sweet & Sour Chicken

This stir-fried version uses one tablespoon of oil, no deep-frying or heavy breading required! No refined sugars in the sauce, just the natural sugars in the pineapple! It’s top allergen-free, no soy, nuts, sesame, or egg. Of course, it’s also gluten-free, grain-free, and paleo, but can you even tell? You’ll have to decide for yourself, but this recipe won’t leave you feeling heavy and weighed down (those takeout sodium hangovers!). It’s perfect 15 minutes meal for the whole family to enjoy!

Other Homemade Takeout Recipes:

Gluten-Free Sweet & Sour Chicken