Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken is the perfect homemade takeout dish made completely in the crock-pot or an Instant Pot pressure cooker. Best of all, so easy for Sunday meal prep for work lunch bowls and way better and healthier than takeout! Plus recipe video!
Sweet and Sour Chicken is a popular Chinese takeout dish that so many of us love. It’s a family favorite along with this Kung Pao Chicken, General Tso’s Chicken and Orange Chicken,
This Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken is another copy-cat recipe that is much healthier than PF Changs – and the best part of all? I’ve included instructions for you to make it in your slow cooker or your Instant Pot pressure cooker.
It’s full of those classic authentic flavors and takes less effort than standing at the takeout line. Just a few minutes of prep time so it’s perfect for those busy week nights or days when you need your hands free.
HOW TO MAKE SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
- You’re going to start off with some cubed chicken that you coat in a little bit of cornstarch. For a crispier texture, pan-fry it on the stove for a couple minutes before adding it to the slow cooker. It’s an extra step but makes a HUGE difference!
After a few hours, add your favorite chopped veggies – I used red bell peppers and pineapple chunks this time, then you pour in the sauce. After thirty minutes, you’re ready to serve this warm over a bowl of cooked rice or quinoa.
Your favorite take-out dish that requires almost zero effort!
Allergy Friendly & Paleo Options for Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Sweet and Sour Chicken usually gets dunked in a breaded coating to get that crispy coating we all love. For this homemade version, there’s no deep frying but to achieve that restaurant quality taste, the chicken gets coated in cornstarch before browning in a little bit of oil.
- Substitute with arrowroot powder for a Paleo-friendly version
- Use coconut, [amazon_textlink asin=’B009P1995W’ text=’ghee’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’lifmadswe09-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’79ab06fb-6f23-11e8-8198-1ff2ad3ac08e’] or avocado oil for a Paleo-friendly option
You can also totally skip that step and add them directly into the crock-pot if you prefer. Browning is an additional step but makes a HUGE difference in taste and texture.
The sauce usually calls for low-sodium soy sauce, hoisin sauce and ketchup:
- Gluten-free Tamari and Coconut Aminos (paleo) are great substitutes.
- Hoisin sauce comes in a gluten free version or you can make your own at home HERE.
- Ketchup gives this that deep red color but if you can either make your own gluten free paleo version HERE or just sub with concentrated tomato paste + more honey instead.
Weekly meal prep-tips for your school or work lunch bowls
- Delicious for leftovers or make a batch on Sunday meal prep and pack for your weekly school or work lunch bowls
- Serve with your favorite side – Jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice or spiralized vegetables or zoodles
- For easier weekly meal prep – chop all the vegetables ahead of time and store in an airtight container the night before – – I use this lunch container.
More lunch bowl recipes:
General Tso’s Chicken Lunch Bowls
Slow Cooker Orange Lunch Bowls
Asian Lemon Chicken Lunch Bowls
Honey Lime Chicken with Asparagus Lunch Bowls
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe Video Tutorial
Homemade sweet and sour chicken. No need to order take-out with this easy delicious slow cooker version.
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized 1” cubes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder for Paleo friendly version (USE 3 tablespoons for an extra crispy coating)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- cooking oil
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 2 sweet bell peppers I used 1 red, 1 green, deseeded and cut into 1
- sesame seeds for garnish
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce use gluten free Tamari or coconut aminos for paleo version
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup
- 3 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce leave out if you can't find this
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder + 3 tablespoons cool water
- cooked rice or quinoa, or rice noodles
- lunch containers
- In a large zip-top bag, toss in the chicken, cornstarch salt, and black pepper. Shake until well-coated. Set aside.
- Make the sauce In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce, set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (You can skip this stove-top step if you prefer or are in a pinch. Just add chicken directly to slow cooker. Chicken will not have that crispy coating) Cook chicken about 2-3 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Transfer chicken into the slow cooker and pour sauce over top.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 2.5 - 4 hours or HIGH for 1.5 - 3 hours. (SEE NOTES)
- About 30 minutes before serving, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir into the slow cooker. Add the pineapples and bell peppers into the pot. Cover and cook on HIGH for another 20-30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened up and the vegetables are tender. (if your slow cooker is not hot enough to thicken the sauce - pour sauce into a pot and heat on stovetop on high to thicken sauce or you can just skip the cornstarch slurry instead)
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over rice, quinoa or zoodles, if desired.
- Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE (skip this step and just cook on MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (high) for 5 minutes if you are in a pinch or prefer. The chicken won't have that crispy coating.) Allow pan to heat up for a few minutes then add oil. Cook chicken in batches (placing the browned chicken on a paper-towel-lined plate) about 3-4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Once all the chicken is browned, add back to the Instant Pot and pour sauce over top.
- Close and seal Instant Pot and set the valve to sealing.
- Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (high) and set for 3 minutes. Once the 3 minutes is up and the Instant Pot beeps, allow to naturally release for 15-20 minutes. Open lid and transfer chicken to a large serving plate or bowl.
- Return inner pot back to the Instant Pot. Press the SAUTE button and add additional oil as needed. Toss in the pineapple and bell peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes, until tender.
- Combine the corn starch with water and stir into the Instant Pot. Allow the sauce to bubble and thicken up. Add the chicken back to the Instant Pot and cook for a minute or two until everything is heated through.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions and serve over rice, quinoa or zoodles, if desired.
- Prepare your favorite carb (rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, roasted potatoes, rice noodles) and add to containers. Divide sweet and sour chicken among containers and add any other of your favorite roasted or stir-fried vegetables.
**For those of you that don’t have a slow cooker, you can still make this dish on your stove top easily.
Check out my Sweet and Sour Pork Dish that doesn’t require a slow cooker. Just replace the pork with chicken or firm tofu instead.
Slow cooker / Crockpot Chicken Lo Mein Noodles (a reader favorite)
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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
Liz -
Sweet and sour pork was one of the first recipes I ate at the one and only Chinese restaurant in my hometown. I love your easy, healthier version with chicken! DE-lish!
Krissy Hennessy -
Hi Kelly!
We just tried this recipe tonight and it is FANTASTIC! Thank you so much for sharing it! I’ve pinned it and will share it with some of my slow cooking friends 🙂
I’m brand spankin’ new to the crockpot world (and cooking in general) and have a few questions about the recipe that I hope you can help clarify for me. I appreciate your patience with all of my questions!
-if you cook the chicken without making it crispy, do you put it in raw or do you cook it before you throw it into the crockpot with the sauce?
-your instructions say to remove the chicken from the crockpot and shred on a plate. do you ever put the chicken back into the crockpot so it can be served warm with the rest of the dish?
-you say to “whisk the slurry gently with the chicken mixture. Are you referring to the “chicken mixture” as the sweet and sour sauce or the chicken? Up to this point, the instructions have already had me remove the chicken from the crockpot with a slotted spoon…
-you say to shred the chicken on a plate. why would you cube it to begin with only to shred later?
Again, thank you for the fabulous, fantastic, amazing recipe! It will be one that our family will enjoy often!
Kelly -
Hi Krissy,
I am so so glad to hear you made this and like it. Thanks so much for pinning too! Hopefully I can help answer your questions:
1) Put the chicken in raw if not browning on the stove.
2) You put the chicken back into the crockpot after you add in the slurry. (Sorry this must have got cut off, I just updated the recipe to reflect that in step # 7)
3) Whisk the slurry gently with the sweet and sour sauce in the crockpot. (I just updated the recipe to reflect that in step # 6)
4) Shred the chicken only if you are not browning it on the stove first or if you would rather have it shredded like pulled pork instead of cubed like my pictures.
I have updated the recipe to reflect this as well. Hope that helps and thank so much for coming back to let me know your feedback. So glad you like this, it is one of our family’s favorite recipes!
Enjoy!
Kelly
Krissy hennessy -
Wow, you rock! Thank you so much for taking the time to clarify all of my questions! I left town yesterday and talked to my husband on the phone last night. The first thing he said was how amazing his leftovers (of your sweet and sour chicken) were 😉 He LOVES this dish, as it sounds like your husband does! Thanks again for the great recipe and for making it simple to follow for “kitchen dummies” like me!
Rachel -
Do you think it would taste the same if I used turkey? I have all the ingredients at home except for boneless chicken breasts… I have turkey though.
Kelly -
Hi Rachel,
I have never tried making this dish with turkey but that sounds delicious. Turkey has a slightly stronger and gamier taste but if you are a fan of turkey I think that would be a great substitute. If you do try it out with turkey, I’d love to hear back and see how it went. Good luck and hope you enjoy!
Thanks,
Kelly
Natalie -
This was delicious. And my 16 month old loved it as well (husband is away on a business trip so he missed out). Thank you for listing some substitutions…I used ketchup, but otherwise followed your recipe as listed and will definitely be making it again.
Kelly -
Hi Natalie! I’m so glad you and your 16 month old enjoyed this dish and found the substitutions helpful. It’s one of my family’s favorites. Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know! 🙂
Bernie -
Last week I bought a cookbook for the olde slow cooker, could not believe the recipe for sweet and sour chicken used a jar of sauce from the supermarket. Found your recipe Kelly and today being the first day of winter here in Australia, am making it for dinner tonight. Got to say it smells…yum… Mmmmmm. Thanks heaps!!
Kelly -
Hi Bernie, so glad you are making this and hope you enjoy. It is one of our family’s favorite dishes 🙂
Kelly