Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken is an easy, affordable way to skip takeout and still enjoy the same flavor at home. The sauce is perfectly sweet and savory, and it coats the crispy chicken beautifully. Just serve over rice for a complete meal.

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This post was last updated 8/2025.

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Shopping list:

• granulated sugar
• ketchup
• white vinegar
• soy sauce
• garlic salt
• boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt
• black pepper
• cornstarch
• eggs
• oil

Growing up in Central Minnesota, our dinners were all about comfort food. Casseroles, pasta bakes, meat and potatoes, or fresh veggies straight from the garden in the summer. Branching out into foods from other cultures just wasn’t something we did much, so I never really grew up eating dishes like sweet and sour chicken. But now, it’s one of my absolute favorite ways to mix up our weeknight dinner routine. The best part? All of the ingredients are simple and usually already in the pantry or fridge, no special trip to the store required.

My friend Amanda had made this baked sweet and sour chicken a few times for her family, and they loved it, so I finally decided to give it a try. I was just amazed at how great it turned out! The sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and savory, and it coats the chicken beautifully as it thickens in the oven. 

It’s the kind of dish that tastes like takeout, but it’s way more affordable, skips the deep frying, and is easy enough for any night of the week. Just serve it over white rice or fried rice and maybe a side of steamed broccoli, and you’ve got a comforting, flavorful dinner that everyone will love.

Are you looking for more Asian inspired meals? Check out this Panda Express Mushroom Chicken or Chicken Fried Rice!

Have some extra chicken breast to use? Try my Coconut Lime Chicken or Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas!

Keep scrolling for the full printable recipe 💙

Recipe tips and substitution ideas:

• To save time, try using pre diced chicken or cut it in advance and freeze it for quick prep later. You can also make the sweet and sour sauce up to three days ahead and store it in the fridge, just give it a quick stir before using. When it’s time to cook, set up a quick dipping station for the cornstarch and egg to coat the chicken efficiently in batches.

• Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.

• This recipe is super flexible! Boneless skinless thighs are a great substitute for breasts. If you’re out of eggs, try dipping the chicken in a quick slurry made from milk and flour, or skip the egg entirely for a lighter coating. Cornstarch gives the chicken its crisp texture, but if you don’t have it, all purpose flour will work in a pinch, it may be slightly less crispy.

• For ingredient swaps in the sauce, white vinegar can be replaced with apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar, and you can use brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup instead of granulated sugar. If you want to kick things up a notch, try using spicy ketchup or jalapeño ketchup instead of regular, it adds a great little heat without making the dish too spicy. To reduce sodium, swap the garlic salt for garlic powder and omit any other salt in the recipe entirely. For a gluten-free version, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and make sure your cornstarch is certified gluten-free.

Our favorite kitchen equipment and supplies used with this recipe:

• OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Silicone Whisk Set
• OXO Good Grips 7-Piece Nesting Measuring Beaker Set
• Pyrex Basics 3 Quart Glass Oblong Baking Dish
• Reusable Chopsticks

Yield 4 servings

Author Hot Eats and Cool Reads

Prep time

15 Min

Cook time

55 Min

Total time

1 H & 10 M

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

Our meals growing up were mostly casseroles, pastas, and classic comfort food, so this dish was definitely something different. But with everyday ingredients and amazing flavor, this baked sweet and sour chicken quickly became a new favorite.

Ingredients

• sauce:
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• chicken:
• 4 average sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup oil

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients until well combined. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
4. Season the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper. Dip each piece first into cornstarch, then into the beaten egg, coating fully.
5. Add the coated chicken pieces in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches if necessary. Sear the chicken until browned on all sides, but not fully cooked through.
6. Transfer the browned chicken to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken and gently toss to coat.
7. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the sauce is thick and glossy and the chicken is fully cooked and coated.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

451

Fat

17 g

Sat. Fat

2 g

Carbs

71 g

Fiber

1 g

Net carbs

71 g

Sugar

41 g

Protein

4 g

Sodium

1590 mg

Cholesterol

93 mg

Hot Eats and Cool Reads is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you try from this blog/website. You may not always have the same results I do due to variations in ingredients, humidity, altitude, cooking temperatures, typos, errors, omissions, or individual cooking abilities. 

You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful. I am not a certified nutritionist and make no claims to the contrary. Each individual's dietary needs and restrictions are unique to the individual.

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