Sweet and Sour Chicken Bites

Sweet and sour chicken bites are ooey gooey deliciousness made with chicken and an easy sweet and sour sauce. All served on a bed of rice. This recipe is so effortless and tasty! My family happily gobbled it right up.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Bites

This sweet and sour chicken bites recipe is quick and fast, making it the perfect meal for busy weeknights. If you’ve ever had sweet and sour chicken from restaurants in the mall, this is very similar but a homemade version. My husband LOVED this recipe!

Boneless skinless chicken is cut into small bite size pieces – you can use chicken breast, chicken thighs or tenders. Then it’s combined with a yummy homemade sauce and served on a bed of rice.

I love this recipe because is fast, budget-friendly and convenient. Consider this an easy “dump and cook” recipe for the nights when you’re craving easy comfort food.

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Ingredients Shopping List

Here’s what you’ll need to make these sweet and sour chicken bites:

• 2 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – You can use chicken breasts, thighs or tenders. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs.
• ¼ cup Cornstarch – This is used to thicken the sauce. Alternatively, you can use arrowroot powder if you don’t want to use cornstarch. It’s a gluten free ingredient typically used to thicken sauces and soups. > Buy Arrowroot Powder Here.
• White Rice – You can use any kind of rice you want. I use long grain white rice. > Buy Organic White Rice Here.

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients:

• ¾ cup Coconut Sugar – Used to sweeten the sauce. You can also use brown sugar, or monkfruit sweetener. Coconut sugar is my personal favorite due to it’s carmel-like taste (it tastes nothing like coconut). > Buy Coconut Sugar Here.
• ¼ cup Tomato Paste – I prefer to use tomato paste becuase it’s thicker, but you can also use tomato sauce.> Buy Tomato Paste Here.
• ½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar – Added to the sauce. > Buy Apple Cider Vinegar Here.
• 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce – You can use soy sauce or tamari sauce or coconut aminos. > Buy Coconut Aminos Here.
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder > Buy Garlic Powder Here.

Rice Substitutes – It’s easy to use any kind of cooked rice you want in this stir fry dish. I’m a big fan of Lundberg rice for my recipes. I usually alternate between short grain brown rice and white rice. You can also substitute rice for pasta. I love brown rice pasta. > Buy Organic Brown Rice Pasta Here.

GET MY KITCHEN FAVORITES LIST – Get my full kitchen shopping list here including how I stock my pantry, fill my fridge, and what equipment I prefer to use in the kitchen.

Recipe Cost = $10

The chicken cost me $6. The other ingredients cost me less than $4 making this a really affordable meal (prices will vary slightly depending on where you live). 

Grocery Shopping Tip: If you like to save money at the store, here are my 7 ways to save money on your grocery bill and still eat healthily.

Kitchen Equipment I Used

Here’s the equipment I used to make this recipe:

• Rice Cooker – A simple rice cooker makes meal time easier. You can set it and forget it, while working on the rest of the recipe. > Buy Rice Cooker Here.
• White 3 qt Dutch Oven – I love my dutch oven pot because you can use it on the stove and in the oven. It’s so durable and will last my lifetime. It’s the perfect size for a variety of smaller recipes. > Buy 3qt Dutch Oven Here.
• Wood Spatula – A flat tipped wood spatula is great for mixing ingredients without scratching the pan. > Buy Wood Spatula Here.
• Large Steel Mixing Bowl – My favorite bowl to mix recipes in because it’s big and lightweight. > Buy Large Stainless Steel Bowl Here.
• Cutting Knives – To slice the chicken into bite-size pieces. > Buy Cutting Knives Here.

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How To Make Sweet and Sour Chicken Bites

Here’s an overview of how to make it with the full recipe instructions at the bottom of this blog post.

1. Cook The Rice – Cook the rice according to package instructions. I used a rice cooker.
2. Prep Chicken – Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces and toss with cornstarch.
3. Make Sauce – In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients: coconut sugar, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce and garlic powder.
4. Cook and Bake – First, in an oven-safe dish, sear the chicken in a hot pan for 30 seconds. Next, add the sauce and mix together. Bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.
5. Serve – Scoop rice onto plates and add the sweet and sour chicken bites on top. Sprinkle chopped green onion and sesame seeds for garnish.

How To Store Sweet and Sour Chicken Bites

Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, defrost the recipe in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven or microwave to serve.

Note: Rice tends to lose a bit of moisture when frozen and is best when served fresh. I recommend only freezing the sweet and sour chicken (not the rice) for that reason.

More Recipes

Here are some more delicious and fast recipes:

• Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowl – An easy 30-minute meal made with ground turkey, vegetables and teriyaki sauce.
• Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet – An easy weeknight dinner recipe cooked in one frying pan.
• Sweet and Sour Meatballs – A delicious sweet and sour sauce made with crushed pineapples.
• Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet – Easy to make and perfect for busy weeknights.

Did you love these sweet and sour chicken bites? Be sure to leave a rating below!