In my college days, I loved eating Chinese food. Once I switched to a wellness lifestyle and realized what was in most restaurant foods, I stopped eating regular Chinese food. I decided to recreate some of the same flavors with real food ingredients. Sweet and sour chicken was one of my favorites, so I decided to come up with a recipe that was more naturally sweet and sour.
What Is Sweet and Sour Chicken?
Well, it’s just like the name says—sweet and sour. Traditional recipes use some type of sugar for sweetness and vinegar for sourness. It’s a really tasty combo. Usually, the chicken in sweet and sour chicken is the breaded and fried type. There are always chopped sauteed veggies thrown in and sometimes pineapple for a tangy-sweet kick.
Sweet and Sour Chicken the Wellness Mama Way
I do a few things differently when I make sweet and sour chicken. I make the sauce with honey or maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and a delicious orange spread. And I use coconut aminos rather than soy sauce. The taste is similar, and I prefer to avoid most soy products.
And I don’t usually bread and fry the chicken. I do sometimes because it’s so, so good, but diced sauteed chicken breasts are really good too and much easier, faster, and less messy.
For the veggies, I just use whatever I have on hand. That’s the beauty of making your own Chinese food! You can switch up the veggies and protein based on personal preference, what’s in season, and what you have on hand. It’s pretty fantastic. Here are some ideas:
- Onion – I consider it a must in most of my Chinese recipes
- Bell pepper
- Celery
- Broccoli
- Snow or snap peas
- Zucchini – a great way to use up this super garden producer in the summer!
- Fresh pineapple – delicious in sweet and sour chicken
We usually eat our Chinese food over white rice or cauliflower rice. I’ve also found that it is good over zucchini noodles (made with a spiral slicer) or just roasted zucchini slices. I’ve also eaten it over wilted spinach to get some extra greens, and it was delicious.
More Wellness Mama Chinese Food Recipes
- Asian Ginger Vinaigrette – delicious on Asian Color Burst Salad
- Asian Lettuce Wraps
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Chicken Stir Fry – not a specific Chinese dish, just a quick stir fry with Chinese flavors
- Kung Pao Chicken – a new recipe and a family favorite, has a nice heat kick
- Orange Chicken
- Parsnip Noodle Lo Mein
What is missing from this list? Maybe an egg roll in a bowl recipe with gochujang mayo drizzled on top? What’s your favorite Chinese food that you think I should try?
Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 2 TBSP coconut oil (or butter)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt (or sea salt)
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 TBSP lemon juice
- 1 TBSP coconut aminos
- 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
- 1 TBSP fish sauce
- 1 TBSP tomato paste
- ¼ cup orange spread
- ¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 TBSP sesame seeds
- 2 TBSP green onions (chopped)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
- In a large skillet, heat the butter or coconut oil over medium heat.
- Add the chicken, garlic powder, salt, pepper, turmeric, and paprika, and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the chicken is mostly cooked.
- Add the lemon juice, coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, and fish sauce, and cook an additional 4-5 minutes until the chicken is cooked in the center.
- While the chicken is cooking, dice the bell pepper.
- Drain off any extra liquid from the skillet and return to heat.
- Add the tomato paste, orange spread, honey, and diced bell pepper, and cook on medium/high for another 3-5 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken and chicken starts to brown slightly.
- Remove from the heat, and serve over cauliflower rice or white rice. Top with sesame seeds and green onions.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Ever recreated a recipe from a favorite restaurant? How did it go?
It was a little sweet as I used orange marmalade or jam. Is this what you used? I think I will reduce the sweetness next time.
I used an unsweetened sicilian orange preserve
could you make a General Tso Chicken recipe? All I have found use Corn starch 🙁
I love your site and emails! I wanted to comment on the coconut aminos. If they are a soy sauce type replacement Braggs Liquid Aminos are very good also if you have them on hand. I have this recipe printed out and ready to be made!
I also like the way your recipes are organized. I don’t have to dodge or print a giant “front page” type picture. There is a smaller one displayed. Our family is coconut crazy-not so much the flavor but the product. I keep a tub of virgin coconut oil at both of our homes! Keep on keeping on young lady!
Hi Katie, this recipe was a hit! 🙂 Loved it. Also just want to thank you for your wonderful blog, it’s really helping my husband and I understand what it means to eat healthy.
Katie, would love to see a curried chicken recipe if you could please. ?
Coming soon 😉
This is a great recipe. Simple, yummy and healthy, can’t beat that! The husband and my 20 month old loved it too! A winner all around.
I’m glad you like it!
This was a fantastic dish! I kept hoping it would taste as good as it smelled while I was cooking it, and I wasn’t disappointed. I just made it last night and will definitely be keeping it in my regular rotation! Super easy with ingredients I always have on hand and I was really impressed with the tastes! Nicely done – thank you!
I nearly went into a diabetic coma from reading the amount of sugar/fructose in the recipe! I reduced the orange spread (out of stock at Tropical Traditions, BTW) and honey to 1 T each, and I used white vinegar to add more sour taste.
Where do you find the fish sauce for this recipe? Thanks!
If you have any Asian grocery stores in your area, look for fish sauce there. If not, there’s always Amazon.
Hi, this looks delicious. But I was wondering about the “fish sauce”. I don’t eat fish, so is this a necessary ingredient? Do you taste it at all?
It contributes to the taste, but it’s not “fishy” tasting, no.