We have been making this recipe so much this year. It originally came about as I was looking for a recipe that I could make to incorporate into our homeschool curriculum as we were learning about China and the Chinese New Year.
Store Bought Sweet & Sour Sauce
We have used Kikkoman sauces for years, and feel very comfortable with their labeling in regard to peanut allergy. They make a sweet and sour sauce that is amazing, especially with this semi-homemade dish. It does have wheat and soy.
If you are allergic to wheat or soy use my homemade sauce – it’s delicious!
GLUTEN & SOY FREE SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE RECIPE
If you need to avoid wheat or gluten here’s a simple sweet and sour sauce you can make gluten free from scratch:
In a small pan over low heat, whisk together until thickens into a light sauce:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce or coconut aminos
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Use this recipe to create your own homemade sauce. Use in recipe immediately, or store in refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.
Chicken Tenderloin
I love to make it with chicken tenderloin instead of chicken breast, just because of the ease in cutting up into bite sized pieces. I just grab some kitchen shears, and cut each tenderloin. So easy peasy!
Don’t Forget the Veggies and Rice
I use simple veggies, and then a slow cooker to cook my white rice. You could alternately do it with brown rice or another carb. I bake them all the same way I do most of our meat and veggies, with a little drizzle of oil (I prefer grapeseed oil, but you could do vegetable or another oil), salt, and pepper.
I add the sauce at the end and toss the already hot meat into it, stick it back in the oven for a handful of minutes, and bam! It’s basically amazing.

Sweet & Sour Chicken Bake
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1-2 lbs chicken tenderloin, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 12 oz bottle or recipe of Sweet & Sour Sauce Kikkoman contains wheat & soy
- oil, drizzled grapeseed, olive, vegetable or other oil of choice
- pepper, to taste
- coarse Kosher salt, to taste
Vegetables
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into bite size pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into bite size pieces
- 1 yellow onion, chopped into bites sizes pieces
- 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained
- 1/2 cup oil, drizzled grapeseed, olive, vegetable or other oil of choice
- pepper, to taste
- coarse Kosher salt, to taste
Rice
- 4 cups white rice
- 8 cups water
Instructions
Chicken
-
Spread bite sized chicken evenly on cookie sheet. Drizzle oil, and toss chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper to desired flavoring. Bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes, until no longer pink inside. Once done baking, remove from oven, poor sauce evenly among chicken, and toss til well coated. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes.
Vegetables
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Spread vegetables evenly on cookie sheet. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to desired flavor. Toss to and spread evenly again. Bake at 425 for 25-35 minutes, or until edges of veggies are crisp.
Rice
-
Make rice in a rice cooker per instructions, or alternately bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add rice once boil is reached, and reduce heat to low. Add a tight fitting lid. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and let the rice sit covered for additional 5 minutes. Avoid removing lid the entire time, and let the steam do its work! Remove the lid and fluff the rice.

I am going to try this recipe! It looks delicious! Being sensitive to dairy and gluten, I think this will be a recipe I will fall in love with!
I love Chinese food.This recipe looks mouthwatering.I am definitely going to try
I’m currently starving! Wish you could deliver this for me!