I love sweet, anything sweet really. So it’s no wonder I like my meat sweet too. Sweet and Sour Chicken is a favorite Chinese Take Out menu Item now easily made right at home. Using this easy to follow recipe and a Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot you will be sitting down at the table surrounded by your family in no time making memories.
Use your Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker to make this delicious and easy Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Serves 4 | Ready in 30 min | Good for Dinner | 6 QT Instant Pot
I’m a busy mom. Let’s face it, so are many of you! And I need easy to prepare dinners that the family will love. Sweet and Sour Chicken is a classic favorite for many including my family.
Something about all the flavors combined to make this sweet yet sour sauce is just good. I personally love white rice covered in sauce. OOhhh yum!
Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken
Sweet and Sour is a classic Chinese recipe that has been Americanized and a family favorite. In our home on most evenings, we are all coming and going with our various activities, which often times makes dinner difficult.
Which is why I love my Instant Pot. Gone are the days of worrying ‘What’s for Dinner?’. I can easily make great recipes just like this Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe in under 30 minutes.
That’s a mom win for sure!
How to make Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Cut Chicken into 1 in cubes
- Heat Instant Pot to Saute' and wait until it reads "Hot"
- Add Butter and Garlic
- Add Cubed Chicken and cook until no longer pink
- Turn off Instant Pot
- Add Soy Sauce, Ketchup, Brown Sugar, Rice Wine, and Pineapple Juice and stir
- Set to Manual for 5 minutes. Quick Release
- Cut up Bell peppers and onion into large chunks
- Add to Instant Pot and Set to Manual for 1 minute. Quick Release
- Add Cornstarch Slurry (2 Tbs Cornstarch with as little water as possible) and stir to thicken sauce. (Optional)
- Serve over rice
Garnish with Sesame Seeds, and Green Onions.
Family Style Chinese Take Out
We love a variety of flavors in our meals, so it’s fun to make multiple Take Out Recipes and serve Family Style for the family.
Some of our Favorites include Mongolian Beef, Cashew Chicken, and of course Honey Garlic Chicken.
Give these other recipes a try, we love them and make them often in our dinner rotation.
What is Sweet and Sour?
Sweet and Sour is a type of Sauce made popular by Chinese Culture. It combines sweet flavors with sour to create a zingy goodness in your mouth.
Sweet and Sour can be served with Chicken, Fish, Beef, Pork, or over veggies.
What can I serve Sweet an Sour with?
Sweet and Sour Chicken is best served with rice. We prefer white rice as it gives a great contrast in flavors. You can also serve over a noodle or veggies.
Can Sweet and Sour Chicken be made on the Stove?
Of course it can! Cook your chicken in a frying pan following the directions until it is no longer pink. Add the ingredients for the sauce, and reduce heat to a simmer.
Cover pan and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add Bell Peppers and Onion chunks and allow to cook until desired doneness.
To thicken sauce add a corn starch slurry. Serve over rice, noodles, or other veggies.
You don’t want to lose this recipe ~ PIN and SAVE for Later!
Quick Tips
While your chicken and sauce is cooking take the time to cut up your Bell Peppers and Onions and clean your kitchen. It will make your evening a breeze to clean up later.
More Amazing Chicken Instant Pot Recipes!
- Chicken Carbonara
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Easy Chicken Fajitas
- Chicken Taco Alfredo
- Fiesta Chicken Casserole
- Honey Mustard Chicken and Rice
- BBQ Chicken Tostada
- Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wrap
- Chicken Chili Verde
- Chicken Corn Chowder
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
- 3-4 Chicken Breasts
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
- 1 Onion
- 1 Cup Pineapple Chunks
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar
- ⅓ Cup Soy Sauce
- ½ Cup Ketchup
- 1 Tb Rice Wine
- 1 ½ Cup Pineapple Juice
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- 1 Tbs Garlic
- 2 Tbs Butter
Instructions
- Cut Chicken into 1 in cubes.
- Heat Instant Pot to Saute' and wait until it reads "Hot"
- Add Butter and Garlic.
- Add Cubed Chicken and cook until no longer pink.
- Turn off Instant Pot
- Add Soy Sauce, Ketchup, Brown Sugar, Rice Wine, and Pineapple Juice and stir.
- Set to Manual for 5 minutes. Quick Release
- Cut up Bell peppers and onion into large chunks.
- Add to Instant Pot and Set to Manual for 1 minute. Quick Release
- Add Cornstarch Slurry (2 Tbs Cornstarch with as little water as possible) and stir to thicken sauce. (Optional)
- Serve over rice.
- Garnish with Sesame Seeds, and Green Onions.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Updated 2/22/20
Laura
Can you make the sweet-and-sour sauce ahead of time
Devour Dinner
You sure could!
Carol
Surprised you wouldn't get a burn notice -suspect my 8 qt Insta Pot would not like this version
Devour Dinner
I've never had any trouble with a burn notice. There is plenty of liquid in this recipe. For an 8qt you would want to 1.5 times the recipe or double it. Enjoy!
KAREN E SHORTT
I made it on the stove, tossed in some stir-fry veggies with the peppers and onions. It was phenomenal! I also used a bit of sesame oil with the butter, and rice wine vinegar- I didnt have any Rice Wine.
Devour Dinner
Great Idea! I bet it was delicious. So glad to hear you loved it
Penny Siddon
I made this recipe and it was delicious! Question - if I half the recipe how does that affect the timing?
Devour Dinner
Hi Penny! The cooking time would stay the same when you make a smaller batch.
Patti Jiminez
Easy and delicious. I left out the bell peppers as I am not a fan of them cooked
Didn't miss them at all. Add extra pineapple in their place.
Devour Dinner
You can never go wrong with extra pineapple. So happy to hear you loved this recipe!
Janie
Can you increase the liquid ingredients to make more sauce? Hubby likes LOTS of sauce and Sweet?Sour is his favorite. Can't wait to try this one.
Devour Dinner
Hi Janie, Yes you can increase the liquid ingredients to make more sauce. Hope you enjoy!
Lynn
This is THE best sweet/sour chicken recipe ever! I share it with anyone with an instantpot...thankyou for making a mundane chicken meal a special meal that everyone loves!!
KH
When do you add the pineapples chunks?
Devour Dinner
I add the pineapple at the end and stir it in
Jan fletcher
Have been afraid of hp but decide today was the day . I am making this receipt as my first use , wish me luck
Devour Dinner
Good Luck Jan! Hope it turned out perfectly!
Lynnette
We had this for dinner tonight the whole family loved it! DELICIOUS!!
Devour Dinner
It's one of our favorites. My teenager requests this recipe often.
Whitney
Family of 6. Should we double the recipe?
Devour Dinner
I would for a family of 6, and if you have leftovers you will love a little snack later.
Steve
I made this meal tonight and it really came out nicely.
I just wanted to give you feedback because this recipe was a total gem. Thanks for sharing this recipe with others.
Devour Dinner
Hi Steve, Thanks for much for the feedback. I love hearing from those who try my recipes. Thanks so much!
Cathy H
I just fixed this tonite....Oh My Goodness!!! It was AWESOME. I used thighs and it was still great.
Devour Dinner
I love hearing this Cathy! I bet chicken thighs were delish too. It's a recipe we love.
Pete
When do you add the pineapple?
Devour Dinner
Hi Pete! Sorry that isn't clear in the recipe. I add the Pineapple in step 8 with the bell peppers. Hope that helps!
Brenda
Thanks 🙂 I was just going to ask about the pineapple and when to add it. Recipe doesn't say.
Devour Dinner
Hi Brenda, add the pineapple at the end with the bell peppers.
Melissa McCoy
How much does your 3-4 chicken breasts weigh? I get varying sizes in my area.
Devour Dinner
Melissa... It's so hard with the varying sizes of chicken! For us, 3 chicken breasts feeds 4 people with a little left over. Again that doesn't help unless you know how hungry my family is. haha. My 3 chicken breasts are about a pound and a half. If I use smaller breasts I'll use 4 smaller ones. Hope this helps!
Natalie
Delish! Everyone loved it. I threw in a can of water chestnuts cause I love them. I was short on the ketchup and added a dash of tomato paste hoping it wouldn't ruin it but it was so good kids loved it thanks we'll be making this again soon.
Devour Dinner
Hi Natalie, Water Chestnuts are really good in this recipe. Great idea to substitute tomato paste in a pinch. I'm so glad everyone loved it. It's a favorite around our home too.
Terri
When would you add the water chestnuts?
Devour Dinner
I would add water chestnuts at the end when adding the bell peppers and pineapple. Enjoy