I love any dish that combines a bunch of different flavors. Anything one dimensional tends to come off bland, so I love dishes that are a little sweet, little hot, little salty, etc. This healthy sweet and sour chicken is all of those things and then some. It’s a healthier take on one of my favorite take out dishes, and it’s loaded with lots of vegetables, fresh pineapple, and a ton of delicious flavor. Its just 2 WW points per cup (1 if you use a sugar substitute) and pairs great with some jasmine rice for a balanced meal.
It’s also a great meal to make ahead/make leftovers. It keeps well in the fridge and is easy to reheat in the microwave to enjoy all week long.
Making healthy sweet and sour chicken
There are three major components to this dish – the chicken, the veggies, and the sauce. First, you’ll cook your chicken and set it aside. Then, you’ll cook your veggies, and simultaneously make your sauce (it’s super quick). Lastly, you combine it all together for one delicious final product. To start, prep all of your ingredients by cutting your chicken, cutting your veggies, and combining all of your sauce ingredients minus the cornstarch mix in a small saucepan.
For the chicken, you’ll want to cut it into cubes, season with salt and pepper, and toss it in corn starch. This helps the chicken develop a little bit of a crust when you cook it. Spray your skillet well with cooking spray and cook your chicken until fully cooked through – internal temp of 165F/not translucent at all. I always cook with a meat thermometer. Once cooked, remove from pan and set aside while you cook your veggies.
To make your sauce, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat until it starts to bubble, then add the cornstarch mixture and stir until it is thick – about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and cook veggies.
I cook my veggies in the same pan as the chicken drippings – it adds great flavor. If there’s a lot of liquid, just skim some out before you cook the vegetables. Spray your pan well, add the onion and pepper, and sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes before adding the pineapple. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until everything is softened. Note- frozen pineapple will take longer than fresh/canned, so adjust accordingly. Once veggies are thoroughly cooked, add your chicken back in and coat everything in the sauce. Toss to coat thoroughly. Turn the heat off and serve immediately over some rice and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken
Equipment
- Large Skillet
- Stove Top
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast cubed
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp corn starch
- Cooking spray
- 3 bell peppers chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 1.5 cup pineapple canned drained, fresh, or frozen
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or brown sugar replacement
- 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp fresh ginger
- 1/2 tbsp corn starch mixed with 1/2 tbsp water
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 scallions chopped finely
Instructions
- Prep all of your ingredients – cut chicken into cubes, cut up veggies/pineapple, and measure out sauce ingredients. Put sauce ingredients (minus cornstarch) into a small saucepan and set aside.
- Heat skillet over medium heat. Toss chicken in salt, pepper, cornstarch. Spray skillet well with cooking spray and cook chicken thoroughly, until internal temp reached 165 and chicken is no longer pink. Once fully cooked, remove from pan and set aside.
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to bubble. Add corn starch mixture and stir until fully incorporated and sauce begins to thicken, 2-3 min. Once thick, remove from heat and set aside.
- Spray pan well (I use the same pan from the chicken) with cooking spray and add onion and pepper, sautéing for 2-3 minutes. Add pineapple and cook until vegetables are all softened. Add chicken back into the pan, coat chicken and vegetables with sauce. Toss to coat fully.
- Serve over rice or desired base. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onion. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy!
