By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On August 10, 2023

This Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Chicken will satisfy your Chinese takeout cravings. You're going to love the incredible flavors in this gluten-free sweet and sour sauce, paired with the crispy and crunch chicken.

This gluten-free sweet and sour chicken recipe is simple to make and better than any restaurant's version!

My Gluten Free Orange Chicken is a reader favorite. You should try that next.

If you like take-out copy cat recipes, you might also like my Gluten Free Mongolian Beef or Gluten Free Teriyaki Chicken. My Gluten Free Hawaiian Chicken is a super simple recipe and perfect any night of the week.

Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Chicken

Do you like to eat out? I do, but we don't have too many places close by that serve dedicated gluten-free food. We love takeout, and tend to stick to Hawaiian food or Asian food when we go out because we know we can get it gluten-free.

The one thing we haven't found yet is gluten-free sweet and sour chicken. I'm sure a restaurant has it somewhere - but we've yet to find it. That's okay though. We've come up with our own copy-cat gluten-free sweet and sour chicken recipe.

It's super healthy and super tasty.

Once you make this gluten-free sweet and sour sauce, you won't miss the restaurant version. The flavor profile is amazing and fresh and it's better than anything you'll find at a restaurant.

My husband gets all the credit for this wonderful gluten-free sweet-and-sour chicken recipe. It was one of the first gluten-free dinners that my family enjoyed and he developed the recipe all by himself.

He's perfected it over the years and now it's ready to be shared with the world. It’s a little time-consuming to make if you’re working solo in the kitchen.

I recommend getting a helper to mix up the gluten-free sweet and sour sauce while you're preparing and cooking the chicken.

This recipe uses cornstarch to fry the chicken and to thicken the sauce. People often ask me is cornstarch gluten free? It is naturally gluten-free, but you should always check labels.

Is Sweet and Sour Sauce Gluten Free?

Sweet and sour sauce is only gluten-free if they make it without gluten ingredients. Check to make sure your sweet and sour sauce is thickened with cornstarch and not wheat.

Also make sure the soy sauce is gluten-free. You can always make your own homemade gluten free sweet and sour sauce by using the recipe below.

How to make gluten-free sweet and sour chicken

1. Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch cubes. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and ½ tsp of sugar. Mix until combined. Add the chicken and marinate for 10 minutes.
2. In a zipper bag, combine the ¼ cup of flour and ⅓ cup corn starch.
3. Drain the chicken, reserving the remaining marinade. Add the chicken to the bag, seal the bag and shake it till the chicken is evenly coated. Set aside.
4. Drain the pineapple juice into a bowl. Add the ketchup, vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and the reserved marinade.
5. Heat 1 cup of oil in a large flat bottom wok until it is hot. Be careful not to let it heat to the point of smoking. Add half the chicken; spread the pieces around for even cooking. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they begin to brown. Turn them over carefully for another 2-3 minutes or until completely brown. Once they are brown on all sides, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked.
6. Carefully drain the oil from the pan. Clean the wok (remove any leftover bits of chicken and breading) and return it to high heat.
7. Add remaining 1 tbsp of oil and the ginger. Stir fry for 15 seconds.
8. Add the bell pepper and onion, stir-frying for 2-3 minutes.
9. Next, add the pineapple chunks and cook for 1 minute. Then, add sweet and sour sauce to the wok.
10. Bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring until it starts to thicken, about 1 minute. Add the cooked chicken and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
11. Remove pan from the heat.

You can use fresh or canned pineapple, depending on your preferences but don't leave it out. It's a huge part of the flavor.

Is soy sauce gluten-free?

Soy sauce is not traditionally gluten-free, but you can find variations that are. Just check labels. Also, tamari sauce and coconut aminos are both gluten-free and work well in this recipe.

What can I use instead of cornstarch in gluten-free sweet and sour chicken?

If you don't have corn starch, or you can't consume it, then you can use arrowroot starch or tapioca starch in this gluten-free sweet and sour chicken recipe.

To keep this recipe low sugar, you can use a sugar-free ketchup and coconut sugar. The flavor profile will be slightly different, but still delicious.

For the canned pineapple, make sure to use pineapple that is in pineapple juice, not syrup.

If you love the crispiness of sweet and sour chicken, you should also make Gluten Free Fried Chicken sometime.

Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

This gluten-free sweet and sour chicken recipe can be adjusted for dietary restrictions and taste preferences. If you aren't a fan of chicken, you can also use pork or tofu in this gluten-free sweet and sour recipe.

Also, the color of the bell pepper doesn't matter for flavor in this particular recipe, so use any color that you can find fresh at the market. Just make sure it's completely ripe, or you'll get a bitter taste when you bite into the bell pepper.

We like to serve this gluten-free sweet and sour chicken over rice or cauliflower rice. This recipe makes enough to serve six people large portions.

For leftovers, store them in a refrigerator in a sealed container. We store the leftover rice separately from the gluten-free sweet and sour chicken.

If you like this recipe, you might also like my Gluten-Free Chicken Subgum Chow Mein.

I have an instant pot version of my Gluten-Free Mongolian Beef as well. 

Continue to Content

Yield: 6-8 servings

Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Chicken

Print

Satisfy your cravings with this amazing and healthy version of Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Chicken.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breast
• 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons dry sherry
• 1 teaspoons sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon, plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
• ⅓ cup, plus 1 tablespoon gluten-free corn starch
• 1- 20 oz can pineapple chunks in juice
• ½ cup gluten-free ketchup
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 1 cup, plus 1 tablespoon canola oil (or oil of choice)
• 4 slices fresh ginger
• 1 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch cubes. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and ½ tsp of sugar. Mix until combined. Add the chicken and marinate for 10 minutes.
2. In a zipper bag, combine the ¼ cup of flour and ⅓ cup corn starch.
3. Drain the chicken, reserving the remaining marinade. Add the chicken to the bag, seal the bag and shake it till the chicken is evenly coated. Set aside.
4. Drain the pineapple juice into a bowl. Add the ketchup, vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and the reserved marinade.
5. Heat 1 cup of oil in a large flat bottom wok until it is hot. Be careful not to let it heat to the point of smoking. Add half the chicken; spread the pieces around for even cooking. Cook for 2-3 minutes until they begin to brown. Turn them over carefully for another 2-3 minutes or until completely brown. Once they are brown on all sides, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked.
6. Carefully drain the oil from the pan. Clean the wok (remove any leftover bits of chicken and breading) and return it to high heat. Add remaining 1 tbsp of oil and the ginger. Stir fry for 15 seconds. Add the bell pepper and onion, stir-frying for 2-3 minutes. Next, add the pineapple chunks and cook for 1 minute. Then, add sweet and sour sauce to the wok. Bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring until it starts to thicken, about 1 minute. Add the cooked chicken and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove pan from the heat. Serve hot.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. They never cost you extra.

• 
  Kikkoman Soy Sauce Gluten-Free 8.5 oz.
• 
  Fortessa Fortaluxe Food Truck Chic Large Take Out Box, 6 x3.5-Inch, Set of 4
• 
  kaqinu Carbon Steel Wok Pan, 14 Piece Woks & Stir-Fry Pans Set with Wooden Lid & Cookwares, No Chemical Coated Flat Bottom Chinese Woks Pan for Induction, Electric, Gas, Halogen All Stoves - 12.6''

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 294Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 501mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 21g

This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands that I used a the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.