A lower-calorie way to make Sweet and sour chicken
Sweet and sour chicken with oven-crisp chicken and pineapple sauce
Oven-crisp chicken, peppers and a sharp pineapple tomato glaze make sweet and sour chicken for about 505 kcal with rice.
The familiar contrast comes from crisp chicken and a glossy, tangy sauce, not a deep fryer. Chicken breast receives a thin cornflour coating and bakes on a hot rack. Pineapple juice is measured into tomato, vinegar and ginger, then reduced before the chicken is tossed through briefly.
What changes—and what stays
From with battered fried chicken and syrupy takeaway sauce often 850–1,100 kcal to 505 calories
Bake a thin cornflour coating on a rack and reduce unsweetened pineapple juice with vinegar instead of deep-frying in batter. Roasted chicken edges meet pineapple, tomato, rice vinegar and ginger; a short final toss preserves both crispness and the sweet-sour balance.
| Part | Conventional | Lighter | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core method | More added fat or a heavier proportion | Bake a thin cornflour coating on a rack and reduce unsweetened pineapple juice with vinegar instead of deep-frying in batter | Roasted chicken edges meet pineapple, tomato, rice vinegar and ginger; a short final toss preserves both crispness and the sweet-sour balance. |
How the flavor stays
Roasted chicken edges meet pineapple, tomato, rice vinegar and ginger; a short final toss preserves both crispness and the sweet-sour balance.
A cost rule that survives inflation
Chicken breast, tinned pineapple and frozen peppers are widely available, while homemade glaze avoids a separate bottle of sugary sauce.
Ingredients for 6
Measure first; timing is part of how this recipe uses less fat.
- 900 gskinless chicken breast
- 500 gmixed peppers
- 400 gpineapple in juice
- 300 mlreserved pineapple juice
- 360 gdry brown rice
- 50 gcornflour
- 15 grapeseed oil
- 80 gtomato purée
- 80 mlrice vinegar
- 25 gginger and garlic
- 20 mlreduced-salt soy sauce
Method
Each step includes heat, a visible cue, and a recovery.
Step 1 · follow the visible cue
Coat chicken very lightly
Cut the chicken into equal pieces, dry thoroughly and toss with cornflour until each piece has a thin dusty surface without clumps.
Look for: The cubes are individually coated and dry to the touch, with no thick white pockets of cornflour.
Step 2 · follow the visible cue
Bake on a hot rack
Brush the coated chicken with measured oil, spread on a rack over a hot tray and bake, turning once, until crisp and 75°C.
Look for: Edges are golden and dry, the centres remain juicy and no pieces are sitting in rendered liquid.
Step 3 · follow the visible cue
Reduce the sweet-sour glaze
Simmer pineapple juice, tomato purée, vinegar, ginger, garlic and soy until glossy, then add peppers and pineapple briefly.
Look for: The glaze coats the spoon in a translucent red layer and the peppers remain bright with crisp edges.
Step 4 · follow the visible cue
Toss briefly and serve
Fold hot chicken through the glaze for less than a minute and divide immediately with the measured cooked brown rice.
Look for: Every piece has a thin shiny coat while the crust remains visible and sauce does not pool under the rice.
Calories at the same serving size
227 kcal · 31% lower estimated
The estimate uses the listed ingredients divided into 6 servings. Brand labels, trimming, and the amount left in the pan can change the result.
Keep the leftovers in the same spirit
Store baked chicken separately from sauce and rice for two days. Reheat chicken in the oven and sauce on the hob, then combine only at serving.
Store baked chicken separately from sauce and rice for two days. Reheat chicken in the oven and sauce on the hob, then combine only at serving.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the chicken not crisp?
It was wet, heavily coated or tossed too early. Dry it well and combine with sauce immediately before eating.
Is added sugar required?
No. Pineapple juice supplies sweetness; taste the reduced sauce before deciding whether it needs any adjustment.
- skinless chicken breast900 g
- mixed peppers500 g
- pineapple in juice400 g
- reserved pineapple juice300 ml
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Recipe development and nutrition review: CaloNote Editorial
This editorial recipe uses ingredient-level nutrition estimates and reviewed cooking principles. It is not represented as physically test-cooked, and nutrition is approximate.
- Food Safety Authority of Ireland — Healthy eating guidance
- Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance — Food composition data
Published and last reviewed: August 25, 2026
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