A lower-calorie way to make Sweet and sour chicken
Sweet and sour chicken turns crisp in the oven before glazing
Oven-crisp chicken, pineapple and capsicum meet a fresh tomato glaze instead of deep-frying, for about 495 kcal with rice.
The familiar contrast of crisp chicken and sticky sauce disappears if the pieces simmer in glaze for too long. Chicken breast receives one light cornflour coat and bakes on a rack, while tomato, pineapple juice and rice vinegar reduce separately. The hot pieces are tossed through the glaze at the final moment, preserving texture with much less oil and added sugar.
What changes—and what stays
From with battered deep-fried chicken and a sugary bottled sauce often 680–900 kcal to 495 calories
Bake a single cornflour coating on a rack and reduce pineapple juice with fresh tomato, vinegar and only 25 grams of added sugar. Roasted chicken edges give savouriness, pineapple and rice vinegar create clean sweet-sour tension, and ginger keeps the tomato glaze lively.
| Part | Conventional | Lighter | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core method | More added fat or a heavier proportion | Bake a single cornflour coating on a rack and reduce pineapple juice with fresh tomato, vinegar and only 25 grams of added sugar | Roasted chicken edges give savouriness, pineapple and rice vinegar create clean sweet-sour tension, and ginger keeps the tomato glaze lively. |
How the flavor stays
Roasted chicken edges give savouriness, pineapple and rice vinegar create clean sweet-sour tension, and ginger keeps the tomato glaze lively.
A cost rule that survives inflation
A small tin of pineapple, fresh capsicum and onion stretch 800 grams of chicken into five portions, while pantry vinegar replaces bottled sauce.
Ingredients for 5
Measure first; timing is part of how this recipe uses less fat.
- 800 gskinless chicken breast
- 45 gcornflour
- 15 grapeseed oil spray
- 400 gpineapple in juice
- 450 gmixed capsicum
- 300 gonion
- 500 gfresh tomatoes
- 70 mlrice vinegar
- 25 gbrown sugar
- 20 gginger and garlic
- 300 gdry brown rice
Method
Each step includes heat, a visible cue, and a recovery.
Step 1 · follow the visible cue
Keep the coating paper-thin
Cut chicken into equal cubes, dry thoroughly and toss with cornflour until the surface is dusty rather than clumped.
Look for: Each cube has a faint white veil, and there is no wet batter or thick paste between the pieces.
Step 2 · follow the visible cue
Bake above the tray
Mist the chicken with measured oil, arrange it on a wire rack and bake hot, turning once, until crisp and 74°C inside.
Look for: The corners are golden, the underside is dry and the rack has allowed rendered moisture to fall away.
Step 3 · follow the visible cue
Reduce real fruit and tomato
Cook onion, capsicum, tomato, pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, ginger and garlic until the vegetables stay crisp but the liquid thickens.
Look for: A spatula leaves a brief path through the bright sauce, and capsicum pieces keep clearly defined edges.
Step 4 · follow the visible cue
Toss once, then serve
Add pineapple chunks and baked chicken, toss for less than a minute and divide immediately with the measured rice.
Look for: The glaze shines on the crisp corners without soaking them, and no red pool forms beneath the chicken.
Calories at the same serving size
223 kcal · 31% lower estimated
The estimate uses the listed ingredients divided into 5 servings. Brand labels, trimming, and the amount left in the pan can change the result.
Keep the leftovers in the same spirit
Store chicken and sauce separately for up to three days when possible. Re-crisp chicken in the oven before tossing with hot sauce.
Store chicken and sauce separately for up to three days when possible. Re-crisp chicken in the oven before tossing with hot sauce.
Frequently asked questions
Can canned pineapple in syrup be used?
It can, but drain and rinse it, then reduce or omit the added sugar and recalculate nutrition.
Why use a rack?
Air reaches the underside and moisture escapes, which mimics crisp frying with far less oil.
- skinless chicken breast800 g
- cornflour45 g
- rapeseed oil spray15 g
- pineapple in juice400 g
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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.
- Singapore Health Promotion Board — Energy and nutrient composition
- HealthHub Singapore — My Healthy Plate
Published and last reviewed: August 25, 2026
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