Our A/C is a bit temperamental so I do everything I can to not add any extra heat to the house during the summer. It likes to go out during the hottest of days so anytime I can use the crockpot and whip up a recipe it is a good thing. I know you are going to love this Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe! No need to eat out when you can make this great recipe at home!
Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken Recipe
Are you constantly surprised at how fast summer passes by each year? We have enjoyed relaxing evenings at home, soaking up the cool nights by the fire outside. I love using our crockpot to whip up great meals and not worry about heating the house.
I also love being able to whip up restaurant favorites at home. Not having to stress about leaving the house and being able to make enough for leftovers the next day is incredibly freeing. We love enjoying a delicious meal at home that does not take a lot of stress or worry.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients needed to make an epic Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- Garlic, Minced
- Ground Ginger
- Chicken Broth
- Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
- Brown Sugar
- Honey
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Ketchup
- Sesame Oil
- Black Pepper
- Sea Salt (optional)
- Pineapple Chunks (Fresh or Canned)
- Bell Peppers – I used one red and one green
Thickener Ingredients
- Water
- Cornstarch
Equipment Needed
- Slow Cooker
- Small and Medium Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Two Forks
How to Make Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken
I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.
- Spray the inside of the slow cooker with non-stick coating spray.
- Place chicken inside the slow cooker.
- Whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, vinegar, tomato paste, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Pour sauce over the chicken and push the chicken down, ensuring the sauce coats the chicken.
- Cover slow cooker with lid and cook chicken
- Tear or shred chicken with two forks into chunks if you are using whole chicken breasts.
- Whisk the cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a thickener. Pour into the slow cooker and whisk gently with the chicken mixture. Gently fold in pineapple chunks and bell pepper.
- Cook until the sauce thickens and the pineapples and bell peppers are tender with some firmness.
- Season to taste with salt if desired.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and green onions, if desired.
- Serve immediately over brown rice.
This can also be served with cauliflower rice if you prefer.
Preparation and Storage
Make-Ahead: This Chinese takeout favorite is make-ahead-friendly! You can make the sweet and sour sauce a day or two beforehand and refrigerate it in an airtight container until you plan to cook.
We also like prepping veggies a few times a month and keeping them in the freezer for our CrockPot meals.
Storage: Refrigerate your Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy them within three to four days.
Freezing/How to Freeze: Transfer freezer-bound leftovers to an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag and enjoy them within three months.
How to Reheat: We often cook for two unless we have guests over, so we like heating cooked leftovers in the microwave. Thaw any frozen portions overnight in the fridge or on your kitchen countertop until cold but no longer frozen before reheating them to ensure they heat evenly.
Recipe Variations
Substitutions: We shred the cooked chicken with forks toward the end of the cooking process, but you can cut your chicken breasts into cubes if you prefer. You can also use fresh, frozen, or canned pineapple chunks. We used fresh pineapple chunks.
Vegetarian Option: Replace the chicken breast and broth with plant-based alternatives to make Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken vegetarian-friendly.
Vegan Option: In addition to the guidance for vegetarians, vegans will want to replace honey with a plant-based alternative.
Gluten-Free: This recipe should be gluten-free, as none of the ingredients typically contain gluten. Check for a gluten-free label on each if you are highly sensitive.
Smaller Serving Size + Larger Group/More Servings: The written recipe yields four servings. Scale it up or down to your desired yield, keeping in mind that you may need to work in batches if you scale up.
Make it Spicy: We’ve seen versions that add chili sauce, red chili flakes, or sriracha to the sweet and sour sauce if you prefer a spicy dish.
Sugar-Free: The written recipe contains 27 grams of sugar per serving, and it isn’t possible to make this recipe sugar-free since even no-sugar-added pineapple chunks naturally have sugar from the fruit. Opt for no-sugar-added pineapple chunks, sugar-free brown sugar, sugar-free ketchup, and a sugar-free honey substitute to lower the sugar content.
Tips for the Best Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken
- Feel free to make more sauce if you prefer a saucier, more takeout-like Sweet and Sour Chicken. The prepared sauce will last about two days in the refrigerator, and reserving sauce upgrades any leftover reheated portions since you can mix the sauce into the rice!
- Slow-cooker liners are a fantastic way to cut down on cleanup after cooking. We recommend them in all of our Crockpot recipes!
What to Serve with Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken
Pair this takeout favorite with other Chinese-American classics for an Asian-inspired feast at home! Here are some menu pairing suggestions and cocktails that would go well.
Sides: Easy Fried Rice, Crock Pot Rice, Air Fryer Cream Cheese Rangoons
Main Dishes: Orange Chicken and Broccoli, Crock Pot Cashew Chicken, Asian Flank Steak, CrockPot Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps, CrockPot Teriyaki Chicken, CrockPot Beef and Broccoli
Desserts: Mandarin Orange Jello Salad, Sriracha Caramel Corn, Mandarin Orange Angel Food Cake, 2 Ingredient Coconut Macaroon Cookies, Tropical No-Bake Truffles
Drinks: Spicy Chipotle Pineapple Martini, Orange Moscow Mule, Kamikaze Shot, Green Tea Shot, Restorative Basil Drop, Mai Tai
When to Serve
- Lunch
- Family Dinner
- Date Night
- Asian Night
- Chinese Night
Great Crockpot Recipes
Check out all of our crockpot chicken meals.
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Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breast boneless
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- ¼ Teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ Cup Chicken Broth I used low sodium
- ⅓ Cup low sodium soy sauce Gluten Free
- ½ Teaspoon Brown Sugar
- 3 tablespoons Honey can also use brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Ketchup
- ¼ Teaspoon Sesame Oil
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- sea salt to taste optional
- 1 Cup pineapple chunks fresh or canned - I used fresh
- 2 Bell Peppers cut into 1" pieces – I used on red and one green
Thickener ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cool water
- 2-3 tablespoons Cornstarch **use more or less depending on how thick you want the sauce
Instructions
- Spray inside of slow cooker with non-stick coating spray.
- Place chicken inside the slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, vinegar, tomato paste, sesame oil, garlic, ginger and black pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and push chicken down making sure chicken is covered with sauce.
- Cover slow cooker with lid and cook chicken on low heat for 5-7 hours or high heat for 2-3 hours.
- Tear or shred chicken with two forks into chunks if you are using whole chicken breasts.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a thickener. Pour in to slow cooker and whisk gently with chicken mixture. Gently fold in pineapple chunks and bell pepper.
- Cook mixture on high for an additional 20 minutes until sauce thickens and the pineapples and bell peppers are slightly tender.
- Season to taste with salt if desired.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and green onions if desired
- Serve immediately over brown rice.
Kitchen Tools
- Slow cooker
Nutrition
Recipe originally shared on July 13, 2015. Updated December 2020, August 2023
valmg
I am all about crockpot cooking! I have about five of them and use them year round.
Kim Croisant
I love all the fresh ingredients in this recipe. I'll have to get out my crock pot and try it. Looks easy enough for even me!!
Jacqui
My husband loves Sweet And Sour Chicken. I bet he would love this recipe!
Scott
I've never tried any type of chinese dish in a crock pot - I guess I didn't realize it could be done that way. Thanks for the inspiration!
diane
I adore my crockpot. I use it for all sorts of easy meals. This looks tasty!