Sweet and sour chicken pan

Sweet, gooey, and just a little spicy, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Skillet is a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

The pungency of the sriracha is tempered by the sweetness of the pineapple, and the result is a sweet and sour stir-fry that doesn’t burn at all in the mouth, despite plenty of sriracha.

If your kids love sweet and sour chicken to go, they will go crazy for this meal. Faster than pre-ordering and even tastier, this wok recipe will make everyone happy!

While spicy, this is one of the most kid-friendly chicken skillet recipes I’ve ever made. My youngest son has been eating this since he was just 2-3 years old and he’s still eating every bite and asking for more. For a slightly sweeter version, also try this Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken.

Sweet and sour chicken pan

This Sweet and Sour Chicken Skillet takes about 10-15 minutes of prep time for the chicken, veggies, and gravy; and less time to cook and serve. Start a pan of rice before you do anything else, and you’ll have dinner served in 30 minutes or less.

This meal is always a hit with my family and there is never a bite left!

How to make chicken skillet

After you’ve cooked your rice, prepare your chicken and veggies. Cut skinless, boneless chicken thighs into small pieces – the smaller the better for this recipe!

Drain a can of pineapple and save the juice for later. (We’ll add it to the sauce in a moment!)

Thinly slice your peppers and make sure your snap peas are rinsed and any stemmed ends are trimmed. Prepared bags of washed, trimmed sugar snap peas are available at most grocery stores and make this step extra easy.

Mix the chicken strips with soy sauce and cornstarch. This step gives the chicken a rich, hearty flavor and helps each piece crisp up perfectly. Make the sauce by combining the reserved pineapple juice with soy sauce, more starch, and vinegar.

Now it’s time to cook the chicken. Add it to a preheated pan with coconut or olive oil and cook for just a few minutes. The chicken cooks very quickly, so keep a close eye on it.

Next add the pea pods and sliced ​​peppers, cook for a few more minutes, adjusting the heat as needed.

Finally add the pineapple pieces and the sauce and cook until the sauce thickens. It should be very sticky at this point and not watery at all.

Taste the sauce and gradually add the sriracha until you reach the desired level of spiciness. My family loves it with the full amount of sriracha, but be warned it gets spicy! Serve in bowls over rice.

Sriracha stir fry tip

At first glance, the amount of sriracha in the recipe seems insanely high. The first time I slowly added it to the sauce, I couldn’t believe how much sriracha it took before I noticed even the slightest bit of spiciness.

Go slow and adjust the heat to the desired level. About ¼ cup of Sriracha is the perfect amount of heat for most of my family members. My spice-loving husband and eldest son usually drizzle their plates with a little extra.

Can you freeze stir fries?

Sweet and sour chicken is a great meal to make over the weekend and keep in the freezer for those extra busy weeknights.

Allow pan to cool completely before freezing in a freezer bag or freezer safe container. When ready to serve, allow the pan to thaw, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Leftovers, if you have any, taste great reheated for lunch the next day.

Served fresh or ready-to-eat, this is a family-friendly recipe that really is way better than takeout and just as quick.

Chicken Skillet Recipes

When I can’t decide what to make for dinner, one meal I know everyone will agree on is stir-fried chicken. (My boys love eating with these chopsticks. They are so much fun to use!)

Spicy Chicken and Bacon Stir Fry shows up on our menus at least once a month (if not more often, at my kids’ request). This Ginger Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry is another flavorful favorite that beats most restaurant dishes around the world!

Fresh veggies and chicken, quickly fried in a hot pan, is one of my favorite dishes to make and serve. This dish is a fun twist on the usual Asian or Mexican flavors I would usually think of for stir-fries.

If you like sweet and sour chicken, I know you’ll also love this similarly flavored Sriracha Honey Cashew Chicken. The sweet honey and crunchy cashews make it almost addictive.

Most of the time, I serve fried chicken over a plain bowl of white or brown rice. Whenever we’re in the mood for pasta, I grab these Chicken and Veggie Skillets. It’s so simple but oh so delicious!

For more quick and easy dinner recipes, check out my kids’ favorite cheater Korean Beef and this 20-Minute Kielbasa Sauté.

I just added this Greek Gyros Skillet and these Oven Baked Hot Italian Sandwiches to my must make list as well. Nothing beats a quick, easy and tasty meal on a busy weeknight.

{originally posted 4/25/13 – recipe notes and photos updated 5/4/23}