Enjoy your favorite Chinese takeout at home with this gluten-free sweet and sour chicken recipe. It’s made in one pan with no frying required, and features a sticky, tangy gluten-free sauce coating golden, crispy chicken.
Baked Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Chicken — No Frying
Traditional Chinese takeout often uses a batter of egg, flour, and cornstarch for crispy chicken. For a naturally gluten-free version, simply skip the flour and dredge the chicken in 100% cornstarch. This creates a light, crunchy coating without wheat.
Many “baked” sweet and sour chicken recipes still call for frying first to achieve crispiness. To keep this recipe easy and lighter, I use an oven-fry technique that crisps the coating without deep frying. After dredging, the chicken is baked at high heat briefly to set and crisp the coating. Then it’s tossed with the sweet and sour sauce and finished in the oven until the sauce bubbles and thickens.
This approach keeps hands-on time minimal and still delivers the tangy-sweet flavor you want. While the dish bakes, prepare a simple side such as cooked rice or a quick gluten-free fried rice to complete the meal.
Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Sauce
Most homemade sweet and sour sauces are thickened with cornstarch, but they often include soy sauce for depth of flavor. Regular soy sauce usually contains wheat, so choose a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari. I use a GF-labeled soy sauce available in many supermarkets, but tamari or liquid aminos are also suitable substitutes.
If you buy a prepared sauce, read the label carefully to ensure no wheat-derived ingredients or non-GF soy sauce are used.
Let’s Make This Together
(This is a step-by-step tutorial with photos. For exact ingredient amounts and a printable recipe card, see the recipe section below.)
- Toss the cut chicken pieces in a beaten egg to coat.
- In a large bowl combine cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Transfer the egg-coated chicken to the cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly.
- Arrange the chicken in a single layer in an oiled 9×13 baking dish. Bake at 425ºF for about 10 minutes to set the coating and begin crisping.
- Meanwhile whisk together the sweet and sour sauce ingredients. Add the sauce and sliced peppers to the partially baked chicken and toss to combine.
- Reduce the oven temperature and continue baking until the sauce is bubbly, thickened, and the chicken is cooked through, stirring once or twice during the bake.
Using Chicken Thighs
If you prefer thighs for their richer flavor, use boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces. They work the same way with the cornstarch coating and baking method.
Suggested Additions
Add red and yellow bell peppers for color, crunch, and a fresh contrast to the sauce. Green peppers can be used instead. Pineapple is optional—if you like it, stir in pineapple chunks during the last 15–20 minutes of baking so they warm through without getting too soft.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can prepare components ahead to save time. After dredging the chicken, place the pieces on an ungreased baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for several hours before baking. Alternatively, complete the initial high-heat bake, cool the dish, cover, and refrigerate until ready to finish. The sweet and sour sauce can be mixed and refrigerated up to two days in advance.
Did you make this recipe? I appreciate feedback—leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others find great recipes and I always read your notes. -Melissa
Crispy Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Chicken (Baked)
Melissa ErdelacPin
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Ingredients
- 2 ½ tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts, cut into 1″ pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 1 red pepper, cut into 1″ pieces
- 1 yellow pepper, cut into 1″ pieces
Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- (optional) sesame seeds, for garnish
- (optional) cooked rice, for serving
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- mixing bowls
- measuring spoons and cups
- knife and cutting board
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Pour the oil into a 9×13 baking dish and place it in the oven while it preheats so the oil becomes very hot.
- Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat.
- In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Transfer the chicken, letting excess egg drip off, to the cornstarch and coat well. For best results, separate pieces with your hands to ensure even coating.
- Carefully remove the hot baking dish from the oven and arrange the chicken in a single layer. Bake for 5 minutes, then toss the pieces in the hot oil and bake 5 minutes more. Meanwhile, whisk together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl (ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, water, gluten-free soy sauce, ground ginger, and garlic powder).
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF. Add the peppers and the sauce to the dish and toss to combine. Bake for 30–35 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the sauce is bubbly, thickened, and the chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately over rice and garnish with sesame seeds if desired.