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Can't find gluten-free Chinese food near you? Then you need to make this easy gluten-free sweet and sour chicken recipe for dinner this week.
Gluten-free Chinese food can be hard to find when trying to eat out. Thankfully, it's not hard to make some favorites like this gluten-free sweet and sour chicken. Every time I make it, I tend to double the recipe because my whole family loves leftover cold Chinese food the next day. Don't worry; this recipe is super easy to make, and it's ready faster than you could get something delivered.
Jump to:
Is sweet and sour chicken gluten-free?
No, sweet and sour chicken is usually chicken fried in a tempura batter and then coated in a sweet and sour sauce that generally has soy sauce and possible wheat as a thickener.
To make sweet and sour chicken gluten-free, we have to make a gluten-free chicken batter to coat and fry the chicken in and then make a sweet and sour sauce with gluten-free soy sauce.
Ingredients.
- Chicken Breasts
- Gluten-free Flour - I use King Arthur 1:1 blend.
- Corn Starch
- Baking Powder
- Eggs
- Red Bell Pepper
- Onion
- Pineapple
- Water
- Ketchup
- Gluten-free Soy Sauce
- Pineapple Juice
- Rice Vinegar
- Sugar
- Garlic
- Ginger
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How to make gluten-free sweet and sour chicken.
- Make the gluten-free batter for the chicken.
- Coat the chicken.
- Fry the chicken.
- Saute the veggies.
- Add the sauce and let it thicken.
- Toss the gluten-free battered chicken into the gluten-free sweet and sour sauce.
Tips and tricks.
Making gluten-free Chinese food isn't hard, but here are a few of my favorite tricks to make it easy and delicious every time.
- Cut the chicken into equal size pieces. This will help ensure they all cook evenly.
- Do not skip battering and frying the chicken. This gives this sweet and sour chicken that traditional Chinese takeout flavor and texture.
- Let the sauce thicken before adding the chicken.
Gluten-free Chinese food FAQ.
No, soy sauce is not traditionally gluten-free. Despite the name soy sauce, it's made from wheat, soybeans, salt, and water, making it not gluten-free. You can, however, find gluten-free soy sauce. I suggest using tamari gluten-free soy sauce to make sure it is gluten-free. You can also use coconut aminos instead, which is gluten-free.
Several brands make gluten-free soy sauce, including the following.
San-J Tamari Gluten Free Soy Sauce
Kikkoman Gluten Free Soy Sauce
La Choy Lite Gluten Free Soy Sauce
Sempio Gluten Free Soy Sauce
Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos - a gluten-free soy sauce alternative.
Prepping ahead of time.
While this gluten-free sweet and sour chicken recipe is best when it is first made, there are some things you can do to make it easier for busy nights.
- Prep the gluten-free chicken batter ahead of time. - You can prep the batter a day ahead and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge.
- Make the sauce ahead of time. - I find it easiest to mix the sauce without the vegetables and let it simmer on the stove just until it starts to thicken. Then when I am cooking dinner, it takes less time to finish once the sauce is added to the vegetables.
- Make it all ahead of time and reheat. - This isn't my favorite option, but it does work. You can completely batter and fry the chicken and make the sauce ahead of time.
- I recommend storing the battered chicken and the sauce separately if you do this.
- I find the gluten-free battered chicken gets crispier if it's reheated in the oven or air fryer without the sauce.
- Warming up the sauce and then combining it with the chicken will give the best results when making it ahead of time.
Storing leftovers and reheating.
This gluten-free sweet and sour chicken recipe actually makes delicious leftovers. The gluten-free batter does not fall off the chicken once it has sauce on it. This means you can enjoy your delicious Chinese leftovers like you would if they came from a local takeout spot.
- If you prefer your chicken to maintain that nice crunch that has come directly out of the oil after the batter is fried. In that case, I suggest only tossing enough chicken in enough sauce that you know you are going to eat and storing the chicken and sauce separately.
- To reheat, you can toss the chicken into an oven or air fryer at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until it is warmed through.
- You can also warm it up in the microwave in 30-second increments until warm if you prefer.
How to serve.
Serve your gluten-free Chinese food just like you would any other Chinese food. My husband loves when I pair this gluten-free sweet and sour chicken with some of my gluten-free fried rice. My oldest, on the other hand, is not a fan of fried rice, but she loves to eat this with some extra sauce over some steamed jasmine rice. I'll even go out and grab some of our favorite gluten-free egg rolls from Feel Good Foods at the store. Now, if only I could find some good gluten-free fortune cookies.
Want more gluten-free Chinese takeout recipes? Tell me below in the comments.
More gluten-free chicken recipes to enjoy.
📖 Recipe
Easy Gluten-free Sweet and Sour Chicken
Ingredients
For the gluten-free battered chicken.
- 1 ½ Pounds Chicken Breasts Cubed.
- 1 ½ Cups 1:1 Gluten-free Flour I use King Arthur 1:1 blend.
- ⅓ Cup Corn Starch
- 2 Large Eggs
- ¾ Cup Water
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- Oil for frying.
For the gluten-free sweet and sour sauce.
- 2 Tablespoons Light Cooking Oil I use avocado oil or sesame oil.
- 1 Medium Red Bell Pepper Diced.
- 1 Small White or yellow onion Diced
- 1 Cup Chopped Pineapple Fresh, frozen or canned.
- ¼ Cup Sugar
- ¼ Cup Rice Vinegar You can also use apple cider vinegar.
- ¼ Cup Gluten-free Soy Sauce
- ¼ Cup Ketchup
- ½ Cup Pineapple Juice
- 2 ½ Tablespoons Corn Starch
- 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
Instructions
Make the gluten-free battered chicken.
- Combine the gluten-free flour, corn starch, eggs, water, garlic, and ginger in a bowl and mix until a thick batter is formed.1 ½ Cups 1:1 Gluten-free Flour, ⅓ Cup Corn Starch, 2 Large Eggs, ¾ Cup Water, ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder, ¼ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- Add the cubed chicken to the batter and mix to coat.1 ½ Pounds Chicken Breasts
- In a pan, warm up the oil to about 350 °F.Oil for frying.
- Add the coated chicken to the oil a few minutes at a time.
- Let the chicken cook in the oil for about 4-5 minutes, flipping as needed, until the batter becomes slightly golden and the chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove the chicken from the oil and let it rest on a plate lined with paper towels while you finish cooking the rest.
Make the gluten-free sweet and sour sauce.
- In a separate skillet, add the light cooking oil and warm it up over medium heat.2 Tablespoons Light Cooking Oil
- Add the diced onions, peppers, and pineapple to the skillet.1 Medium Red Bell Pepper, 1 Small White or yellow onion, 1 Cup Chopped Pineapple
- Let the vegetables cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until they have started to soften.
- While the vegetables are cooking, combine the rest of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until no clumps of corn starch remain.⅓ Cup Corn Starch, ¼ Cup Sugar, ¼ Cup Rice Vinegar, ¼ Cup Gluten-free Soy Sauce, ¼ Cup Ketchup, ½ Cup Pineapple Juice, 2 ½ Tablespoons Corn Starch, 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder, ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- Add the sauce to the vegetables and let it simmer until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Combine the chicken with the sauce.
- Once the chicken has been battered and fried, add the pieces to the sauce and stir to coat.
- Serve your gluten-free sweet and sour chicken with some jasmine rice or gluten-free fried rice for a delicious dinner.
Notes
- Cut the chicken into equal size pieces. This will help ensure they all cook evenly.
- Do not skip battering and frying the chicken. This gives this sweet and sour chicken that traditional Chinese takeout flavor and texture.
- Let the sauce thicken before adding the chicken.
- Prep the gluten-free chicken batter ahead of time. - You can prep the batter a day ahead and keep it in a sealed container in the fridge.
- Make the sauce ahead of time. - I find it easiest to mix the sauce without the vegetables and let it simmer on the stove just until it starts to thicken. Then when I am cooking dinner, it takes less time to finish once the sauce is added to the vegetables.
- Make it all ahead of time and reheat. - This isn't my favorite option, but it does work. You can completely batter and fry the chicken and make the sauce ahead of time.
- I recommend storing the battered chicken and the sauce separately if you do this.
- I find the gluten-free battered chicken gets crispier if it's reheated in the oven or air fryer without the sauce.
- Warming up the sauce and then combining it with the chicken will give the best results when making it ahead of time.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #grainfreetable or @grainfreetable on Instagram. I'd love to see what you come up with!
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