Whole30 instant pot sweet and sour chicken is so easy and so quick to make. It’s completely Paleo, sugar free, gluten free, and made in less 30 minutes. The simplicity of this recipe makes it perfect for a weeknight meal that’s family friendly, or for Whole30 meal prep. The sweet and sour sauce is made from pretty standard paleo ingredients and is a great alternative to Chinese takeout!
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If you don’t have an instant pot, don’t worry! I’ve included skillet instructions here too. However, if you don’t have one yet, what the heck are ya doing?! They’re so convenient! At first I didn’t know when I’d ever need to use it, but now it rarely leaves my countertop. I love that you can do so much in one pot, like searing the chicken, and making this sauce for example! No extra dishes needed.
The Whole30 instant pot sweet and sour chicken sauce is made from a combination of pineapple juice from the canned pineapple, coconut aminos, vinegar and Primal Kitchen’s Whole30 Approved ketchup. What I love about this ketchup is that it doesn’t use any sort of sweetener but still has the consistency and flavor of common ketchups, making it perfect for the obvious purpose of dipping fries, adding to burgers, etc. But also as a Whole30 swap for Asian flavors like in this sauce!
Recipe Tutorial Video
Even my husband now prefers Primal Kitchen’s ketchup to his standard grocery store one and says that now he can’t stand the taste of the other one because it tastes so “chemical-y” when compared. Primal Kitchen already had the best dressings and marinades, but now they’ve totally stepped it up with the new ketchup addition! You can find these new condiments from Primal Kitchen on their website (use code PALEOBAILEY to save 15%), Amazon or discounted at Thrive Market!
I also used a red pepper here for the Whole30 instant pot sweet and sour chicken, but a green pepper would work just fine as well. I think this would also be great with chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, and I’m a big fan of using what you have on hand to make it work! The one thing to note about the veggies is that you don’t want to chop them too small. Keep them at a 2 inch to 1.5 inch chop so that they don’t get mushy in the instant pot, and so you get that Chinese dish feel to it with the larger chunks of veggies.
Other Asian-Inspired Whole30 Recipes You’ll Love:
Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Meatballs
PrintWhole30 Instant Pot Sweet & Sour Chicken (Paleo, GF, Skillet Instructions)
Whole30 instant pot sweet and sour chicken is so easy and so quick to make. It’s completely Paleo, sugar free, gluten free, and made in less 30 minutes. The simplicity of this recipe makes it perfect for a weeknight meal that’s family friendly, or for Whole30 meal prep.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1.5 inch-2 inch pieces (about 3 large chicken breasts)
- 1 medium red onion, halved and then chopped into 1 inch pieces
- 1 red pepper, seeds and stem removed and then chopped into 1 inch-2 inch pieces
- 3/4 cup canned pineapple chunks
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
For the Sauce:
- 1/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup Primal Kitchen Whole30 Approved Ketchup
- 2/3 cup pineapple juice from canned pineapple
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice seasoning (omit if you don’t have it)
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour mixed with 1/3 cup cold water for thickening
Instructions
- Select “sauté” mode on the instant pot and add the sesame oil to the pot. Once hot, add diced chicken and salt and sear for 1 minute on each side, flipping using tongs
- Press “cancel” and then add in the peppers, onions and pineapple chunks to the top of the chicken. Do not stir
- Mix together all sauce ingredients except for the arrowroot flour and water in a small bowl. Add the sauce into the instant pot, close the lid, and set to “manual high pressure” for 5 minutes. Make sure the venting valve is set to sealed
- Once done, do a quick release and remove the lid. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and vegetables and place into the serving dish
- Select “sauté” mode again. Mix the arrowroot and cold water together until it dissolves and pour mixture into the remaining liquid in the instant pot. Stir to combine and let it come to a rolling simmer
- Sauce will begin to thicken, keep stirring for about 2 minutes and once the simmer slows to a slow rolling bubble, sauce is done. Pour sauce over the chicken and vegetables, add sesame seeds, green onions or cilantro to preference and serve with cauliflower rice!
Notes
Skillet instructions
- Add sesame oil to a large rimmed skillet on medium-high heat. Once hot, add chicken and sear on both sides about 2 minutes per side. Then, add in the onions, peppers and pineapple. Stir to combine and let cook for about 3 minutes.
- Combine all sauce ingredients except for the arrowroot and water in a small bowl, and then pour mixture into the skillet. Stir to combine, bring to a simmer and then reduce heat to medium and then cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Once chicken is cooked through, remove chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon leaving just the liquid in the skillet. Mix arrowroot flour and water in a small dish until arrowroot is dissolved and then pour into the remaining liquid. Bring the liquid to a simmer once again, stirring often.
- Sauce will begin to thicken and once the simmer slows to a rolling bubble, either add the chicken and veggies back into the skillet to coat with the sauce, or pour sauce over the chicken and veggies!
- Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions or cilantro, serve over cauliflower rice and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 244
- Sugar: 17
- Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Protein: 23
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Jenny says
Made this for dinner with fried rice and it was so delicious! Even my husband who is skeptical of healthier recipes enjoyed it. Will definitely make again. I also loooooved that you included skillet instructions since I don’t have an Instant Pot. Thanks Bailey 🙂
paleobailey says
I’m so, so glad to hear this!! Thank you so much, Jenny! <3 - B
Kelly says
Another amazing recipe! So delicious!
paleobailey says
Thank you SO much Kelly!! I really appreciate you making my recipes, and for taking the time to come back and let me know you enjoyed it! <3 - B
Mary C. says
Amazing recipe. It’s our family’s favorite Whole30 recipe we make. Sometimes add broccoli and carrots too and the sauce is so good my kids will eat any veggie with it. WIN!!
paleobailey says
Oh I haven’t added broccoli or carrots in with this- sounds SO good! Thank you so much for letting me know, I’m glad this recipe is a winner for your family!! <3 - B
Emily says
Top 3 all-time fave whole30 recipes. You’d NEVER know it was Whole30. So sweet. So good. Yum.
paleobailey says
Emily you’re making my night!! Thank you SO much! Best compliment, and I’m so happy you love it! <3 - B
Kristi says
We LOVE this recipe!! Insanely good and healthy to boot!
paleobailey says
Thrilled to hear it! Thank you so much!
Alex says
This recipe was crazy easy and DELICIOUS! Thanks so much for sharing! I can’t wait to try it again!
Becky says
This recipe has turned into a staple in our house! It’s so good and easy!
paleobailey says
I’m SO happy to hear this!! Thank you so much for coming back and letting me know! <3 - B
Jess says
Had this for dinner last night ….. DELICIOUS! ? loved every bite. Didn’t have arrowroot, but it was still amazing. Thank you !!
paleobailey says
SO glad to hear this! Thank you so much!!
Hannah says
Our new favorite weeknight meal! So easy and delicious! Husband approved! ?
paleobailey says
LOVE hearing this. Husband approved is always a win! Thank you, Hannah!!
Julie says
I made this last night for my sons family, everyone loved it, including the grandchildren! I added broccoli because my grandson loves it (and not much else) he even ate the chicken! This recipe is so quick and easy-it will be on repeat at our house.
paleobailey says
Oh I’m so glad to hear the whole family enjoyed! Thank you so much for letting me know! The broccoli addition sounds awesome, too. I’ll have to try that! <3 - Bailey
Angie says
Loved it!
paleobailey says
Thank you, Angie!!
Camille Harrington says
LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! Better then takeout and just enough sweet! Can’t wait to make it again!
paleobailey says
Woo! Amazing! I’m so glad to hear this – thank you so much for taking the time to let me know <3 - B
Frances Caplan says
I don’t know why I’m so reluctant to use my Instant Pot…need to develop anew habit, I guess ?♀️
Regardless, I made this recipe in my Instant Pot and LOVED it! So flavorful without the Chinese take-out hangover.
paleobailey says
I was so terrified of my Instant Pot when I got it too for a good long while haha! I’m so glad you gave this recipe a shot and loved it though! Thank you for taking the time to let me know – you made my day today and I so appreciate it!! <3 - B
Jennifer Lee says
This recipe was a hit! I brought it to an Asian food potluck. It was a favorite for sure, and very easy to put together. Thank you so much for your recipes
Kara Olsen says
Very good. I love sweet and sour menu items. I added baby carrots because I am always a fan of more vegetables. I didn’t alter the sauce at all and they still cooked well. Next time I may add brocolli or another type of vegetable.
paleobailey says
I’m so glad to hear this – thank you, Kara!
Jen says
I made this on the stove top this weekend for meal prep, and I’m surprised at how good it was. Even my boyfriend said it was really good and liked it and he doesn’t like anything! I was expecting him to not be a fan, just because of how picky he is, but I think he liked it more than me. This was good, no doubt, but I think it was too sweet and tangy for me. I added some crushed red pepper for some heat, but I needed to add more. I also omitted the slurry at the end cause the sauce got a little thicker as it simmered and I didn’t want it to be too thick . This was definitely good but I think I’ll need to make some modifications next time to reduce the amount if sweetneas.
Danielle says
Literally better than takeout sweet and sour chicken. Loved this and it was so easy to make.
paleobailey says
Woo! Thank you so much Danielle!!
Elizabeth says
Absolutely delicious!!!!! I began my 2nd attempt at Whole30 this month and just had to try this recipe! It is amazing and seriously tastes just like take-out! ????
paleobailey says
Amazing!! Thank you so much – I’m so happy to hear you loved it!
Emily says
Our best whole 30 meal! Thank you for sharing!!
paleobailey says
So glad you liked it!!
Rachel says
We loved this recipe! It took me longer than 25 minutes to make, but it was delicious! We especially enjoyed the garnish of sesame seeds and green onions. Thank you for the recipe!
paleobailey says
So glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you!