Microwave Sweet and Sour Chicken
Quick microwave sweet and sour chicken with pineapple, peppers, and cashews. Chicken chunks cook in a tangy ketchup and vinegar sauce with muscovado sugar, garlic, and fresh vegetables. Ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 9 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 3 tbsp malt vinegarrice vinegar1:1vinegar
milder acidity
- 4 tbsp dark muscovado sugarlight muscovado sugar1:1sweetener
lighter molasses flavor
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into chunks
- 1 small onion, roughly chopped
- 2 red peppers, seeded and cut into chunksyellow peppers1:1vegetable
milder sweetness
- 8 oz pineapple pieces in juice, drainedfresh pineapple chunks1:1fruit
adds fresh texture
- ½ cups sugar snap peas, roughly sliced
- salted roasted cashew nuts(optional)peanuts1:1nutstree_nuts-freeadds peanutsFull guide →
Instructions
- 1
Mix ketchup, vinegar, muscovado sugar, and crushed garlic in a large microwaveable dish.
- 2
Add chicken chunks, onion, and peppers to the sauce and stir thoroughly.
- 3
Microwave uncovered on high until chicken starts to cook and sauce sizzles.
- 4
Stir in pineapple pieces and sugar snap peas.
- 5
Return to microwave until chicken is completely cooked.
- 6
Leave to stand for a few minutes.
- 7
Stir in cashews if using and serve.
Tips
Stir halfway through cooking if microwave heats unevenly to ensure even cooking.
Leave standing time allows residual heat to finish cooking the chicken through.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in microwave with splash of water.
Prepare sauce and cut vegetables up to 1 day ahead. Combine with chicken and cook when ready.
Serve over steamed rice or noodles with extra cashews on the side.
Common Mistakes
Do not cover the dish during initial cooking to avoid steam buildup and soggy sauce.
Do not skip the standing time to avoid incomplete cooking of chicken interior.
Do not add cashews before standing to avoid them becoming soft.
Substitutions
Nut-Free Alternatives
General Alternatives
milder sweetness
lighter molasses flavor
adds fresh texture