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August 15, 2016 44 Comments

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs

baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken-thighsBest ever, easy dinner that will have the whole family licking their fingers. These sticky Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs are my new go-to meal for busy nights. Another family favorite and go-to meal you will love is Sticky Teriyaki Baked Chicken Thighs.

A few years ago, I saw a recipe on Mel’s Kitchen Cafe for Sweet and Sour Chicken. Despite my dislike of all things sweet and sour, I decided to try it because it had such raving reviews. The reviews were right! It was AWESOME! Not at all like most sweet and sour things I’ve tried. It’s one of our family’s favorite meals. However, it is a little time-intensive, so I don’t make it very often.

A few months ago, I realized I could get very similar results with much less effort by sprinkling flour over chicken thighs and baking them in the oven with the sauce. The whole family loves it! We serve it with white rice and either green beans or broccoli.

More Baked Chicken Recipes

  • Pesto Parmesan Chicken
  • Baked Honey Curry Chicken with Green Beans
  • Mom’s Baked Soda Cracker Chicken
  • Chicken Pillows
  • Rice Crispy Chicken Thighs
  • Chicken Thighs and Roasted Veggies

HOW TO MAKE BAKED SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN THIGHS

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Sprinkle bottom of a 9×13 pan with 1-2 tbsp flour and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Place Chicken thighs in pan topside down. Sprinkle remaining 1-2 tbsp flour on the thighs and again salt and pepper.
  • Make sauce by whisking together sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic salt. 
  • Pour sauce over thighs.
  • Bake in oven for 1 1/2 hours, if using thawed chicken thighs, or 2 hours for partly frozen chicken thighs. Turn once halfway through baking.
  • Serve with rice and veggies, and put the sauce from the chicken on the rice.
  • Enjoy!

These Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs are a must make and perfect for busy school nights.

baked-sweet-and-sour-chicken-thighs

Tips for making Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs
  • To make it gluten free, sprinkle cornstarch on chicken instead of flour.
  • You can substitute red wine vinegar for the apple cider vinegar.
  • Instead of making the sauce, you can use store-bought sweet and sour sauce.
  • If you like chicken skin, you can leave it on the chicken.

More Weeknight Favorites

Oven-baked-parmesan-pork-chopsEasy Oven Baked Parmesan Pork Chopsmexican-casserrole-perfect-week-night-mealMexican Casserole {Perfect Weeknight Meal}Ketchup-Sloppy-JoesKetchup Sloppy Joes {15 minute meal}

4.6 from 10 reviews
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
90 mins
Total time
1 hour 40 mins
 
Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs baked to perfection in the oven. Serve with white rice and your favorite veggies.
Author: Maria
Recipe type: Chicken
Cuisine: Dinner
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin removed
  • 3-4 tablespoons flour or cornstarch, if you want it gluten-free
  • Salt and Pepper
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Sprinkle bottom of a 9x13 pan with 1-2 tbsp flour and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Place Chicken thighs in pan topside down. Sprinkle remaining 1-2 tbsp flour on the thighs and again salt and pepper.
  4. Make sauce by whisking together sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic salt.
  5. Pour sauce over thighs.
  6. Bake in oven for 1½ hours, if using thawed chicken thighs, or 2 hours for partly frozen chicken thighs. Turn once halfway through baking.
  7. Serve with rice and veggies and put the sauce from the chicken on the rice.
  8. Enjoy!
3.4.3177

Enjoy! YUM! YUM! YUM!

More Must Makes

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44 Comments

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44 Comments

  1. Adriana

    August 23, 2016 at 12:24 am

    Made these last night and they were a hit! I too am a fan of the original recipe from Mel, but with two little ones, I don’t have the time (willpower) to make it unless my husband comes home early from work. Thanks for the recipe!!

    to Adriana" aria-label='reply to this comment to Adriana'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      November 30, 2016 at 3:24 pm

      So glad you liked it Adriana! I am the same way, I only have the willpower to make intense meals if I have another adult for moral support Aka: babysitting. 🙂

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
    • Dianna

      June 14, 2020 at 8:26 am

      Loved this recipe! Came out great. Wondering if you have tried with chicken breast and how you adjusted the cook time. Thanks

      to Dianna" aria-label='reply to this comment to Dianna'>reply to this comment
      • Maria

        June 24, 2020 at 6:31 am

        Hi, I haven’t tried it with breasts but I am sure it would work great, You would just want to make sure that you don’t over cook and dry it out. Cooking time will really just depend on the thickness of the chicken breasts. I would check it after an hour and then adjust time as you feel is needed.

        to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  2. Tracy

    May 27, 2017 at 6:46 pm

    Do u cover it while baking? Can u add pineapple?

    to Tracy" aria-label='reply to this comment to Tracy'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      June 13, 2017 at 7:47 pm

      I don’t cover it unless and I haven’t ever added pineapple, but I bet it would be really good.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  3. Lovescooking

    July 11, 2017 at 9:36 am

    My oven only goes up to 250. I going to add extra time at the end.

    to Lovescooking" aria-label='reply to this comment to Lovescooking'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      August 10, 2017 at 11:10 pm

      Hope they came out okay, at that temp, they may have needed an extra hour or two.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  4. Vanessa

    December 6, 2017 at 3:42 pm

    Can I substitute the Apple cider vinegar for red wine vinegar? That’s all I have.

    to Vanessa" aria-label='reply to this comment to Vanessa'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      December 13, 2017 at 10:29 pm

      Hi Vanessa, Yes, it should be fine!

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  5. Michelle

    March 29, 2018 at 6:19 pm

    OMG this chicken is the best I have ever made THANK YOU SOO much my new favorite recipe

    to Michelle" aria-label='reply to this comment to Michelle'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      April 18, 2018 at 7:47 pm

      I am so glad you love this recipe! I love it too, my kids beg me to make this!

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  6. Bobby Davis

    July 4, 2018 at 3:38 pm

    Can i use sweet n sour sauce thats already made in the jar?

    to Bobby Davis" aria-label='reply to this comment to Bobby Davis'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      September 6, 2018 at 8:09 pm

      I can’t see why not. 🙂

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  7. Kelly Holden

    September 21, 2018 at 7:55 pm

    Can you make ahead and freeze this?

    to Kelly Holden" aria-label='reply to this comment to Kelly Holden'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      September 25, 2018 at 1:04 pm

      I haven’t ever tried it, but I can’t see why not.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  8. Molly

    September 26, 2018 at 12:57 pm

    Made this last night and my husband could not get enough. He is a very picky eater so this was such a delight to find something other than meat and potatoes. It was easy, and delicious, thanks.

    to Molly" aria-label='reply to this comment to Molly'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      October 17, 2018 at 3:03 pm

      Yay!!!! This makes me so happy! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear things like this about picky eaters. 🙂

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
    • Chris

      January 17, 2019 at 10:06 am

      Why do you cook it so long it would be done after 1 hour is there a reason

      to Chris" aria-label='reply to this comment to Chris'>reply to this comment
      • Maria

        February 28, 2019 at 10:38 pm

        We really like the way the meat falls off the bone when cooked this long, also it helps the sauce get thick enough. If you don’t want to cook it that long you will probably need to add a little more flour to help thicken the sauce.

        to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
    • Ryan

      May 22, 2019 at 1:44 am

      BEST CHICKEN EVER!! We have this all the time . Now a family favorite, thanks for the recipe.

      to Ryan" aria-label='reply to this comment to Ryan'>reply to this comment
  9. Jody Mathews

    February 7, 2019 at 3:27 pm

    Can you add bell peppers while baking?

    to Jody Mathews" aria-label='reply to this comment to Jody Mathews'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      February 26, 2019 at 9:44 pm

      I’m sure you can, I’ve never tried it though.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  10. Jan Fast

    March 4, 2019 at 10:23 am

    Made this last night and the whole family loved it!! I added red onion, red bell pepper and pineapple. Absolutely wonderful! Thanks for a new recipe that I’m sure I’ll use for many years to come. Can’t get over how easy the sauce is to make just using pantry items I always have on hand.

    to Jan Fast" aria-label='reply to this comment to Jan Fast'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      March 9, 2019 at 10:06 pm

      Right! The sauce is so easy and delicious! I’m so glad your family loved the recipe and your additions sound delicious! Thanks for leaving a comment Jan.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  11. Lea

    May 20, 2019 at 10:05 pm

    Delicious tender juicy chicken but I was disappointed when all the sauce blackened and solidified in the pan so there wasn’t any to put on the rice. Perhaps I’ll try a lower temp next time but my oven thermometer said that the oven wasn’t hotter than the 350 recommended. I will try again because the chicken was wonderful!

    to Lea" aria-label='reply to this comment to Lea'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      May 20, 2019 at 10:11 pm

      Hi Lea, try covering it except for the last thirty minutes.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
      • Lea

        May 25, 2019 at 10:48 pm

        Thanks! I’ll let you know. It’s on the menu plan this week.

        to Lea" aria-label='reply to this comment to Lea'>reply to this comment
  12. Aubrie

    September 2, 2019 at 11:37 am

    Is it brown sugar or regular sugar? Thank you!

    to Aubrie" aria-label='reply to this comment to Aubrie'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      October 22, 2019 at 8:06 am

      Hi Aubrie, It is regular sugar.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
      • MICHELLE

        December 19, 2019 at 7:43 pm

        Everything I excpeted with none of the work or mess! Mel’s sweet and sour chicken is a favorite for sure, and this just takes the cake for the prepper and the eaters, lol. I used skin-on thighs and the crispy flavorful skin was delicious!! Thanks for sharing

        to MICHELLE" aria-label='reply to this comment to MICHELLE'>reply to this comment
        • Maria

          April 2, 2020 at 12:36 pm

          Yay! I love hearing this Michelle! So glad you and your family loved it! And yes! I am all over simplifying anything I can. #fivekids

          to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  13. Tanya

    September 25, 2019 at 1:40 pm

    I only got boneless thighs thighs how long do U think I need to cook for now

    to Tanya" aria-label='reply to this comment to Tanya'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      May 13, 2020 at 4:13 pm

      They probably need about 1 hour if they’re thawed or 1 1/2 hours if partly frozen.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  14. Sara goodlin

    April 7, 2020 at 4:59 pm

    I just made this, letting it marinade in the fridge for dinner 🙂 i used the cornstarch instead of the flour. Crossing my fingers it turns out yummy! Also making french cut green beans and white rice with it ♡

    to Sara goodlin" aria-label='reply to this comment to Sara goodlin'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      May 6, 2020 at 2:05 pm

      You’ll love it! My family goes crazy for this!

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  15. Joan bird

    November 25, 2020 at 3:37 pm

    Can I mix flour in with sauce?

    to Joan bird" aria-label='reply to this comment to Joan bird'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      November 26, 2020 at 2:36 pm

      I’ve never tired it that way, but that is a good idea!

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  16. jim

    January 25, 2021 at 8:33 pm

    I drained a #7 can of pineapple chunks ,added thenjuicentomthensause and added the chunks at the halfway point. Also sprinkled a few dried hot pepper flakes to the sauce. Wow, was it good!

    to jim" aria-label='reply to this comment to jim'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      January 28, 2021 at 9:22 am

      Wow! That sounds like a great addition! So glad you liked it!

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  17. Sally

    September 20, 2021 at 8:48 pm

    What about using boneless thighs? How long would I need to cook my chicken for?

    to Sally" aria-label='reply to this comment to Sally'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      September 27, 2021 at 4:27 am

      Hi Sally, I have used boneless and I cut off 1/2 hour of the cooking time.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment
  18. Robin Cantrell

    October 23, 2021 at 3:26 pm

    Dont know what happened to my chicken but there was no ‘sauce’ just a thick goopy stuck to the bottom of the pan stuff. I always look forward to the sauce to go on my rice. Now I have to figure out how to salvage.

    to Robin Cantrell" aria-label='reply to this comment to Robin Cantrell'>reply to this comment
    • Maria

      October 26, 2021 at 8:27 am

      As it cooks if it looks like the sauce is thickening quicker then you would like, you can add a little water. It seems to depend on how much moisture comes our of the chicken. After it cooks to salvage the sauce you can remove the chicken, add a little water to the pan and whisk it around to make a sauce again.

      to Maria" aria-label='reply to this comment to Maria'>reply to this comment

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Welcome friends!

Hi, I'm Maria. A mom of five and a total foodie. My superpower is taking ordinary recipes and making them DELICIOUS. Your family will LOVE these meals! Come cook with me, I promise it will be amazing! Get started here or search my archives below.


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