Sweet and Sour Chicken Freezer Meal

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Skip takeout with this easy sweet and sour chicken freezer meal. In just 10 minutes, you can assemble pineapple, bell peppers, chicken, and a homemade sweet and sour sauce, then freeze it until you’re ready to cook straight from frozen. Delicious served with Instant Pot freezer rice or sourdough flatbreads!

This sweet and sour chicken freezer meal is one of my regular go-tos for meal prep (you’ve probably seen it on my YouTube channel a lot, haha!).

It’s a dump-and-go meal, so you just put everything in the bag raw. Then, you cook it from frozen in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. It’s beyond easy, and takes less than 10 minutes of hands-on time.

I like to serve it with Instant Pot freezer rice for a quick and easy meal. But it’s also great with turmeric coconut rice.

Ps. If you are stocking your freezer, checkout my slow cooker French dip freezer meal, honey garlic chicken freezer meal, and baked ziti freezer meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy Prep: This sweet and sour chicken freezer meal takes less than 10 minutes to prep.

Cook From Frozen: You can cook this meal in the Instant Pot or slow cooker from frozen.

Family Favorite: This is a veggie-forward dinner, but the sweet sauce and pineapple appeal to taste buds of all ages.

Better Than Takeout: Not only is this cheaper than takeout, it’s much healthier, too.

Meal Prep Friendly: I usually make 2 or 3 bags of this at a time so I can stock my freezer.

Key Ingredients

Chicken: I used chicken breast, but chicken thighs will also work. Just make sure the cut is boneless and skinless.

Soy Sauce: I generally use tamari, but regular soy sauce works as well.

Veggies: You will need onions and bell peppers. I recommend using sweet bell pepper varieties, such as red, yellow, or orange.

Pineapple: I used canned pineapple chunks. You could use tidbits or even crushed ones, but the texture might change slightly during cooking. Fresh pineapple will work, but you may want to add a little pineapple juice.

Dry Sherry: Dry sherry is one of the secret ingredients! You can also use chicken broth or a dry white wine.

Brown Sugar: I prefer dark brown sugar, but light brown will also work.

Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.

Variations

Extra Veggies: Add your favorite vegetables for extra nutrition. Snap peas and mushrooms are great choices.

Spicy: Stir in crushed red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha. Or serve it with a few candied jalapeños.

How To Make a Sweet and Sour Chicken Freezer Meal

Step 1: Dump all of the ingredients into a freezer-safe ziplock bag.

Step 2: Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible. I like to mix the ingredients around once sealed.

Place the bagged ingredients inside a second freezer-safe bag to prevent leaks.

Label and date the outer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Step 3: When ready, choose a cooking method:

• Slow Cooker (my preferred method): Dump the frozen ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. The chicken should reach 165° F.

• Instant Pot: Dump the ingredients into the Instant Pot and add 1/2 cup of water. Cook on high for 30 minutes. If the chicken isn’t done, cook in 3-minute increments until cooked through. The chicken should reach 165° F.

• Sheet Pan: Thaw the ingredients in the fridge for 24 hours (or longer, as needed, until all ingredients are thawed). Cook on a sheet pan at 425° F for 30 minutes, or until done. The chicken should reach 165° F.

Step 4: (Optional) To thicken the sauce, remove the chicken, pineapple, and veggies with a slotted spoon.

Bring the sauce to a simmer on the stove.

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water.

Pour the slurry into the sauce, bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened.

Tips for Success

• If you prefer, you can skip freezing this an cook it in the slow cooker, Instant Pot, or on a sheet pan right away.
• This is a great base recipe. Once you have cooked your sweet and sour chicken freezer meal, I recommend tasting it and adjusting the seasonings. Add more sugar, soy sauce, etc. as preferred.
• If you plan on cooking this in the slow cooker or Instant Pot, I recommend freezing it upright so it fits in the insert while frozen.
• For any of these cooking methods, you can thaw the ingredients first. I just prefer to cook them from frozen to save time on busy nights.

Serving Suggestions

Rice & Grains: Pair with Instant Pot freezer rice, turmeric coconut rice, slow cooker wheat berries, or Instant Pot millet.

Sourdough: Serve it in sourdough discard tortillas or fresh milled tortillas for easy wraps, or spoon it over sourdough flatbread.

Toppings: Drizzle with a little jalapeño hot honey, candied jalapeños, or even Instant Pot chick peas.

Storing

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Freezer Meal FAQs

More Freezer Meal Recipes

If you tried this Sweet and Sour Chicken Freezer Meal recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks, y’all!