Sweet and Sour Chicken Freezer Meal

Sweet and sour chicken freezer plated with white rice and black pepper.

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Sweet and Sour Chicken Freezer Meal

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!

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 318kcal

Author: Rebecca Warfield

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast boneless and skinless
2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange) chopped in 1/4" pieces
1/2 onion chopped in 1/4" pieces
1/3 cup dark brown sugar packed
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 20 oz can pineapple chunks including the juice

Instructions

Freezing Instructions

Dump all of the ingredients into a freezer-safe ziplock bag.
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, 2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), 1/2 onion, 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1/3 cup ketchup, 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup dry sherry, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 20 oz can pineapple chunks
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.

Cooking Instructions

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.
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.

Notes

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.

Nutrition