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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken (+Video)

This Fake Out Sweet and Sour Chicken (a.k.a. Apricot Chicken) is a super easy, no breading, baked chicken in a super flavorful sweet and sour sauce.

A CHEATER VERSION OF SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

This recipe for Fake Out Sweet and Sour Chicken actually came to me from a co-worker many, many years ago. We had it at a work potluck and she shared her recipe for all of us. It is also sometimes called ‘Apricot Chicken’; although, I don’t really taste the apricot as a separate flavor. There is no breading on this like traditional sweet and sour chicken. The chicken comes out so tender and is really infused with the flavor of the sauce.

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with pineapple and green pepper served over white rice on a white plate with baking dish in the background

TIPS FOR MAKING THIS MEAL:

  • This recipe has a lot of sauce so definitely serve it with rice to take advantage of all that yummy sweet and sour sauce.
  • Don’t like onions? Just leave out the onion soup mix.
  • Or, maybe try making a Homemade Onion Soup Mix.
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe from The Country Cook, pictured served over white rice with baking dish in the background

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

  • boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • French or Catalina salad dressing
  • apricot preserves
  • onion soup mix
  • pineapple chunks
  • green peppers
  • cooked rice, for serving
boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Catalina salad dressing, apricot preserves, onion soup mix, pineapple chunks and diced green peppers

HOW TO MAKE FAKE OUT SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch chunks. In a mixing bowl, combine salad dressing, apricot preserves and dry soup mix. Add in chicken breasts and stir well.

chicken breasts added to apricot preserves, Catalina dressing and onion soup mixture in a bowl

Then pour mixture into baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Take out and stir in drained pineapple and chopped green peppers. Stir and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

diced green pepper and pineapple chunks added to apricot chicken mixture in a baking dish

Remove from the oven and serve over cooked rice.

forkful of baked sweet and sour chicken and rice with full seving on a plate underneath fork

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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken (+Video)

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken (a.k.a. Apricot Chicken) is a super easy, no breading, baked chicken in a super flavorful sweet and sour sauce.
4.88 from 16 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 16 ounce bottle French or Catalina salad dressing
  • 1 cup apricot preserves
  • 1 packet onion soup mix
  • 15.75 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained
  • 2 green peppers, chopped
  • cooked rice, for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch chunks.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine salad dressing, apricot preserves and dry soup mix.
  • Add in chicken breasts and stir well.
  • Then pour mixture into baking dish.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
  • Take out and stir in drained pineapple and chopped green peppers. Stir and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and serve over cooked rice.

Video

YouTube video
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 147mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.

Did you make this recipe?Share it on Instagram @thecountrycook and mention us #thecountrycook!

Originally published: December 2012
Updated & republished: May 2020

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23 Comments

  1. Hi This looks so good!! I wondered if you can use Peach preserves
    instead of apricot & would it really change flavor very much?
    Thanks

  2. 5 stars
    Just finished making this for dinner tonight. Delicious!! Made it exactly except chopped one onion and added at the same time as the peppers & pineapple, more crunch!! Have made quite a few of your recipes
    Brandie and you don’t disappoint. On to the next recipe!!

  3. 5 stars
    Just made this tonight for dinner. What a big hit!! Yummmmie!! Definitely a recipe to keep handy! Been a long time fan of you and your recipes, made a bunch, just never commented until now. By the way, this served 5 grown adults and 2 had a small second helpings! Keep the great recipes!!