Sweet and sour chicken

I can't find good chinese food in my area, so I try to make things at home that fulfill my cravings.

Ingredients

For the chicken

  • 140g tin pineapple pieces in juice
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tblsp cooking oil
  • 1 onion, cut into wedges
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped into thin strips
  • 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped into thin strips
  • 1 tblsp cornflour
  • 4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

For the sauce

  • 1 tblsp cornflour
  • reserved pineapple juice from the can
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 25g piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • 1 tblsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tblsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tblsp soft light brown sugar
  • 3 tblsp tomato sauce
  • 1 pinch dried chilli flakes
  • freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. Strain the pineapple, collecting the juice in a bowl underneath. If the pineapple is in rings, cut into chucks.

  2. To make the sauce, put the cornflour in a small bowl and stir in two tablespoons of the pineapple juice until smooth. Put the remaining pineapple juice in a separate bowl and stir in the garlic, ginger, soy, vinegar, sugar, tomato sauce and chilli flakes until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

  3. Cut each chicken breast into chunks.

  4. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok and stir-fry the onion and peppers for three minutes over a high heat. Coat the chicken in the cornflour and add to the pan. Stir-fry for four minutes until very lightly coloured on all sides.

  5. Add the pineapple and sweet and sour sauce to the pan with the chicken and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring regularly until the chicken is cooked through and the pineapple is hot.

  6. Stir in the cornflour and pineapple solution mixture and cook for 30–60 seconds until the sauce is thickened, turning the chicken and vegetables until nicely coated. Sprinkle with sliced spring onions and serve hot.

Serve with rice and more dried chili flakes to sprinkle over the top.

References

The Hairy Bikers. Sweet and sour chicken. BBC Food. https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sweet_and_sour_chicken_00397

Tags

  • Recipe
  • Dinner
  • Easy