Sweet and sour chicken
A Chinese takeaway favourite with a healthier spin that still leaves your tastebuds singing. It can also be easily made veggie or vegan by substituting the chicken for your favourite veggies.
- 2 chicken breasts
- ½ pineapple (or a tin of pineapple chunks, keep the juice to one side)
- 1 onion sliced into chunks
- 2 peppers, one red and one green, both chopped and deseeded
- 4 spring onions, to serve
- 2 garlic cloves
- 25g grated ginger
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 300ml pineapple juice
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 1 pinch dried chilli flakes
- Sunflower oil
First, make the sweet and sour sauce. Put 1 tbsp cornflour in a bowl and add 2 tbsp of pineapple juice. Stir together until smooth.
Put the remaining pineapple juice in a different bowl and add crushed garlic, ginger and soy. Stir until combined. Then add the white wine vinegar, chilli flakes and ketchup. Stir again and set aside.
If you’re using whole pineapple, peel, core and chop it into thick slices.
Chop the chicken into slices too.
Heat sunflower oil in a large frying pan on a high heat. Fry the onions and peppers, stirring them regularly. Cook for around 3 minutes.
Coat the chicken in the remaining cornflour and add it to the frying pan. Cook for roughly 4 minutes until lightly coloured.
Add the pineapple and sauce to the pan. Change to a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring regularly until the chicken is completely cooked and the pineapple is hot.
Add the pineapple and cornflour mixture and cook for another minute, stirring regularly until the sauce is thick and glossy. Ensure the chicken and vegetables are coated in sauce.
Service with fluffy white rice and sprinkle over the spring onions.
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