{Less Sweet} Sweet & Sour Chicken
Every once in a while I have a hankerin' for Chinese takeout--the sweet, deep-fried kind that caters to American palates. My stomach always feels terrible afterwards though, and I hate spending money on a stomach ache. We have several stir-fries in our regular meal rotation that I've written about, and a few more I haven't yet, but when I want to scratch the takeout itch I've started to reach for this super-easy recipe that doesn't even require me to dirty the wok.
With sugar and ketchup as main ingredients in the sauce, it's hardly surprising that my kids both love this meal too, but I cut down on the sugar pretty significantly from the original, and serve it with nutty brown rice and fresh, steamed veggies on the side--broccoli from the farmer's market and peas from our garden this time. I appreciate that it's baked, rather than deep-fried. It's still not what I call health food, but it's healthier, and satisfies a craving mighty well. Active prep time for the chicken is about 15 minutes, which means most of your work is also done in less time than it takes to order and pick up takeout.
{Less Sweet} Sweet & Sour Chicken (adapted from How Sweet It Is)
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 1/2" chunks
1 egg, beaten
salt & pepper
3/4 c. corn starch
oil
Sauce:
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. ketchup
1 c. cider vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. garlic powder
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until it comes to a boil and thickens slightly (about 5 minutes).
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, dip pieces in egg, then lightly toss them in cornstarch. Pan fry the chicken in a little oil until chicken is lightly browned on all sides but not cooked through. Place chicken in a single layer in a baking dish and pour the sauce over.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to coat chicken in sauce. Serve over rice.
With sugar and ketchup as main ingredients in the sauce, it's hardly surprising that my kids both love this meal too, but I cut down on the sugar pretty significantly from the original, and serve it with nutty brown rice and fresh, steamed veggies on the side--broccoli from the farmer's market and peas from our garden this time. I appreciate that it's baked, rather than deep-fried. It's still not what I call health food, but it's healthier, and satisfies a craving mighty well. Active prep time for the chicken is about 15 minutes, which means most of your work is also done in less time than it takes to order and pick up takeout.
{Less Sweet} Sweet & Sour Chicken (adapted from How Sweet It Is)
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 1/2" chunks
1 egg, beaten
salt & pepper
3/4 c. corn starch
oil
Sauce:
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. ketchup
1 c. cider vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. garlic powder
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until it comes to a boil and thickens slightly (about 5 minutes).
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper, dip pieces in egg, then lightly toss them in cornstarch. Pan fry the chicken in a little oil until chicken is lightly browned on all sides but not cooked through. Place chicken in a single layer in a baking dish and pour the sauce over.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to coat chicken in sauce. Serve over rice.
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