Friday Nights Takeout !
Sweet and sour chicken is a classic dish featuring tender, crispy-coated chicken tossed in a tangy-sweet sauce with colourful vegetables. This recipe yields juicy bite-sized chicken pieces with a crunchy exterior, balanced by the vibrant flavours of bell pepper, onion, and pineapple. It’s an easy-to-follow, homemade version of the popular Chinese takeout favourite. Serve this dish hot with steamed rice, fried rice, or even French fries for a satisfying meal that everyone will love.
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 400 g Chicken Breast diced
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp White Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Msg ( monosodium gutamate - optional )
- 1 Egg
- 80 g Cornflour (Cornstarch)
Vegetables and Fruit:
- 1 Onion (sliced )
- 1 Green / Red bell pepper, ( sliced )
- 1/2 cup canned pineapple chunks (drained)
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Malt Vinegar
- 2 tsp Light soy sauce
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken:
- In a bowl, combine the diced chicken with salt, white pepper, MSG, baking soda, and the egg. Mix thoroughly so each piece of chicken is evenly coated. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes (5–10 minutes) to allow the seasoning to penetrate the chicken, if time permits.
Prepare the Coating:
- Pour the cornflour into a shallow bowl or plate. One by one, dredge each piece of seasoned chicken in the cornflour, coating all sides evenly. Shake off any excess flour. This coating will give the chicken a crispy texture when fried.
Fry the Chicken:
- Heat about 1–2 centimetres of oil in a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot (it should shimmer and may have faint wisps of smoke), carefully add a few pieces of the coated chicken. Do not overcrowd the pan – fry in batches so the oil temperature stays high. Fry each batch for about 2–3 minutes, turning as needed, until the chicken pieces turn golden brown and crispy. The chicken may not be fully cooked inside; that’s okay, as it will finish cooking later. Remove the fried chicken pieces and drain them on paper towels. Set aside and keep warm. Repeat until all the chicken is fried.
Make the Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- While the chicken is frying, mix together the sauce ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk or stir the ketchup, sugar, vinegar, and light soy sauce until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the sauce is well combined. Adjust the taste if needed – add a little more sugar for sweetness or more vinegar for extra tang, according to your preference.
Stir-Fry the Vegetables:
- Wipe out the wok or skillet and add a teaspoon of fresh oil. Return to medium-high heat and add the sliced onion, green bell pepper (and red bell pepper if you have it), and drained pineapple chunks. Stir-fry the vegetables and pineapple for about 2 minutes, just until the onions become translucent and the peppers are slightly tender but still crisp. The fruits and veggies will continue cooking once the sauce is added, so be careful not to overcook them now.
Combine Sauce and Vegetables:
- Pour the prepared sweet and sour sauce into the wok with the vegetables. Stir well and cook for about 30 seconds, until the sauce warms through and starts to thicken slightly. The sugars in the sauce will begin to glaze the vegetables and pineapple, creating a glossy coating.
Add the Chicken:
- Return the fried chicken pieces to the wok. Toss everything together gently, stirring for another 1–2 minutes. This allows the chicken to finish cooking in the sauce and for all the pieces to be evenly coated with the glossy sweet and sour glaze. Make sure the heat is not too high – you want to heat through and thicken the sauce, not burn it.
Serve:
- Transfer the sweet and sour chicken to a serving plate. garnish with spring onion and white/black sesame seeds, Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice, fried rice, noodles or potato chips (French fries) on the side. The rice or fries will help soak up the extra sauce. Enjoy while hot!
Notes
Tips for Perfect Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Control the heat: Keep the oil hot when frying to ensure a crispy coat. Fry in small batches and avoid overcrowding to maintain the temperature.
- Adjust the sauce: The sweetness and tanginess of the sauce can be customized. Taste the sauce before adding it to the pan and adjust sugar or vinegar amounts if you prefer it sweeter or more sour.
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh bell peppers and pineapple give the best flavor and texture. If using canned pineapple, drain it well to prevent a soggy sauce.
- Finish cooking in the sauce: It’s okay if the chicken is still slightly pink after the initial fry. It will finish cooking quickly once mixed into the hot sauce.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan or microwave before serving.