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Sweet and Sour Chicken

Introduction & method

Although not in any way authentically Chinese, this creation of British Chinese restaurants and takeaways is probably their most popular dish.

 Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

Prep the chicken


If your chicken has skin or bones you need to remove them, then cut the chicken into 2cm (just under an inch) cubes. Place them in a bowl, add the egg, half a teaspoon of sugar, 2 teaspoons of sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of light soy sauce and salt and pepper. Mix well, then add the cornflour and get all the chicken chunks coated - try not to let them stick together.

Prep the veggies


Peel and dice the onion, dice the bell pepper, slice the spring onion green parts and cut your pineapple rings into chunks

Make the sauce


Mix together the sugar, tomato passata (or ketchup) and vinegar, and stir in a splash of dark soy sauce. Set aside until needed.

Cook the chicken and sauce


Pour a good amount of sunflower oil into a wok or deep frying pan. Heat it to 170° Celsius (338° Fahrenheit) then carefully lower the chicken chunks in. Let them cook for 7 minutes then drain and dry them on kitchen paper. While the chicken is cooking, sauté the onion and peppers for a few minutes - you want them softened but not browned. Add the sauce and cook for a few minutes more then add the pineapple chunks and the cooked chicken. Serve with rice and garnish with sliced spring onons and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.


The video above is from the Keef Cooks YouTube channel. Click here to see the video recipe of Sweet and Sour Chicken on YouTube.

 
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Ingredients & Info


CHICKEN & MARINADE
 300 grams chicken thighs
 200 grams cornflour
 half a tsp sugar
 1 egg
 2 tsp sesame oil
 1 tsp light soy sauce
  salt and pepper to tasteSAUCE
 4 tbsp sugar
 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
 4 tbsp tomato passata (or ketchup)
 1 tsp dark soy sauce
 1 medium onion
 1 red bell pepper
 3 pineapple rings
GARNISH
 small handful spring onions/scallions, green parts only
 1 tsp sesame seeds

PLUS

Oil for frying


UNITS:
Metric
US Customary/Imperial

Serves 4 
Prep time: 10 minutes.
Cooking time: 8 minutes.
Total time: 18 minutes.