Ingredients
Chicken and Coating
- 2 chicken breasts, cubed
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tbsp oil (for frying)
Vegetables and Fruit
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup pineapple chunks
Sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Coat the cubed chicken pieces evenly in cornstarch, then dip them into the beaten eggs to create a light batter for frying.
- Fry the chicken: Heat the oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the coated chicken pieces until they turn golden and crispy on all sides, then remove and set aside to drain any excess oil.
- Sauté vegetables and pineapple: In the same pan with the leftover oil, add the chopped bell pepper and pineapple chunks. Sauté briefly until they start to soften and release their flavors.
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, mix together ketchup, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and water. Pour this sauce mixture into the pan with the sautéed bell peppers and pineapple.
- Simmer and thicken the sauce: Allow the sauce to simmer gently until it thickens slightly, coating the vegetables well and developing a glossy finish.
- Toss chicken in sauce: Add the fried chicken pieces back into the pan. Toss thoroughly to coat all pieces evenly with the sweet and sour sauce.
- Serve: Serve the sweet and sour chicken hot, ideally accompanied by steamed rice for a complete meal.
Notes
- For a lighter version, bake the chicken instead of frying to reduce oil content.
- Serve this dish with steamed white or jasmine rice to balance the sweet and sour flavors.
- Use fresh pineapple chunks for a more vibrant and juicy bite.
- Adjust the sugar or vinegar amount in the sauce to modify sweetness or tanginess to taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-inspired
