This is a Cantonese takeout classic and is especially good if your fresh pineapple that’s in season as opposed to the tinned variety.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 2 to 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Shaohsing rice wine
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 large egg white
- 1 pound chicken thighs, deboned, de-skinned, sliced into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 pinch ground white pepper
- 2 1/8 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch chunks
- 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 cup cubed fresh pineapple
- 1 scallion, finely sliced into rounds, for garnish, optional
- Serving suggestion: jasmine rice
Instructions
- For the sweet and sour sauce: Mix together the pineapple juice, cornstarch, ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and rice wine in a sauce jug.
- For the chicken: Mix together the cornstarch and egg whites in a bowl to make a “batter”, adding a tablespoon of cold water to thin out if necessary. Toss the chicken pieces into the batter and sprinkle with the salt and white pepper. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat the oil in a wok to 350 degrees F. Add the chicken pieces and cook until golden brown (this helps to seal in the chicken juices) and cooked through, 3 minutes. Turn the heat off and be extra careful – pour the chicken and hot oil into a stainless-steel colander set over a heatproof bowl to collect the excess oil. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the oil, and discard the rest. Drain the chicken well and set aside.
- Reheat the wok until smoking and add the reserved oil. Add the ginger and garlic and stir for a few seconds. Add the peppers and cook for less than 1 minute, and then add the pineapple. Pour in the sweet and sour sauce and bring to a boil. Cook until the sauce is reduced and sticky, 1 to 2 minutes, and then toss in the cooked chicken pieces and stir well for 1 minute. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with scallions. Serve with rice.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 693 |
| Total Fat | 58 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 21 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 21 g |
| Cholesterol | 111 mg |
| Sodium | 306 mg |
Reviews
I made this tonight. Never made sweet and sour chicken before. I was pleasantly surprised how well it turned out. I doubled the recipe and used skinless chicken breast. Canned pineapple chunks. I added extra brown sugar to compensate for the canned pineapple. Couldn’t find the rice wine so I Googled it. Found out you guys were specifying a brand of Chinese rice cooking wine. No problem. I got was available at my local grocery store. My daughter and I enjoyed it. This is a keeper recipe.