Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 3-4
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Chinese
Get dinner on the table in 30 minutes with this Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken. A fresh and healthy version with less calories, but tastes amazing with a homemade sweet and sour sauce. No need for Chinese takeaway anymore!
Ingredients
- 1–2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 small chicken breast fillets, cut into large cubes
- 1 brown onion, cut into large cubes
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thickly on the diagonal
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons ketchup (tomato sauce)
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 red capsicum (bell pepper), cut into large cubes
- 1 green capsicum (bell pepper), cut into large cubes
- 8 oz (230 g) pineapple (fresh or tinned), cut into large chunks
- 2–3 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch) mixed in a little water (or pineapple juice if you are using tinned pineapple)
- coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in the saucepan over a medium-hight heat.
- Sauté the chicken until they have browned well allover. You may need to do this in batches.
- Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the onion and carrots until the onions start to soften.
- Add the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, ketchup, and stock.
- Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Return the chicken to the pan, together with the capsicums (bell peppers), and pineapple.
- Simmer gently for about 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened slightly. I like to have the vegetables still somewhat crisp.
- Taste for seasoning. You might want to add more sugar to sweeten the sauce, or perhaps more vinegar to make it more sour.
- Quickly mix in a bit of the cornflour mixture until the sauce has thickened to your liking. You may not need to add all of it.
- Garnish with chopped coriander (cilantro) and serve with steamed Jasmine rice.
Kitchen Notes
VEGETARIAN
For a vegetarian version, simply omit the chicken and use vegetable stock. This dish is also delicious with thick slices of tofu stirred through the sauce.
VARIATIONS
You can substitute the chicken for thinly sliced pork in this recipe.
Crunchy vegetables work best in this recipe, but you can use whatever you like. Some suggestions include:
* green beans
* courgettes (zucchini)
* celery
* broccoli
* cauliflower
* bean sprouts
* cucumber
CONVERSIONS
To convert from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this handy Conversion Chart for Basic Ingredients.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Serves 3 to 4
- Calories: 448
- Sugar: 37.2g
- Sodium: 659.8mg
- Fat: 5.9g
- Carbohydrates: 73.9g
- Fiber: 3.5g
- Protein: 24.9g
- Cholesterol: 69.2mg
View the recipe online: https://eatlittlebird.com/easy-sweet-and-sour-chicken/
