Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice
From take away to fake away. This is a treat night recipe, ideal for a Friday night when you fancy a takeaway but not the bill that comes with it. This sweet and sour chicken recipe has everything that you want from this infamous dish. Crispy chicken, sticky sauce and of course big chunks of pepper, onion and pineapple. We love to finish this dish with a scattering of sesame seeds and some white rice.
Method
Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Place the beaten egg into a bowl or dish, 3/4's of the cornflour into another dish and a combination of the flour, paprika and salt and pepper into a third.
Step 2
Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces.
Step 3
Coat the diced chicken first into the cornflour, then the egg (make sure all of the chicken is coated), and finally into the seasoned flour. Heat all but a splash of veg oil in a wok or large frying pan until very hot.
Step 4
Now add the coated chicken to the wok (be very careful as it will spit!) and cook on a high heat for 8-10 minutes, turning two or three times during cooking, until well browned. We recommend doing this in batches so's not to overcrowd the pan and cause the chicken to stick together. Remove the crispy chicken from the pan and place it onto a plate, lined with kitchen paper.
Step 5
Whilst the chicken is cooking, you can start on your sauce. Add the remaining splash of oil to another large frying pan, and place onto a medium-to-high heat. Once hot, add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the onions start to go translucent. Add the diced peppers and cook for a further minute.
Step 6
Add in the garlic and ginger puree and cook for 20 seconds. Now add the tomato ketchup, soy sauce, rice vinegar, soft brown sugar, pineapple chunks and its juice and stir. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer. Mix the remaining 1/4 of cornflour with a splash of cold water in a small bowl and mix to a paste. Pour this into the sauce. Mix (or whisk) well until the sauce has thickened and is boiling. Simmer for 2-3 minutes while you heat the rice according to the packet instructions.
Step 7
Transfer the cooked crispy chicken to the pan with the sauce and toss to coat well. Serve with the heated rice and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if you wish.
- Ingredients
- Based on 4 servings
-
2 Eggs, beaten 1x Sainsbury's British Free Range Eggs Medium x6 -
1 Green Pepper, chopped into 2.5cm pieces 1x Sainsbury's Green Pepper -
2tsp Paprika 1x Sainsbury's Paprika 44g -
475g Canned Of Pineapple Chunks In Juice, including the juice 1x Sainsbury's Pineapple Chunks in Fruit Juice 425g -
2 Onion, peeled and cut into large chunks 2x Sainsbury's Onions Loose -
2 Pouches Cooked White Rice 2x Ben's Original Classic Long Grain Microwave Rice 220g -
640g Chicken Breast Fillets, cut into bite-size peices 1x Sainsbury's British Fresh Chicken Breast Fillets Skinless & Boneless 640g -
1 Red Pepper, chopped into 2.5cm pieces 1x Sainsbury's Red Pepper -
4 tbsp Tomato Ketchup 1x Heinz Tomato Ketchup Squeezy 250g
-
3tbsp Rice Vinegar 1x Sainsbury's Rice Vinegar, Inspired to Cook 150ml -
2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce 1x Sainsbury's Dark Soy Sauce 150ml -
4 tbsp Soft Brown Sugar 1x Sainsbury's Fairtrade Dark Soft Brown Sugar 500g -
1 tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste 1x KTC Minced Garlic & Ginger Paste 210g -
2 tbsp Sesame Seeds 1x Sainsbury's Sesame Seeds 100g -
4 tbsp Plain Flour 1x Sainsbury's Plain Flour 500g -
6 tbsp Vegetable Oil 1x Sainsbury's Vegetable Oil 1L -
4 tbsp Cornflour 1x Sainsbury's Cornflour 500g -
Maldon salt, to taste 1x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g