Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice

    20m prep time
    55m total time
    Medium level
    18 ingredients

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 1 x Sainsbury's British Free Range Eggs Medium x6
  • 1 Green Pepper, chopped into 2.5cm pieces 1 x Sainsbury's Green Pepper
  • 475g Canned Of Pineapple Chunks In Juice, including the juice 1 x Sainsbury's Pineapple Chunks in Fruit Juice 425g
  • 2 Pouches Cooked White Rice 2 x Ben's Original Classic Long Grain Microwave Rice 220g
  • 1 Red Pepper, chopped into 2.5cm pieces 1 x Sainsbury's Red Pepper
  • 4 tbsp Tomato Ketchup 1 x Heinz Tomato Ketchup Squeezy 250g
  • 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce 1 x Sainsbury's Dark Soy Sauce 150ml
  • 4 tbsp Plain Flour 1 x Sainsbury's Plain Flour 500g
  • 6 tbsp Vegetable Oil 1 x Sainsbury's Vegetable Oil 1L
  • 1 tbsp Ginger and Garlic Paste 1 x KTC Minced Garlic & Ginger Paste 210g
  • 2 tbsp Sesame Seeds 1 x Sainsbury's Sesame Seeds 100g
  • 4 tbsp Cornflour 1 x Sainsbury's Cornflour 500g
  • 640g Chicken Breast Fillets, cut into bite-size peices 1 x Sainsbury's 640g British Fresh Skinless & Boneless Chicken Breast Fillets
  • 3tbsp Rice Vinegar 1 x Sainsbury's Rice Vinegar, Inspired to Cook 150ml
  • 2tsp Paprika 1 x Sainsbury's Paprika 44g
  • 2 Onion, peeled and cut into large chunks 2 x Sainsbury's Onions Loose
  • 4 tbsp Soft Brown Sugar 1 x Sainsbury's Fairtrade Dark Soft Brown Sugar 500g
  • Maldon salt, to taste 1 x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g
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