Description
Sweet and sour chicken balances crispy pieces of chicken with a sticky, flavorful sauce. A homemade take on a classic favorite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 700 grams (24.7 ounces) chicken breast fillets
- 200 grams (7 ounces) gluten-free self-rising flour
- 12 pieces pineapple
- 1 red pepper
- 1 green pepper
- 1 onion
- 4 spring onions
- 1 small bunch coriander
Liquid and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 150 milliliters (5 fluid ounces) cider
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 100 milliliters (3.4 fluid ounces) tomato ketchup
- 100 milliliters (3.4 fluid ounces) chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon sherry
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- 2 tablespoons water
Aromatics and Cooking Ingredients:
- 1 red chilli
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 centimeters ginger
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Boiled rice
Instructions
- Whisk flour with cider to create a light, crispy coating for the chicken, ensuring even coverage.
- Submerge chicken pieces in the mixture, then carefully lower into hot oil at 170°C, frying until golden and crisp, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Let the fried chicken rest on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium temperature, sautéing onions and peppers until slightly softened.
- Add pineapple chunks to the pan, gently warming through and allowing flavors to meld.
- Combine soy sauce, honey, ketchup, sherry, and stock in a separate pan, bringing the liquid to a rolling boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer the sauce for 45 minutes, allowing it to develop rich, complex flavors.
- Gradually mix cornflour into the sauce, stirring continuously to create a smooth, glossy consistency.
- Turn the heat up and give it a final stir to bring everything together.
- Fold the crispy chicken and sautéed vegetables into the sauce, ensuring complete coating.
- Spoon the mixture into bowls and top with chopped scallions and cilantro.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice, allowing the sauce to slightly soak into the grains.
Notes
- Use cold or room temperature flour to achieve a crispier chicken coating that prevents clumping during frying.
- Pat chicken pieces completely dry before coating to ensure maximum crunchiness and prevent soggy breading.
- Adjust oil temperature precisely to 170°C for perfect golden-brown chicken that’s crispy outside and juicy inside.
- Consider baking the coated chicken as a healthier alternative to deep frying, which reduces overall oil absorption while maintaining a crisp texture.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-51 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg