Good Cook Recipes

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • freshly ground black or white pepper, to taste
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 4 1/2 TB rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 TB black rice vinegar
  • 3 TB tomato paste
  • 4 1/2 TB brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp chile sauce or chili paste, or to taste
  • 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 6 teaspoons water
  • 3 – 4 cups peanut or vegetable oil for deep-frying and stir-frying, as needed
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 1/2 medium or large onion, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup baby carrots, chopped in half
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, deseeded, cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, deseeded, cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut julienne, optional
Direction:

Cut the chicken into small (1/2 - 1-inch) cubes. Combine the chicken cubes with the egg, soy sauce, and pepper. Add enough cornstarch to nicely coat the chicken, using cooking chopsticks or your fingers to mix it in. In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients for the sweet and sour sauce (the water, two rice vinegars, tomato paste, brown sugar, and chile paste), whisking to mix in the tomato paste. Bring to a boil in a saucepan. Give the cornstarch/water slurry a quick restir and add to the sauce, stirring quickly to thicken. Turn the heat to low and keep warm. Heat the oil in a wok to between 360 and 365 degrees Fahrenheit (182 - 185 degrees Celsius). Drop the chicken cubes into the hot oil, a few pieces at a time, and deep-fry until crispy (3 to 4 minutes). Remove the chicken cubes and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir for a few seconds until aromatic and add the chopped onion. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, then push to the sides and add the carrots and green bell pepper. Stir-fry for another minute and add the red peppers. Bring the sauce back up to a boil and add to the wok, mixing with the vegetables. Add the chicken. Heat through and serve over cooked rice, garnishing with the cucumber if desired.