A taste of the orient: How to make sweet and sour chicken at home

Although Chinese cuisine is diverse and features various sauces and meats, some have particularly taken a liking to sweet and sour chicken. Before you pick up the phone to order your favourite dish, check out this simple recipe that will allow you to recreate the flavour at home.

The appeal of this dish lies in the combination of flavours. It's sweet and sour, but there are no overwhelming flavour notes, fish sauces, or oyster sauces. It's a safe option when you want to try something other than Canadian cuisine but lack the courage to experiment. It's a great idea for dinner that the whole family will enjoy.

Even if you haven't encountered Asian cuisine in your home so far, sweet and sour chicken is a dish worth starting with. The preparation is very simple and doesn't require any complicated ingredients. The sweet and sour sauce pairs perfectly with the tender chicken and crispy vegetables.

Ingredients:

Sauce:            

• 150 ml of broth,
• 120 ml of pineapple juice,
• 3 tablespoons of soy sauce,
• 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar,
• 1 tablespoon of sugar,
• 1 tablespoon of potato starch,
• 2 tablespoons of ketchup.

Rest of the ingredients:                

• 60 ml of vegetable oil,
• 1 carrot,
• 1 red onion,
• ½ red bell pepper,
• ½ yellow bell pepper,
• ½ green bell pepper,
• 2 chicken breast fillets,
• 150 g of pineapple chunks,
• 1 teaspoon of chili flakes.

Preparation method:

Step 1. Peel the carrot and cut it diagonally into matchsticks, then slice the onion into thin wedges. Remove the seeds from the peppers and dice them. Adjust the size to your preference.

Step 2. Mix the broth with the pineapple juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, starch, and ketchup. Mix thoroughly.

Step 3. Cut the chicken breast into cubes or small strips. Sauté in a pan with heated oil or in a wok. When they start to brown, add the prepared vegetables. Sauté everything together.

Step 4. Add the pineapple chunks and the chili flakes, then pour in the prepared sauce. Cook everything together.

Step 5. Serve the ready sweet and sour chicken with cooked rice. You can additionally sprinkle with chopped chives or scallions. Enjoy your meal!