Sweet and Sour Chicken

Note: I am reposting my old food columns from Milford Patch. They originally contained step by step photos and accompanying instructions, which I hope to recreate at some point. Until then, I am posting the original text. This post originally appeared on Patch on March 6, 2011...

I have a family of picky eaters. It’s rare that any meal is a hit with everyone, so when it happens, it’s a Very Big Deal. Enter takeout sweet and sour chicken, which is a big hit with everyone but me. As happy as I am to have everyone eating in peace, it’s difficult for me to overlook the thickness of the fried batter on the chicken, and the how-did-they-achieve-that-hue gloppy red sauce. As I often do, I wondered if there was a way I could make something similar at home, and make everyone happy.

Through the magic of the Internet, I found this recipe by Jaden Hair. It’s a good compromise, because with the exception of the ketchup and a little more sugar than I’d like, it’s full of healthy ingredients that you’re likely to have on hand. More importantly, every person in my family loves it. I will caution you not to let your picky eaters see you making it; watching you add ketchup to pineapple juice might just be a deal breaker.

The secret to any stir fry is preparation. You must prep all of your ingredients in advance, because you will be cooking at a high temperature, and things can happen fast. Of course, you can also use that fact to your advantage. You could do all the prep work way in advance, earlier in the day or even the night before, and then dinner will take about 15 minutes to make. Serve this with the relatively hands-off accompaniments of jasmine rice and and you may never need to get takeout again.

The Recipe:

1-1½ pounds of chicken, cut into chunks

1 egg white

1tsp kosher salt

2 tsp cornstarch

1-2 tbsp oil

1/4c ketchup

1/4c juice from canned pineapple

1/4c white vinegar

2-3 tbsp brown sugar

1tsp kosher salt

1-2 peppers, chopped

½ -1 inch ginger root

1 can of pineapple chunks, drained

Prep all ingredients before beginning to cook. Toss the chicken with the egg white, salt and cornstarch, and set aside for 15 minutes. Mix together the ketchup, pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar and 1 tsp salt for the sauce. Chop up the pepper, drain the pineapple and peel the ginger.

Once everything is ready, turn the heat under a large skillet or wok to high.* When the pan is very hot, add 1 tbsp of oil and cook the chicken in batches, not crowding the pan, about 1 minute on each side, until it’s browned, but not cooked through. Set aside the browned chicken and lower the heat to medium. Add a little more oil, the peppers and grate in the ginger. Cook for about 1 minute, then add the pineapple and the sauce. Turn the heat back up, and when the sauce starts to simmer, add the chicken back in and cook until it’s no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes.

*Don’t preheat an empty non-stick pan, because it can give off toxic fumes. If you don’t have a regular pan, put a little water in the skillet while it preheats. Once the water boils, you can pour it off and add the oil.