Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken (No batter, stir fry)
User Reviews
5
Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken (No batter, stir fry)
Description
Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken features thinly sliced, boneless skinless chicken breasts coated with a mixture of baking soda and cornstarch soaked briefly before being stir-fried in neutral oil until cooked. The vegetables include sliced white onion and red and green bell peppers cooked with minced garlic and ginger in sesame oil, providing aromatic depth and a variety of textures.
The sauce combines chicken broth, soy sauce, ketchup, dark brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, paprika, and red pepper flakes. After simmering, a cornstarch slurry is added to thicken it before tossing the chicken back in to coat evenly. This approach results in a balanced sweet, sour, and mildly spicy flavor enveloping juicy chicken and fresh vegetables with slight crunch.
Leftovers store well refrigerated for three days and reheat in a skillet to retain texture. Cutting chicken and vegetables into uniform pieces ensures even cooking. This method produces stir-fried chicken with coated but non-battered meat and a thickened, flavorful sauce suited for serving over rice or noodles.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 to 3 pounds chicken breast sliced thin, boneless skinless
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water cold
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil like vegetable or canola
For the vegetables:
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 large white onion cut into bite sized squares
- 1 large green bell pepper cut into bite sized squares
- 1 large red bell pepper cut into bite sized squares
- 2 tablespoons ginger minced
- 4 large garlic minced, cloves
For the sauce:
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup soy sauce low sodium
- ½ cup ketchup
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a large bowl, then sprinkle with baking soda and cornstarch. Pour in the water and mix everything together until evenly coated. Set aside for at least 15 minutes.
- In a large skillet or wok, heat the neutral oil over medium heat. Sear the sliced chicken in batches until fully cooked, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same wok, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions and bell peppers until fragrant and slightly softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook briefly until aromatic. Pour in the chicken broth, soy sauce, ketchup, dark brown sugar, and vinegar, stirring to combine. Let the mixture simmer until the flavors meld together, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Stir in the cornstarch and continue to simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.
- Add the sliced chicken back into the wok, stirring to coat it evenly in the sauce. Allow everything to simmer for 5 minutes to meld the flavors. Serve hot.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Reheat the dish in a non-stick skillet over medium heat to maintain texture.
- Slice vegetables into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Cut chicken into thin, uniform slices for consistent cooking results.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 320g |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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