Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken

In honor of the Olympics, I thought I’d make the American version of Chinese food. (I doubt this could be called actual Chinese food.) Since it’s hard to eat this out in a restaurant, I’ve been making it more at home. I usually make my version of General Tso’s Chicken, and have recently tried Natalie’s Sesame Chicken (it’s really good).  This is another simple recipe that can be make with either chicken or shrimp (or tofu or just vegetables).

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken breast
1 teaspoon ginger, chopped
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 green (or red) bell pepper
2-4 carrots
12 oz can of pineapple chunks

Sauce:
2 teaspoons sherry
2 teaspoons light gf soy sauce
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

- Cut up the chicken into bite-sized chunks.
- Combine ginger, egg white, about 1/2 teaspoon each salt and cornstarch, and about 1 teaspoon oil.
- Add chicken and stir until well-coated.
- Cut pepper into strips about 1 x 1/4 inches.
- Cut carrots diagonally into thin slices.
- Drain pineapple, saving 1/2 cup of the juice.
- Prepare sauce by mixing sherry, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, reserved pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Heat about 3 tablespoons of oil in wok or deep cast iron pan (peanut oil is recommended because of high smoking point).
- Stir-fry chicken in small batches, stirring continuously until golden brown. Remove to dish. Repeat until all chicken is done.
- Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in empty wok. Stir-fry carrots and green pepper for about a minute or two.
- Add chicken and pineapple chunks. Stir 1 minute or until well-mixed and re-heated.
- Add sauce to wok and stir until thickened.
- Serve with rice.