Spicy Sweet and Sour Chicken

I started going to MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) when my oldest son was about 4 weeks old.  It was that desperate need to get out of the house and have some adult interaction that drove me there and it was just the refuge I needed.  MOPS has been an amazing part of my mothering journey.  It has been a place to connect with other moms, be understood, encouraged and inspired and well as an added bonus, a place where I get to eat really good food in the absence of my three little mooches.
Recently, my MOPS group compiled a cookbook full of our very own tried and true recipes.  The best recipes often come from friends and to have a cookbook full of my MOPS friends recipes has been such a treat.  I recently tried this recipe for Spicy Sweet and Sour Chicken that was submitted by my friend Christine.  I followed her recipe almost exactly and it turned out delicious.
Spicy Sweet and Sour Chicken
4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 teaspoon peeled minced ginger
1 teaspoon dry sherry
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (or more if you want to up the spiciness)
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 cups fresh or 20oz canned pineapple
salt to taste
Combine 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ginger, sherry, black pepper, and minced garlic in a medium bowl.
Add chicken and stir to coat.  Set aside.
Combine remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon soy sauce with chicken broth, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce and sesame oil.  Set aside.
Heat 1/2 teaspoon canola oil over medium-high heat.  Sauté onions and red bell pepper until tender crisp.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat the remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons canola oil. 
Add chicken mixture and spread in an even layer in pan. 
Cook without stirring 1 minute then continue to sauté until the chicken is cooked through
Return the onions and bell pepper to the pan with the chicken.
Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Add the soy sauce mixture and pineapple, stirring well to combine.
Bring to a boil, cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.
Serve over rice.
source:  adapted from Christine

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Comments

  1. 1
    Christine says:

    so glad you liked it!

  2. 2
    Cindy M says:

    Yummy that looks delicious! I'm gonna have to add this to one of my future menus.

  3. 3
    Jolene - EverydayFoodie says:

    That chicken dish looks and sounds wonderful!! I think my hubby would really like it too!!

  4. 4
    Alisa says:

    Yum!I rarely follow a recipe, but I'd love to try this one :)I came across your site from the Foodieblogroll and if you won't mind, I'd love to guide foodista readers to your site.Just add your choice of Foodista widget at the end

  5. 5
    Amanda says:

    Okay, the liquid sauce would make a great dipping sauce, too – love the sesame oil in this recipe! I actually used this for my freezer meal ladies and gave them the can of pineapple to add when reheating…