Sweet and sour chicken is a Chinese-American dish, brought west by Chinese migrant gold miners and railroad workers in the early 20th century. The traditional Chinese preparation of ku lo yuk, deep fried meat with corn flour batter and a ketchup, chili, vinegar and plum sauce, dates back to the 18th century or earlier, but differs from the popular American entrée in several ways. In China pork or fish are commonly used in place of chicken, with a lesser reliance on the heavy sauce, which is served on the side rather than poured over all. However, like traditional Chinese foods, the American recipe for sweet and sour chicken combines the flavor profiles of sweet, sour, salty, pungent, and bitter. These bite-size pieces of fried chicken are best eaten hot and fresh.
Recipe Servings: 2
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray, as needed to grease dish
- 1 lb boneless and skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ tsp salt, more as needed to taste
- ½ tsp ground black pepper, more as needed to taste
- ¾ cup cornstarch
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup oil, more as needed for frying
- ¾ cup sugar
- 4 Tbsp ketchup
- ½ cup vinegar
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- Sesame seeds, as needed for garnish
- Green onions, chopped, as needed for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish using nonstick cooking spray.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and evenly coat each piece with cornstarch.
- Dip the pieces of chicken a few at a time into the egg, repeating until all are completely coated.
- Pour the oil into a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the chicken to the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, and cook for 1–2 minutes, until lightly golden. Transfer the cooked pieces of chicken to a dish lined with paper towel. Repeat the cooking process until all the chicken is cooked, adding oil as necessary.
- In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes until thoroughly combined.
- In the prepared baking dish, place the chicken pieces and pour between ⅔ and ¾ of the sauce over all, tossing so that each piece of meat is completed coated. Bake for 45 minutes, turning the chicken every 15 minutes. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.
- Garnish the dish with green onions and sesame seeds and serve with the remainder of the sauce on the side for dipping.
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