Sweet and Sour Chicken

Carlsbad Cravings!! Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

This recipe is actually suppose to be backed, but when cooking for 30-50 it’s just easier to just do it in a big pot. I will share the original recipe with the notes of what I do or did.

Chicken Breading

(I usually do shredded chicken in the instapot for simplicity)

• 3-4 chicken breasts (1 ½ pounds), chopped in bite-size pieces)**

• 3 eggs

• 1/2 cup flour

• 1 1/3 cups cornstarch

• 1/2 tsp EACH garlic powder, salt

• 1/4 tsp EACH pepper, ground ginger, onion powder

Sweet and Sour Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (may sub half honey)

• 1 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/2 cup pineapple juice (from 20 oz. can pineapple tidbits listed below)

• 1/3 cup ketchup

• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 1 small yellow onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 tsp EACH red pepper flakes, ground ginger

Vegetables/Pineapple

• 1 20 oz. can pineapple tidbits in juice

• 1 green bell pepper, 1-inch chop

• 1 red bell pepper, 1-inch chop

• 1 cup carrots sliced as THINLY as possible (2-3 carrots)

Instructions

• Sweet and Sour Sauce: Add the "Sweet and Sour Sauce" ingredients to a medium/large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer while you prepare the chicken and chop the vegetables, stirring occasionally (turn off if it takes longer than 20 minutes). Note: The sauce will not thicken; simmering is to soften the onions and blend flavors.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

• Breading: Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl or freezer bag, set aside. Add ½ cup flour to a large freezer bag; set aside next to the eggs. Whisk the cornstarch and breading spices in a separate freezer bag, then set aside next to the flour.

The following steps I just don’t do. not enough time…. I put the chicken breasts in an insta pot and then shred it.

• Bread Chicken: Add the chicken to the eggs and coat, then remove, allowing excess to drip off (I plop the chicken on paper towels). Add the chicken to the freezer bag with the flour, toss until evenly coated, and discard any extra flour. Add the chicken to the spiced cornstarch bag and shake until evenly coated. Transfer the chicken to a colander to shake off excess coating.

• Brown Chicken: Over high heat, heat enough neutral, high-smoke-point oil (vegetable, peanut, canola, avocado, etc.) to generously cover the bottom of a large cast iron skillet until hot and rippling. Working in batches (changing the oil in between), add the chicken and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until browned but not cooked through. Transfer the chicken to the prepared 9×13 baking dish.

Jump back to the instructions here and put it all together.

• Assemble: Add the carrots, pineapple, peppers and sweet and sour sauce. Stir until sauce/chicken/vegetables are evenly combined.

• Bake: Bake at 350°F, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes, or until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice. Enjoy!