Sweet & Sour Chicken

Sweet & Sour Chicken

  • Thigh
  • 4ppl
  • 45 minutes
  • Easy
This classic Chinese takeaway dish is all about the contrast of sweet and sour and in my version it's the natural sweetness of the fresh pineapple and the sour hit of the vinegar and soy sauce that will have you wanting more.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 8 chicken thighs
  • 1 large onion, sliced fine
  • 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced fine 
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks 
  • I fresh pineapple (or a 435g can pineapple chunks in natural juice, drained, reserving 3 tbsp juice) 
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 level tablespoon cornflour
  • 1 tablespoons tomato purée
  • 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Method

  1. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200/gas on the hob
  2. Place a deep oven proof frying pan over a high heat and add the oil.  Then cook the chicken skin side down for around 3-5 minutes, until the skin is coloured.  Flip the chicken over and pop into the oven for around 20 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear.
  3. Transfer the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon.  Reserve the juices in the pan.
  4. Add the onion, pepper, pineapple and carrots to the juices in the pan and cook for around 5 - 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then return the chicken to the pan.
  5. Meanwhile, make the sauce by mixing the garlic, cornflour, tomato purée, red wine vinegar, soy sauce and 100 ml of water. (If using tinned Pineapple add the 3 tablespoons of reserved juice)
  6. Stir the sauce into the chicken and vegetables, and cook over a low heat for 2 minutes or until thickened. Scatter over the spring onions and serve hot with noodles or rice.