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Sweet and sour chicken recipe

Sweet and sour chicken recipe

187 ratings

Created by The Tesco Real Food team

Sweet and sour chicken is a takeaway favourite, but actually very easy to make at home. With a sweet, sticky sauce, crunchy veg and juicy pineapple, this homemade version is great to rustle up for a Friday night in, or to celebrate Lunar New Year. See method

  • Serves 4
  • 10 mins to prepare and 15 mins to cook
  • 530 calories / serving
  • Healthy

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 400g chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
  • 2 spring onions, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp grated or finely chopped ginger
  • 225g tin bamboo shoots, drained
  • 227g tin pineapple chunks, reserving 100ml of the juice for the sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 300g easy-cook long-grain rice, cooked following pack instructions, to serve
  • ½ red chilli, deseeded and chopped, to serve
  • handful coriander, chopped, to serve

For the sauce

  • 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
If you don't have any spring onions, try using white onions or leeks and adjust the amount accordingly

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    2245kj
    530kcal     27%

  • Fat

    8g 11%

  • Saturates

    1g 6%

  • Sugars

    20g 23%

  • Salt

    0.9g 15%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 88.9g Protein 31.1g Fibre 3g

Method

  1. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the sauce with the reserved 100ml pineapple juice from the tin until smooth. Set aside.
  2. Heat a large wok or frying pan over a high heat until very hot. Add 1 tbsp of the oil, swirl around the pan, then add the chicken. Cook for 5-7 mins, stirring all the time, until golden and just cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  3. Add the remaining oil to the pan, then add the peppers and cook for 3 mins or until softened. Add most of the spring onions, along with all the garlic and ginger, and cook for 30 secs.
  4. Return the chicken to the pan and add the bamboo shoots and pineapple chunks. Pour over the sauce and leave to bubble for a couple of mins, stirring often, until cooked through.
  5. Mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water in a small bowl until smooth, then add to the pan. Cook for 30 secs or until the sauce starts to thicken. Serve with the cooked rice and garnish with the reserved spring onion, the chilli and coriander.

See more Chinese recipes

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

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