Sweet and Sour Chicken

Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 8
Yield: 8 servings

Description

This sweet and sour chicken dish has crispy chicken pieces, pineapple chunks, and green bell pepper in a delicious homemade sweet and sour sauce.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained (juice reserved)
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 drops orange food color
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
2 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

Directions

1 Combine 1 ½ cups water, reserved pineapple juice, sugar, vinegar, and orange food coloring in a medium saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Set aside.
2 Whisk ¼ cup cornstarch and ¼ cup water together in a small bowl until smooth; stir into sauce, stirring continuously, until slightly thickened.
3 Combine flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, egg, salt, and white pepper in a large bowl; gradually whisk in remaining 3/4 cup water, or as needed to form a thick, scoopable batter.
4 Add chicken pieces; stir until well coated.
5 Heat 1 quart oil in a large, deep skillet or wok to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Fry chicken pieces in hot oil until golden, about 10 minutes; transfer to paper towels to drain.
6 Layer bell peppers, pineapple chunks, and chicken pieces on a platter; pour hot sweet and sour sauce over top.
7 Serve hot and enjoy!