Tantalize your taste buds with a culinary journey to the Orient with our delectable Sweet and Sour Chicken or Pork recipes. Embark on a flavor-filled adventure as we present two tantalizing variations of this classic dish, each bursting with a unique symphony of sweet, tangy, and savory notes.
Indulge in the timeless Sweet and Sour Chicken, a beloved classic that showcases tender chicken morsels enveloped in a vibrant, glossy sauce. This harmonious blend of sweet and sour flavors, punctuated by the crunch of bell peppers and pineapple, will transport you to a world of culinary delight.
For those seeking a delectable twist, our Sweet and Sour Pork recipe offers an equally enticing experience. Succulent pork pieces are expertly coated in a flavorful batter, then fried to golden perfection. Immersed in a captivating sauce that strikes a perfect balance between sweetness and tanginess, this dish will leave you craving more.
Whichever recipe you choose, you'll be embarking on a culinary expedition that promises an explosion of flavors and textures. Prepare to be captivated by the perfect harmony of sweet, sour, and savory, all wrapped up in one irresistible dish. So, don your apron, gather your ingredients, and let's embark on this tantalizing culinary adventure together.
SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
Sweet and Sour Chicken is an American Chinese takeout favorite, made by batter-frying chicken and tossing it in a quick sweet and sour sauce.
Provided by Bill
Categories Chicken
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- Set aside ½ cup of pineapple juice from your can of pineapple, and reserve ⅔ cup of the pineapple chunks (if using). Set aside.
- Combine the hot water, salt, sugar, and ketchup. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved, and then add the vinegar and pineapple juice (if using). If not using pineapple juice, replace with ½ cup water or chicken stock. Set aside.
- Cut your chicken into uniform 1 inch chunks (for even cooking) and place into a bowl. Add the garlic and onion powders, sesame oil, white pepper and salt. Mix until all pieces are uniformly coated, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Any excess water should be fully absorbed by the chicken. If not, mix the chicken again and let it sit for another 5 minutes.
- Mix together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl, and add 2/3 cup of ice water. Use a fork to mix until a batter is formed, and stir in 1 tablespoon of oil. Set aside.
- The amount of oil you need depends on the size of the pot you will use. Using a larger pot uses more oil, but allows you to cook the chicken in fewer batches. Using a smaller pot uses less oil, but you'll have to fry more batches of chicken. We usually go for a smaller pot, so we have less leftover oil. Heat the oil in a small pot until it reaches 335°F/170°C.
- Place 5 to 6 pieces of marinated chicken into the batter. Use a chopstick, fork, or your fingers to coat the chicken in the batter and place each piece slowly into the oil.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully turn the chicken so all sides are uniformly fried. Fry for about 2 minutes, or until the batter is a light golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and let any excess oil drain off before placing onto a rack or paper towel lined plate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a wok over medium high heat, and add the red onion and peppers. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- Next, add the sweet and sour sauce you prepared earlier and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the sauce is simmering.
- Combine the cornstarch and water to make a uniform slurry. While stirring the sweet and sour sauce, drizzle the slurry in gradually until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon (you may not need all of the slurry). Turn down the heat and give the sauce a quick taste--now is the time to add more salt, vinegar or sugar if desired.
- Add the pineapple chunks (if using) and stir until warmed through. Now is the time to refry the chicken to make them nice and crispy. Heat the oil up to 335°F/170°C and fry the chicken in two batches for about 45 seconds each time. Then add the chicken pieces to your sauce, and gently toss with your wok spatula until the chicken is coated. Serve immediately!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 466 kcal, Carbohydrate 33 g, Protein 19 g, Fat 30 g, SaturatedFat 14 g, Cholesterol 64 mg, Sodium 741 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 8 g, ServingSize 1 serving
SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN (OR PORK)
I learned this recipe from my mom and I still love it! While it does take some time to make, the outcome is just as good as take-out! You will need a Fry Daddy or a frying pan with oil in order to fry the meat. Put enough oil in the frying pan so that the meat can float to the top.
Provided by NHNichole
Categories Chicken
Time 1h
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- Frying the chicken (or pork): Cut up chicken (or pork) into small pieces.
- Mix breading ingredients (it will be runny).
- Dip each piece of meat into the breading then place into the oil until it turns brown.
- Make sure the meat has enough time to cook before removing it.
- Drain the fried chicken (or pork) and set aside, or place a cover over them to keep them warm.
- Sauce: Melt the margarine in a frying pan, and add the onion, green pepper and sliced carrots.
- I often add other peppers or snow peas as well.
- Once the veggies are cooked stir in the rest of the ingredients EXCEPT the pineapple.
- Cook until it boils and add cornstarch if it is too runny.
- Finally add the Pineapple for the last 5 min.
- of cooking time.
- Finally: Serve over rice if desired.
SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
Instead of deep-frying chunks of chicken, this streamlined take on an American Chinese restaurant favorite opts for stir-frying it. Sweetness comes from pineapple chunks and juice, plus a touch of brown sugar, while rice wine vinegar delivers that pleasing sour punch.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 30m
Yield 2 to 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken strips with salt and pepper and add to pan. Brown chicken and remove to plate. Add red and green peppers and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in pineapple chunks, juice, sugar, vinegar and broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sauce begins to reduce. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring liquid to a simmer. Stir in chicken strips and cook for 5 minutes. Serve over rice.
AUTHENTIC SWEET AND SOUR PORK
This popular dish originates from Sichuan. The pork is crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside. The sauce has the perfect balance of sweet and sour. Serve with rice, if desired.
Provided by Chelsea
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Asian Chinese
Time 1h5m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Pound pork to 1/3-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Slice into 1 1/2-inch strips.
- Combine pork strips, rice wine, 1/3 teaspoon salt, and monosodium glutamate in a bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Mix remaining 1/3 teaspoon salt, chicken stock, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a bowl to make sauce.
- Beat eggs with remaining 3 tablespoons cornstarch in a bowl until smooth. Add pork strips; stir to coat.
- Heat oil in a wok or large saucepan to 280 degrees F (140 degrees C). Add pork strips one at a time to the hot oil. Cook until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.
- Heat oil to 340 degrees F (170 degrees C). Return pork to the hot oil. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate with the slotted spoon.
- Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok. Cook and stir garlic and ginger in the hot oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sauce and spring onions; cook and stir until sauce begins to thicken, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour sauce over the pork on the serving plate.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 434.7 calories, Carbohydrate 35.2 g, Cholesterol 235.1 mg, Fat 21.1 g, Fiber 1.1 g, Protein 25 g, SaturatedFat 4.1 g, Sodium 1223.7 mg, Sugar 16.9 g
SWEET AND SOUR PORK
At Mamahuhu, a Chinese takeout restaurant in San Francisco, a sense of history and appreciation for American Chinese cuisine is applied to a few classics. Mining historical Cantonese sweet-and-sour dish recipes for inspiration, Brandon Jew, a founder of the restaurant, and Noah Kopito, the head chef, created a sauce that incorporates pineapple, honey and dried hawthorn berries, which impart an earthy depth of flavor. The chefs use house-fermented Fresno chiles for a hint of heat, but a dab of commercially available sambal oelek will do. This dish can be made with chicken or cauliflower instead of pork; just skip the marinade if using cauliflower.
Provided by Cathy Erway
Categories dinner, meat, vegetables, main course
Time 2h45m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 29
Steps:
- Prepare the pork: Combine the pork with all the marinade ingredients, mixing well. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Make the sweet and sour sauce: Heat the oil, ginger and garlic in a medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute, stirring. Add the rice vinegar, pineapple juice, honey, hawthorn berries, sambal oelek and five-spice powder; stir to combine while bringing to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids; return to the saucepan.
- Reduce the sauce to about 1 ¾ cups over medium-high heat, uncovered, about 5 minutes. Season with ½ teaspoon salt, adding more as desired.
- In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Bring the sauce up to a boil again, then stir in the cornstarch slurry. Stir as it thickens and bubbles, about 1 minute, then remove from heat. (Note: This sauce recipe may produce more than needed for your pork stir-fry; use as much as you desire and the rest can be saved for another use, such as a dipping sauce for crab rangoon.)
- Prepare to deep-fry: In a large wok (or deep skillet), heat the quart of oil to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the batter; add ½ cup water and whisk to combine. Drain any excess liquid from the marinated pork and discard. Working quickly in two batches, carefully dip each piece of pork into the batter one at a time, shaking off any excess, and drop into the oil. Fry the first batch of pork until golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes. Using a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the fried pork to a wire rack-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with the remaining pork, mixing the batter thoroughly before coating the meat. After frying, carefully discard the oil, reserving 1 tablespoon.
- Return the reserved 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok or pan and heat over high. Once the oil is popping, about 1 minute, add the bell pepper, onion, pineapple and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly charred in spots.
- Scrape the vegetables into a large bowl and toss with the fried pork and enough sweet and sour sauce to coat (about 1 to 1 ½ cups). Arrange on a serving dish and serve with steamed rice.
BEST EVER SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN
I tried some recipes for making sweet & sour sauce for chicken balls, while they were pretty good I quickly realized with a few tweaks and additions it could make the ultimate sweet & sour!! So I made some up, fried some chicken and then threw the chicken in the sauce.... WOW!!! What a great taste!! I would like to thank lorac for the inspiration on the sauce, http://www.recipezaar.com/26230
Provided by burtmunch
Categories Sauces
Time 35m
Yield 2-4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Add the oil, sugar, and vinegar to a small saucepan set on 1/4 full heat stirring until sugar dissolves in vinegar, then add the pineapple juice.
- Add the paprika and other spices followed by the ketchup, then the water.
- Turn up the heat a bit and stir frequently almost bringing to a boil for 2-3 minutes.
- Add cornstarch and flour, use a whisk to make sure no clumps form. Toss in the green peppers.
- Keep on low heat stirring occasionally, cook your chicken however you like it, I fry mine. If your sauce starts getting a bit to thick don't worry just add a small amount of water and stir.
- When you're finished cooking your chicken cut it up and toss it in the sauce which should now be almost ready. Cook it in the sauce for 4-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat and enjoy! For best results eat it all the day you make it.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 633.2, Fat 34.2, SaturatedFat 7, Cholesterol 92.8, Sodium 1010.8, Carbohydrate 49.3, Fiber 1.1, Sugar 38.8, Protein 31.9
EASY SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE FOR CHICKEN OR PORK
There are 104 recipes for sweet and sour sauce on the Zaar, but none like this one. Lightly battered chicken or pork chunks, green pepper, onions, thinly sliced carrots, and pineapple chunks served with the sauce over rice make a complete meal.
Provided by threeovens
Categories Sauces
Time 10m
Yield 1/2 cup, 2 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Mix the vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce together and bring to a boil in a small pot. Mix together the cornstarch and water, add to the other ingredients and stir to thicken.
- For a thicker sauce, increase the cornstarch to 5 teaspoons.
EASY SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
This a really easy recipe that the whole family will enjoy! Serve over rice.
Provided by wmbloomer
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Asian
Time 25m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Combine flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish.
- Roll and coat chicken cubes in flour mixture.
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook and stir chicken in hot oil until not longer pink in the center and juices run clear, 8 to 10 minutes; remove and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium heat.
- Cook and stir celery, green peppers, and onion in heated oil until slightly tender, about 5 minutes.
- Return chicken to the skillet.
- Whisk ketchup, lemon juice, pineapple, and brown sugar in a bowl; pour into the skillet; bring to a boil.
- Cook and stir chicken and vegetables in sauce until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 420.6 calories, Carbohydrate 49.3 g, Cholesterol 64.6 mg, Fat 13.6 g, Fiber 5.3 g, Protein 27.4 g, SaturatedFat 2.5 g, Sodium 870.1 mg, Sugar 31.6 g
Tips:
- Mise en Place: Before you start cooking, make sure all of your ingredients are prepped and measured. This will help you stay organized and avoid scrambling to find ingredients while you're cooking.
- Use Fresh Ingredients: The fresher your ingredients, the better your dish will taste. Whenever possible, use fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
- Don't Overcook the Meat: Overcooked meat is tough and chewy. Cook the chicken or pork until it is just cooked through, but still tender and juicy.
- Use a Good Quality Sauce: The sauce is what really makes this dish special. Be sure to use a good quality sauce that is flavorful and well-balanced.
- Serve with Rice: Sweet and sour chicken or pork is traditionally served with rice. Rice helps to soak up the delicious sauce and makes a great side dish.
Conclusion:
Sweet and sour chicken or pork is a classic takeout dish that is easy to make at home. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can create a delicious and authentic dish that your family and friends will love. So next time you're craving Chinese food, give this recipe a try!
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