Sweet and sour chicken

It has taken me the guts of a year to perfect my fakeaway sweet and sour chicken dish and tonight I finally did it so I rushed to write it down straight after dinner with my belly smiling . When I’m told by the family its better than the Chinese I know its a good one and it deserves a place here.This honestly is so delicious,will fulfil any takeaway craving and slightly healthier as there’s no sugar in my sauce but I promise its so so good.

Ingredients

Sauce

Honey 3 tablespoons (or add brown sugar if you prefer )

Orange juice 200ml

Pineapple and juice from tin

Chicken stock pot with 200ml water

Cornflour 3 heaped tablespoons

Garlic 2 minced cloves

Chinese five spice 2 teaspoons

Chilli flakes 1 teaspoon

Tomato puree 2 tablespoons

Tomato sauce 2 tablespoons

Ginger one strand finely chopped s

Light soy sauce 1.5 tablespoon

Dark soy sauce 1.5 tablespoon

White wine vinegar or Chinese rice vinegar 3 tablespoons or more (this adds sour and sweeetness as does the tomato sauce so you can increase or decrease volumes as per personal taste )

Chicken thighs skinned and cut into stripe. I tenderise my chicken and cover in bicarbonate of soda for 30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly,(make sure every last bit is gone so rinse for a good five minutes ) this makes the chicken like in a Chinese ,extremely tender and adds a lovely shine to your sauce.

Seasame oil for cooking

Vegetables of choice

Red and yellow peppers

Onion

Garlic minced

Pineapple chunks for serving

Baby corn cut into quarters lengthways

Method

Cook the veg until soft in sesame oil and put to one side.

Now mix all the sauce ingredients and set aside until needed when the chicken is nearly cooked.

Cook your chicken on a medium heat for twenty to twenty five minutes in a light based pan. Now add the stock pot mixed with 200ml of water and allow to cook further ten minutes

Next add your sauce mix and allow to come together and thicken,add more cornflour if you need to thicken but this should be enough when cooking twelve chicken skinless chopped thighs.

Add the pineapple chunks and veg into the glossy sauce and chicken just before serving and serve with egg steamed rice (you can find this on my blog its the perfect side)