This recipe has been sitting in my pinboard for quite awhile. I've heard that it's fabulous, but the hubby isn't a huge fan of sweet and sour chicken. He doesn't like vinegar-y things and he doesn't like sweet flavors with meat. Well, he loved this, and so did I! It takes an hour to bake (after the initial browning of the chicken) which seems like overkill for little nuggets of chicken, but that is what makes the sauce so yummy. It caramelizes and soaks into the breading on the chicken, making an almost sticky glaze. The fried rice was simple and tasty and could be adapted to a one-dish meal by adding shredded chicken, beef or pork.
Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with Fried Rice
from Life as a Lofthouse
Chicken:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
4 T. ketchup
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. garlic salt
Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat and then dip into the eggs. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish.
Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour, turning every 15 minutes.
Rice
3 cups cooked white rice (preferably cold)
3 T. sesame oil
1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
1 small onion, chopped
2 t. minced garlic
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce
On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the peas and carrots, onions and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side. Pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated.
