Sweet and Sour Chicken {from scratch}

Sweet & Sour Chicken is perfect for nights when you need a quick and easy dinner.  Don't expect the typical take-out or from the jar bright red sauce, but this one tastes just as good {if not better...I would go with better}.

Feel free to substitute pork or shrimp for the chicken or change up the veggies according to your taste.  This recipe comes from one that my mom made many times when we were growing up, I always loved it...I'm sure you will too.


Sweet & Sour Chicken
serves: 6-8

1 tablespoon oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
2 green peppers, chopped (or colored peppers, I happened to use red this time)
1 cup diced carrots
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can pineapple chunks (in JUICE)
Cooked rice

for sauce:
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 Tablespoons corn starch
1/2 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup vinegar
1 1/3 cup pineapple juice reserved from pineapple chunks (or water)
4 Tablespoons ketchup

1. In a large saute pan heat oil over medium high heat, add chicken and cook until browned no longer pink.  Add peppers, carrots, onions, and garlic.  Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, whisk together sugar and cornstarch.  When combined, whisk in soy sauce, vinegar, pineapple juice and ketchup until smooth.  Place sauce pan over medium high heat, and heat until boiling, stirring occasionally.  The sauce with thicken up quickly as it begins to boil.  When it is thickened (but still pour-able) remove from heat.

3. Add as much sauce as you like to your chicken and vegetable mixture, add pineapple chunks and stir until all is coated.  Serve over rice.

**This makes quite a bit of sweet and sour sauce, I always have some left over.  Save it in the fridge for about 2 weeks, it makes a great dipping sauce**