Sweet and sour chicken cubes served with a sweet and sour sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 3/4 cups water divided
- 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
- 2 1/4 cups self-rising flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
- 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks drained (juice reserved)
- 2 drops orange food color
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch c
- 2 green bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
- Carbohydrate 63.5347480310434 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 75.8866182422867 g
- Fiber 2.25450421077706 g
- Protein 6.50260625000774 g
- Saturated Fat 5.65513482050291 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (295g)
- Sodium 805.419838387362 mg
- Sugar 61.2802438202663 g
- Trans Fat 1.12961588420026 g
- Calories 957 calories
Step-by-step
- In a saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, and orange food coloring. Heat to boiling. Turn off heat. Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; slowly stir into saucepan. Continue stirring until mixture thickens.
- Combine flour, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, salt, white pepper, and egg. Add 1 1/2 cups water gradually to make a thick batter. Stir to blend thoroughly. Add chicken pieces, and stir until chicken is well coated.
- Heat oil in skillet or wok to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C). Fry chicken pieces in hot oil 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove chicken, and drain on paper towels.
- When ready to serve, layer green peppers, pineapple chunks, and cooked chicken pieces on a platter. Pour hot sweet and sour sauce over top.
Will the coating burn before the center cooks through? Temperature control during the frying stage dictates whether batter turns golden or scorches into bitterness. Maintaining oil at 360 degrees F prevents grease absorption while setting the crust rapidly around the meat.
Reading the Visual Cues for Doneness
Visual inspection replaces guessing when dealing with battered proteins submerged in hot oil. Monitoring color provides the most reliable indicator of internal doneness since probes struggle with small pieces. Golden-brown surfaces signal that moisture inside has transformed into steam, cooking the meat fully in roughly 10 minutes. Removing pieces promptly onto paper towels stops residual heat from darkening the exterior further.Balancing Sauce Consistency
Starch behavior governs sauce success more than any other variable in this preparation. Dissolving cornstarch thoroughly in cool liquid before applying heat prevents persistent lumps from forming. Simmering the mixture until it thickens activates the starch molecules, yielding a glossy finish that clings evenly to proteins rather than pooling watery at the base of the dish.
