Oven Sweet & Sour Chicken
Oven Sweet & Sour ChickenMalky Soffer

This sweet and sour chicken recipe, although it involves frying the chicken pieces, doesn't need to be prepared in the frantic hurry usually involved in preparing Chinese dishes.

It has the authentic taste, but much less rushing around - it also freezes exceptionally well which is a bonus with all the preparation needed before Yom Tov.

For the chicken coating:

  • 6-8 large boneless chicken breasts, cut into large bite sized pieces
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 and ½ cups of corn starch
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • ½ cup sunflower/canola oil

For the sweet and sour sauce:

  • 1 and ½ cups of sugar
  • 8tbsp ketchup
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2tbsp soy sauce
  • 2tsp garlic powder
  • A pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1tbsp sesame seeds
  • Additional Ingredients:
  • 1 large onion, cut into chunks
  • 1 large red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1 small can of pineapple chunks, juice drained

Method:

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius (325 degrees Fahrenheit).

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the corn starch in a large plastic bag and add all the chicken pieces into it.

Seal bag and shake to coat.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a large dish.

Pour beaten egg over the chicken and stir gently to coat.

Heat the oil in a large skillet/pan and pan fry the chicken in batches over a medium-high heat on both sides until slightly browned, but not cooked through.

Place the chicken in a large greased baking pan.

Add whichever of the additional ingredients you wish to add.

Mix all the sauce ingredients, minus the sesame seeds, in a bowl with a fork or whisk.

Pour evenly over the chicken.

Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes, turning the chicken 2-3 times during the baking.

Increase the oven temperature to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).

Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and bake for a further 15 minutes, watching chicken so that it doesn’t burn, turning chicken a couple of times.

Serve with steamed rice or Asian noodles.