Sweet and Sour Chicken

It's a well-known fact that I love me some Chinese food. It's also a well-known fact that Dan does not. So, when we get to order it, I get pretty excited. Most places have one of two kinds of sweet and sour chicken. The first is chicken fingers with a side of that super thick, get everything near it sticky, red sweet and sour sauce with the cherries and pineapple in it. The other is the pieces of chicken mixed into a sauce, usually with peppers and pineapple mixed in. Both are good, but this post isn't about Chinese takeout. It's about the sweet and sour chicken I made last Wednesday that was BEYOND better than takeout. It's a little time intensive with a decent list of ingredients, but so worth it! It's super fresh and since it uses chicken breasts, you don't have to worry about any of the weird dark funky chunks of chicken that I often find in takeout.

Do other people worry about that like I do?

I didn't post this sooner because I got busy, and I got a little lazy, and then my weekend was busy with my final meeting with the florist, a hair appointment, and my Bachelorette party last night. Hence, why this post comes in today at 8:30 at night, because I spent most of my day in recovery, carb-loading. Thankfully, my mom is awesome, and delivered me some lasagna from her lunch at Carabba's. I'm sure you're all wondering how the party was. It was great, more than great, and that's all I'll share. My girls did a great job organizing everything and fun was had by all.

I wish I still had some of this chicken left. Hangovers tend to make me a bottomless pit, and I've eaten most of what's substantial in the house (and what my mom brought me!). Dan worked all day and is at hockey, so I've had to fend for myself. I know, I know, no one should have any sympathy since my complaint is brought on from a night of partying, but come on, I don't tend to have many of these types of days. Let's just bring on the recipe so I can go back to doing a whole lot of nothing, well, except for watching Criminal Minds.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
from Carlsbad Cravings

Chicken breading:
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 cup flour
3 eggs
1 and 1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp onion powder

Sweet and sour sauce:
1/2 cup pineapple juice from chunks can below
1 cup red wine vinegar
1.5 cups sugar
6 tbsp. ketchup
1 small onion diced
2 tbsp. soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flaks
1/2 tsp. ginger powder

Mix-ins:
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks
1 cup carrots, sliced thin (did not use)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking dish.
2. Start by preparing the sauce. In a saucepan, combine all of the ingredients and stir. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and let simmer while you prepare everything else. After 20 minutes, remove from heat.
3. Place the flour in a large Ziplock bag. Add the chicken chunks and shake to coat. Get rid of the excess flour.
4. Whisk the eggs together and place in a shallow dish. In a separate bowl whisk together the cornstarch, garlic powder, salt, pepper, ginger powder and onion powder.
5. Place chicken chunks into egg and coat, letting the excess drip off. Place the chicken chunks back into the Ziplock bag and add the cornstarch mix. Shake to coat chicken.
6. In a large skillet, heat any kind of oil, enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Get it nice and hot, and in batches, add chicken and brown for about 3 minutes. Place browned chicken in the baking dish.
7. Place peppers and pineapple into the sauce and stir. Pour over the chicken in the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes, uncovered.
8. Serve over rice.