Fried Sweet and Sour Chicken

Name: Fried Sweet and Sour Chicken
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 dozen appetizers.
Ingredients: 1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple; 1-1/2 cups sugar; 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained; 1/2 cup white vinegar; 1/2 cup chopped onion; 1/2 cup chopped green pepper; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; BATTER:; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 cup cornstarch; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 2 teaspoons sugar; 1-1/3 cups cold water; Oil for deep-fat frying; 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 40 min. Cook: 10 min. YIELD: 4 dozen appetizers.

Meet the Cook: Since you can chop up all the ingredients the night before, this fried sweet and sour chicken can be ready in about 30 minutes. So, it's a great after-work dinner. You can also serve it as a snack or an appetizer...similar to chicken nuggets. I've even substituted quail for the chicken, and it was delicious. Next, I may try it with pork! —Kari Caven, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho

Ingredients

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
BATTER:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons sugar
1-1/3 cups cold water
Oil for deep-fat frying
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

Directions

1. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, tomatoes, vinegar, onion, green pepper, soy sauce, ginger and pineapple. Simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cornstarch and the reserved pineapple juice until smooth; add to tomato mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; set aside.
3. For the batter, in a small bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and water until smooth.
4. In a deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Dip chicken pieces in batter; drop into oil and fry about 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and juices run clear. Serve immediately with sweet-sour sauce.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece with 4 teaspoons sauce: 79 calories, 2g fat (0 saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 113mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 0 fiber), 3g protein.