Description
This Crispy Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe features tender chicken breasts pounded thin, breaded with panko, and fried to golden perfection. It's served over fluffy long-grain rice and topped with a sticky, tangy sweet and sour sauce made from pineapple juice, honey, soy sauce, and garlic. Finished with diced pineapple, scallions, and crunchy cashew nuts, this dish is a delicious and fun twist on a classic takeout favorite, ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Breading
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 egg
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
Rice and Garnish
- 1 cup long-grain rice (like basmati)
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1/2 cup pineapple, diced
- 1/4 cup cashew nuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Cook the rice: Add 1 cup of rice and 1 1/2 cups of water to a saucepan with a lid. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling and foamy on top, cover with the lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for another 10 minutes until fluffy.
- Prepare the chicken: Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound chicken breasts into thin, even pieces about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle salt evenly over both sides. You can keep the breasts whole or cut into four pieces for easier breading and cooking.
- Bread the chicken: In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl and beat it well. Place panko breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl. Coat each chicken piece by pressing it first in the cornstarch mixture, shaking off excess, dipping it in the beaten egg, then pressing it firmly into the panko breadcrumbs. Set aside.
- Make the sauce: Combine pineapple juice, rice wine vinegar, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, fish sauce, and crushed garlic in a pan over medium-high heat. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup water to form a slurry and add it to the pan. Stir continuously and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the breaded chicken pieces for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy. Cook in batches if necessary. Remove chicken and place on a wire rack to drain excess oil.
- Serve: Reheat the sauce gently if needed. Slice the chicken pieces and divide the rice between serving bowls. Arrange the sliced chicken on top or beside the rice, pour the sauce around, then scatter with sliced scallions, diced pineapple, and chopped cashew nuts. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For even cooking, pounding the chicken to uniform thickness is key; alternatively, slice chicken breasts lengthwise for consistent pieces.
- Using panko breadcrumbs creates extra crispiness; you can substitute with regular breadcrumbs if needed.
- Adjust the sweetness or tanginess of the sauce by varying the amount of honey or vinegar to your taste.
- Cooking rice covered and letting it rest off the heat ensures fluffy, perfectly cooked grains.
- Use a wire rack to drain fried chicken to keep it crispy instead of placing it on paper towels.
- This dish pairs well with steamed vegetables or a simple green salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 250 g
- Calories: 708 kcal
- Sugar: 43.3 g
- Sodium: 1294.4 mg
- Fat: 12.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 106.6 g
- Fiber: 2.4 g
- Protein: 40.7 g
- Cholesterol: 145.8 mg
