Lean Sweet & Sour Chicken
800g
680
CO2
23%
kcal
21%
Protein
56%
Fat
Carbs
Low in Saturated Fat
Sweet and Sour is a classic Chinese dish made with deep-fried pork and a tangy sweet and sour sauce. The traditional recipe is usually deep fried which means lots of high carbon footprint oil and saturated fat. Our recipe uses lightly battered chicken and just a couple of tablespoons of oil, meaning it’s much better for you and for the planet.
Climate Kitchen Hacks: We use chicken fillet, which is a higher carbon cut, but we switch some meat with extra vegetables to add greater depth of flavor, texture and to save on carbon footprint. We go easy on the batter and lightly fry in minimal oil. The same serving size has a 40% lower carbon footprint, 10% fewer calories, and 40% less saturated fat compared to deep fried sweet and sour pork.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
1 tsp of cornstarch
1/4 tsp of white pepper
2 tbsp plus 16 sprays of canola (rapeseed) oil
1 small onion (1/2 cup, 120g), peeled, halved and thick sliced
2 bell peppers (2 cup, 240g), red and green cubed
2 carrots (1 cup, 150g), peeled halved and thin sliced
1 cup (200g) baby corn, halved lengthways
1/2 cup (120g) of canned pineapple, diced
3-4 green/spring onion, sliced
1/2 lb (225g) white/brown/wholegrain rice
1/8 cup (15g) of cornstarch
1/4 cup (30g) of all-purpose flour
1 egg
1/4 cup (60ml) of water
1 lb (450g) of chicken fillet/breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup (60g) of ketchup
2 tbsp of rice vinegar
2 tbsp of soy sauce
1 tbsp of brown sugar
Assemble, measure, and prepare the ingredients.
Cook the rice according to the package instructions and set aside.
Meanwhile, toss the chicken cubes in cornstarch to coat.
In a medium bowl, mix the flour, egg and water until a thick, smooth batter is formed. Add the chicken cubes to the mixture, coat well, then transfer into a sieve or colander and mix around to remove excess coating.
In a small bowl, mix the ketchup, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch and white pepper.
Next, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a heavy skillet pan over a high heat until the oil is smoking hot. Carefully add the coated chicken to the hot oil and fry for about 7-8 minutes until golden brown. Spray with extra oil during cooking if necessary to keep it sizzling. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. Check the chicken is cooked through by cutting the largest piece in half to check it is white through (no pink in the middle).
Finally, place a wok or frying pan over a medium-high heat with a few sprays of oil. Fry the onion for 2-3 minutes until softened then add the bell pepper, carrots, baby corn, and pineapple. Heat for 1 minute whilst tossing. Add the sauce mix and stir through.
Add the fried chicken, toss to coat with the sauce, heat through for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot over the rice with sliced green/spring onion sprinkled on top.
Qǐng màn yòng- Enjoy your meal!
Instructions:
