Asian
Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken
Sticky, tangy sweet-and-sour chicken baked in a lighter pineapple sauce: the takeaway favourite, made clean.
~40 mintotal~310 kcalper serving~41g protein~19g carbs~7g fat
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 4.
Ingredients
- 500g chicken breast, cubed
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup cornflour
- 1 red pepper, chunked
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp olive oil
Cooking Steps
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Toss the chicken in egg then cornflour; bake on a lined tray 20 minutes until golden.
Simmer the tomato paste, vinegar, soy, honey and a splash of water into a sauce.
Add the pepper and pineapple; cook 3 minutes.
Toss the baked chicken through the sauce.
Serve with brown rice.
Optional Enhancements
- Air-fry the chicken
- Add extra veg like mangetout
- Tofu instead of chicken
Plant & Growing Tips
Red Pepper
- Plant pepper seedlings in a sunny spot with well-draining soil after all danger of frost has passed.
- Provide consistent moisture, especially when fruits are setting, and use stakes or cages to support heavy branches.
- Red peppers thrive in warm conditions; consider growing them in containers that can be moved indoors if nights are cool.
Tomatoes
- Start tomato seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost, or buy strong seedlings for planting out.
- Choose a site with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily and enrich the soil with compost before planting.
- Water deeply and regularly, especially during dry spells, and provide sturdy stakes or cages for support as plants grow.
Pineapple
- To grow a pineapple, twist off the leafy crown from a ripe fruit, remove some lower leaves, and let it dry for a few days before planting.
- Plant the crown in a pot with well-draining soil and place it in a warm, sunny location, watering sparingly until roots establish.
- Pineapples are slow growers and require consistent warmth (above 18°C) and high humidity, making them suitable for indoor container growing in most regions.
Natural Pest Control
- Check pepper and tomato plants regularly for aphids and blast them off with a strong stream of water.
- Use row covers over young pepper and tomato plants to protect them from early season insect pests like flea beetles.
- For fruit flies on ripening pineapple, ensure good air circulation and promptly remove any overripe or damaged fruit from the plant.
Harvest
Red Pepper
- Harvest red peppers when they have fully changed color from green to a deep red, indicating peak ripeness and sweetness.
- Cut peppers from the plant using a sharp knife or shears, leaving a short stem attached to prevent rot.
Tomatoes
- Pick tomatoes when they are fully colored, firm to the touch, and easily detach from the vine with a gentle twist.
- Harvest regularly to encourage more fruit production, but if frost threatens, pick any mature green tomatoes to ripen indoors.
Pineapple
- Harvest pineapple when the skin turns yellow-orange from the bottom up and the fruit emits a sweet aroma.
- The fruit should feel slightly soft when squeezed, and a leaf from the center of the crown should pull out easily.
Storing & Freezing
Fridge up to 3 days.
