Light Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and sour chicken doesn't have to be a fat-laden fried dish to be tasty. Our version uses fresh pineapple and vegetables, and boneless, skinless chicken breasts stir-fried with just a touch of oil. If you're on a budget, this may be cheaper and healthier than take-out from a Chinese restaurant.

We really, really recommend that you buy a fresh pineapple and cut it up for this recipe. The taste and texture is the best, we promise! Plus, there will probably be leftover pineapple chunks for breakfast the next morning.

Ingredients

1 tbsp canola oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1" pieces
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
1 medium red pepper, sliced
2 cups fresh pineapple, cut in 1" pieces
2 cups white rice

Sauce

3 tbsp rice wine or white vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp tomato sauce or ketchup
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp fresh grated ginger or 1 1/2 tsp powdered ginger
2 tbsp pineapple juice (after you cut up the pineapple, squeeze the rind and core for the juice)
dash hot pepper sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch

Directions

Cook rice in 4 cups of water for 20 minutes, or until done.

In a medium saucepan, stir together all sauce ingredients except the cornstarch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and whisk in the cornstarch. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce is thickened.

Heat the oil in a wok until shimmering, then swirl the oil so that it covers the sides. On medium-high heat, stir-fry the chicken for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the onion and pepper and cook 5 more minutes.

Toss in the pineapple and then drizzle the sauce over all the ingredients in the wok. Stir well, reduce heat, and simmer 5-10 minutes, until heated through.

Serve over rice.

Serves 4-6.