Sweet and Sour Chicken

By Paul Briand

This is another recipe offering posted on a bulletin board at my health club.

It comes via Food.com.

It requires medium prep, but cooks up fast and flavorful, particularly with the sauce that combines honey, ginger, chili-garlic sauce, soy sauce and orange juice.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 teaspoons peanut oil

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pint small, sweet mixed peppers, quartered, or 2 mixed bell peppers, cut into 1-inch strips

6 scallions, whites cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, greens cut into 1-inch pieces and thinly sliced vertically into thin strips

8 ounces snow peas, trimmed

Serving suggestion, cooked brown rice

Chopped peanuts for sprinkling, optional

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, chili-garlic sauce, vinegar, ginger soy sauce, orange juice and cornstarch, set aside;

2. Meanwhile, coat the chicken with 2 teaspoons oil and heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat;

3. Season the chicken to taste with salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally with a wooden spoon, 2 minutes;

4. Transfer the partially-cooked chicken to a plate. Reserve the pan;

5. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the pan; add the peppers, scallion whites, and snow peas;

6. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes;

7. Stir in the reserved chicken; whisk the sauce again and add it to the pan;

8. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is tender, 1 to 2 minutes;

9. Serve over rice and sprinkle with the scallion greens and peanuts, if using.

For recipe card click here.