Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice

Name: Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 240 g jasmine rice rinsed; 480 ml water divided; 3 g fine salt divided; 45 ml rice vinegar; 45 ml soy sauce; 35 g brown sugar; 30 g ketchup; 180 ml water divided; 2 g fine salt divided; 12 g cornstarch mixed with water for slurry; 30 ml water for cornstarch slurry; 20 ml neutral oil divided; 680 g boneless skinless chicken thigh or breast cut into 2.5 cm pieces; 1 g ground black pepper divided; 3 g fine salt divided; 10 ml neutral oil divided; 120 g yellow onion sliced; 1 unit red bell pepper sliced into 2 cm pieces; 12 g garlic minced; 10 g fresh ginger minced; 200 g pineapple chunks drained if using canned; 5 ml sesame oil; 2 unit scallion thinly sliced

Chicken is browned quickly, then glazed in a glossy sweet-sour sauce with pineapple and bell peppers. The dish is served over rice so the sauce can soak into the grains.

By Julienne

Cook time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

240 g jasmine rice rinsed
480 ml water divided
3 g fine salt divided
45 ml rice vinegar
45 ml soy sauce
35 g brown sugar
30 g ketchup
180 ml water divided
2 g fine salt divided
12 g cornstarch mixed with water for slurry
30 ml water for cornstarch slurry
20 ml neutral oil divided
680 g boneless skinless chicken thigh or breast cut into 2.5 cm pieces
1 g ground black pepper divided
3 g fine salt divided
10 ml neutral oil divided
120 g yellow onion sliced
1 unit red bell pepper sliced into 2 cm pieces
12 g garlic minced
10 g fresh ginger minced
200 g pineapple chunks drained if using canned
5 ml sesame oil
2 unit scallion thinly sliced

Instructions

Start the rice: combine the rinsed rice, 480 ml water, and 3 g salt in a 2 L saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover, reduce to low, and cook 12 minutes. Remove from heat and rest covered 5 minutes. Rice is tender, and the surface looks dry with no standing water.
While the rice cooks, stir together the sauce: vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, 180 ml water, and 2 g salt in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Mix the cornstarch with the remaining 30 ml slurry water in a separate small cup. The sauce base is smooth and the cornstarch is fully dispersed.
Heat 20 ml oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the black pepper and remaining 3 g salt, then add it in a single layer and cook 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until lightly browned and just cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Chicken is opaque with lightly browned edges and an internal temperature of 74°C.
Add the remaining 10 ml oil to the same skillet. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté 2 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook 30 seconds, then add pineapple and stir 30 seconds more. Vegetables are crisp-tender and the garlic is fragrant, not browned.
Pour in the sauce base and bring it to a simmer. Stir the cornstarch slurry again, add it gradually while stirring, and cook 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Return the chicken to the skillet and toss 1 minute to heat through. Turn off the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Sauce clings to the chicken and vegetables in a glossy coating; chicken is steaming hot.
Fluff the rice and divide it among 4 bowls. Spoon the sweet and sour chicken and vegetables over the rice. Garnish with scallions if using. Each serving has rice underneath and sauced chicken spooned over the top.