This pretty, sweet, and gentle old-school Chinese-American favorite comes together in 20 minutes. So easy and delicious, it rivals any restaurant's sweet and sour chicken.
1poundboneless skinless chicken breasts(cut into 1-inch pieces)
1(8-ounce can) pineapple chunks in juice(drained and juice reserved; or use 1 cup fresh pineapple cubes)
¼cupcider vinegar
¼cuplow-sodium chicken broth
2tablespoonsketchup
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
2tablespoonsvegetable or canola oil(divided)
1red bell pepper(cut into 1-inch pieces)
1green bell pepper(cut into 1-inch pieces)
2teaspoonsgrated fresh ginger
Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the egg whites, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the chicken and toss to coat well.
Whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, chicken broth, ketchup, and brown sugar.
Heat a very large skillet or a wok over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, turn to coat the bottom of the pan, then add the chicken, allowing any excess egg white to drip back into the bowl. Stir-fry for 3 minutes so that the chicken pieces brown slightly on all sides. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, then the bell peppers and the ginger, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the sauce and the pineapple chunks. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lightly season with salt to taste, then return the chicken to the pot with any juices that have accumulated and allow it to simmer for another few minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot.
Notes
Because the chicken is stir-fried and not deep-fried, this recipe uses much less oil than some other recipes.
Choose pineapple chunks canned in juice and not syrup.