SWEET'N SOUR PINEAPPLE CHICKEN WITH MIXED VEG, no added sugar, lower-fat, low-carb, vegan opt.s; opt for small households

GUILT-FREE PINEAPPLE CHICKEN WITH CHILLI & VEG

Sensational flavours in very healthy Chinese dish, and wallet friendly, too.

updated Jan 2022; first posted 2015

This dish  - a family recipe brought into the 21st century - has had rave reviews wherever it's been served.  It offers surprising layers of wonderful flavour and texture, and converts the most sniffy of eaters. 

Even the Blogger's Lottery Funded 'Frugal Healthy Cooking' group (operating some years ago) - who were very iffy about pineapple - were converted.  

Unlike many pineapple chicken dishes, this recipe has an element of heat. The chillis are optional but they enhance the already tasty contrast of protein and tangy sweet fruit.   You can leave out the chillis but honestly, you won't regret it.

Like most Oriental food, the work is in the preparation.  The dish has a few steps but much of it can be prepared in advance the day before.  It is well worth the effort.  When served at large family suppers, enlist the help of others to prep the veg.  

Here 67 has used chicken breasts but chicken thighs or wings can also be used.  Breasts are not cheap but in many supermarkets a kilo of breasts (2022) sell for a  fiver.  Buy and freeze the rest for another time. 

Supermarket chickens are fine; the chicken in this dish is well flavoured.  

If you're a bit bored with chicken, replace it with pork; if you're vegetarian/vegan; firm tofu works beautifully but add extra veg. 

For anyone with salt issues, the reduced-salt soy sauce is well distributed and a normal-sized portion shouldn't be a problem.

Note: measurements do not need to be exact; a little more or less is not a problem

Feeds: 6-8 with rice;  small households, use one large chicken breast and 1/3 of  other ingredients
Cost: depending on type & quality of chicken plus ingredients in veg drawer, around £5'ish 

Ingred:

2 fat garlic cloves
1.5 in/1.75cm ch peeled ginger

3 chicken breasts OR 7-8 fat thighs OR 1.5 packets chicken wings OR 450gm/ oz firm tofu in fingers 1inx2.5in/2cmx7cm
1/4 cup reduced salt soy sauce (choose a good brand; some have no flavour) 
1/3-1/4 cup cornstarch

Vegetable oil: groundnut, corn, sunflower but not olive

tabasco sauce (opt)

A generous mugful of: 
⦁ finely sliced onions, red or yellow or both
⦁ carrots, in sturdy matchsticks 
⦁ small broccoli or cauliflower florets cooked in boiling water 3 mins & drained

4-6 sticks celery, peeled and cut diagonally in 1in/2cm chunks 
3 multicolored peppers, topped & tailed, de-seeded and in one inch strips 

1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 cm wedges (see tips) plus 
      1 generous mug pineapple juice 
OR 1 small tin pineapple slices with juice, not syrup, made up to 1 generous mug
1-2 finely chopped chillis (to taste) or min 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
2 limes (zest and juice) 

dash of soy sauce if needed
salt & pepper
up to 1 mug water/stock/cauliflower-brocolli cooking water  

Cornflour Paste
1/4 to 1/3 cup cornflour 
cold water

OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED FOR VEGETARIANS/VEGANS 
1 large mug thickly sliced mushrooms plus juice of half a lemon (opt but recommended)
1/2 mug baby corn halved vertically (fresh or tinned, drained) (opt)
well washed beansprouts, par-cooked (place in a strainer and pour boiling water over) (opt)


Method:

The following steps can be prepared the day/night before

1. Preheat oven to 190c/350c/gas 5. 
2. Grate or blend garlic and ginger; mix & set aside
3. Slice chicken breasts vertically into 2cm/1in fingers; if using thighs slash flesh
4. Spray (pref) or sprinkle protein pieces with a scant 1/4 - 1/3 cup soy sauce; distributing as evenly as possible (a spray bottle - from Boots holiday section - will do)
5. Place cornstarch in a flat platter; dip chicken slices on both sides and...
6. EITHER: (large gatherings, full recipe)   Arrange pieces on lined tray(s)with plenty of space in between.  Bake 12-15 mins; thighs, wings: 20 min.  The chicken cooks further later.  Set aside with juices
7. OR: (small households/partial recipe)  Heat a pan on high until very hot; add a thin layer of veg oil (not olive); when oil is smoking hot add strips of protein; fry on high one side only until golden - a minute or so; flip slices, leave long enough to seal (20 secs); quickly remove from pan with juices and set aside The chicken cooks further later. 
8. Prepare vegetables as above; (cauliflower & broccoli must be partially cooked in boiling water 2-3 mins; drain, keeping cooking water) place in separate bowls; set aside   
9. In a separate bowl, mix pineapple, pineapple juice, zest and juice of limes, chopped chillis or chilli flakes and tabasco if using. Set aside.
10. If using mushrooms, slice thickly and fry in a pan sprayed with oil.  When half done add lemon juice. Set aside with juices.

When ready to cook:

1. Heat a wok or large heavy based pan (with tight fitting lid) over high heat.  Add 1-2 tbsps oil.  When smoking hot, add onions; stirring/shaking 2 mins  
2. Add vegetables in the following order without removing previous veg, stirring or shaking constantly until half-cooked (test by eating a piece) 

carrot sticks 2-3 mins 

blanched broccoli and/or cauliflower 2 mins 

2 tbsp garlic/ginger mix plus 2 tbsp water

peppers & celery 1 min 

baby corn if using 1 min

any other quick cooking veg like bean sprouts, green beans, mange tout

3.  Pour into a dish; rinse out pan and add to dish; keep warm

4.  Return pan to heat, spray lightly with oil; stir fry pineapple pieces until browning at edges; add pineapple juice, chilli & lime juice & zest - there should be an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pan;  if not, add more pineapple juice, water or stock.  Stir.

5.  Add chicken and its juices to the pan along with with vegetables & juices

6.  Make cornflour paste; add to pot, mix well.  Bring to the boil; immediately reduce heat to simmer. Put a lid on; leave for 2-3 minutes until chicken is cooked through OR until veg are done to your liking. 

7.  Check sauce; if too thin add 1 tsp cornflour mixed with cold water; if too thick add up to 1/3 cup pineapple juice, stock or water.

8.  Check seasoning.  Salt lightly and add plenty of black pepper.  Add more chillis and/or tabasco to taste. 

9.  Pour into a serving dish; scatter over sesame seeds and finely chopped green onion

10. Serve with steamed rice, Unfried Rice or egg noodles.

Comments:

'This is really, really delicious; I've never had anything like it from Chinese takeaways.  Is it easy to make at home?' Muslim manager at UK supermarket

'In Chinese cuisine,, pineapple and meats are made for each other.  I now understand why.  Use fresh pineapple if you can.'  Retired writer

TIPS:

• Fresh pineapple: See pineapple for preparation.  Find ripen-at-home pineapples at £1 or under at M&S & Sainsbury's
• Rather than buying pineapple juice, place fresh pineapple in a deep bowl; cover with boiling water; set aside to cool 
• If using pork instead of chicken, use fillets or pork steaks cut in 2cm/1in fingers.  If using shoulder, slice meat thickly and cut in 2cm/1in fingers
• Chinatowns have the best noodles but most supermarket noodles are extremely good and easy to prepare.  Put noodles in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water; leave 5 mins.  Drain; toss in toasted sesame oil (opt). 

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This recipe has  been developed by B Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.