Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

So I had a dilemma... I love Chinese food, but I hate the way the food from the Chinese buffet makes me feel.  I decided to take matters into my own hands, and learn how to make some of these delicious treats.  First up, is sweet and sour chicken stir fry.  Take the time to make your own Chinese, and you'll never go back to the buffets.  Okay, so maybe you'll go back once in a while, but you'll regret it later.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

3 whole, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1 c. flour
2 whole eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c. canola oil
Stir fry vegetables, your collection of fresh or a bag of frozen (broccoli, green beans, sugar peas, carrots, red peppers, water chestnuts)
Brown rice or thin spaghetti pasta, cooked according to package directions

For the sauce:
3 c. sugar
1 c. ketchup
2 c. vinegar
4 T. soy sauce
4 t. garlic powder


1. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a medium sauce pan and heat on the stove top until boiling.  Reduce heat, and simmer until sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.  Season with salt and pepper.  Dip chicken into the flour, and then into the egg.  This step will be very messy, but keep going, it will be worth it.
3. Fry the chicken pieces in canola oil until browned on all sides, but not cooked through.  Place in a single layer in a baking dish.  Pour about 3/4 cup of the sauce over the chicken, and stir gently to coat all the pieces.  Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees.  Stir the chicken every 15-20 minutes.
4. During the last 15 minutes of baking, prepare the vegetables by frying in canola oil.  Make sure the vegetables are well drained to remove excess water before adding to the fry pan.  Once heated, pour 1 cup of sauce into the pan, and heat through.  Don't add too much... you can always add more, but it's really hard to take it out.
5. To serve, place the rice or noodles in a bowl, top with vegetables, and then several pieces of chicken.  Add more sauce if you like.


Note:  The first time I made this, I didn't have quite enough of the sauce.  So now, I always make a double batch (what is listed above).  You can probably get away with making half a batch, if you don't like as much sauce.  Or if you have extra, if freezes well, and you can use it next time.  Trust me, you'll be making this dish more than once.


Enjoy!