Crispy Chicken With Sweet Sour Dipping Sauce Recipes

SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

Steps:

• Set aside ½ cup of pineapple juice from your can of pineapple, and reserve ⅔ cup of the pineapple chunks (if using). Set aside.
• Combine the hot water, salt, sugar, and ketchup. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved, and then add the vinegar and pineapple juice (if using). If not using pineapple juice, replace with ½ cup water or chicken stock. Set aside.
• Cut your chicken into uniform 1 inch chunks (for even cooking) and place into a bowl. Add the garlic and onion powders, sesame oil, white pepper and salt. Mix until all pieces are uniformly coated, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Any excess water should be fully absorbed by the chicken. If not, mix the chicken again and let it sit for another 5 minutes.
• Mix together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl, and add 2/3 cup of ice water. Use a fork to mix until a batter is formed, and stir in 1 tablespoon of oil. Set aside.
• The amount of oil you need depends on the size of the pot you will use. Using a larger pot uses more oil, but allows you to cook the chicken in fewer batches. Using a smaller pot uses less oil, but you'll have to fry more batches of chicken. We usually go for a smaller pot, so we have less leftover oil. Heat the oil in a small pot until it reaches 335°F/170°C.
• Place 5 to 6 pieces of marinated chicken into the batter. Use a chopstick, fork, or your fingers to coat the chicken in the batter and place each piece slowly into the oil.
• Use a slotted spoon to carefully turn the chicken so all sides are uniformly fried. Fry for about 2 minutes, or until the batter is a light golden brown and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and let any excess oil drain off before placing onto a rack or paper towel lined plate.
• Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a wok over medium high heat, and add the red onion and peppers. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
• Next, add the sweet and sour sauce you prepared earlier and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the sauce is simmering.
• Combine the cornstarch and water to make a uniform slurry. While stirring the sweet and sour sauce, drizzle the slurry in gradually until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon (you may not need all of the slurry). Turn down the heat and give the sauce a quick taste--now is the time to add more salt, vinegar or sugar if desired.
• Add the pineapple chunks (if using) and stir until warmed through. Now is the time to refry the chicken to make them nice and crispy. Heat the oil up to 335°F/170°C and fry the chicken in two batches for about 45 seconds each time. Then add the chicken pieces to your sauce, and gently toss with your wok spatula until the chicken is coated. Serve immediately!

SWEET-SOUR CHICKEN DIPPERS

Steps:

• Drain pineapple, reserving juice. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, tomatoes, vinegar, onion, green pepper, soy sauce, ginger and pineapple. Simmer for 20 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cornstarch and the reserved pineapple juice until smooth; add to tomato mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; set aside. , For the batter, in a small bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and water until smooth. , In a deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Dip chicken pieces in batter; drop into oil and fry about 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and juices run clear. Serve immediately with sweet-sour sauce.

CRISPY SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk egg yolks, soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, and pepper for marinade together in a bowl and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
• Beat egg whites for coating in a bowl until foamy. Add water, then cornstarch, then flour, mixing completely after each addition.
• Combine hot water, sugar, rice wine, vinegar, cornstarch, soy sauce, bouillon granules, and salt for glaze in a bowl.
• Remove chicken from the refrigerator. Dip each piece in coating.
• Heat vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken and cook in small batches until crispy, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove chicken to a plate and drain oil from the wok.
• Add bell pepper and garlic to the wok and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the wok onto a separate dish.
• Add pineapple chunks to the wok. Stir the reserved glaze and pour over pineapple. Simmer until sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add chicken and bell pepper mixture back to the wok; toss everything together. Drizzle sesame oil over top, stir, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

CRISPY CHICKEN WITH SWEET & SOUR DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the dipping sauce, in a bowl, stir together the apricot preserves, soy sauce, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce. Divide amont 4 small bowls or ramekins (optional- I just put it in one bowl and share with my husband).
• Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Spread the flour on a plate, beat the eggs in a shallow bowl until blended, and spread the bread crumbs on another plate. One at a time, dredge each chicken breast in the flour, dip in the eggs, and then coat evenly with the crumbs. Set aside on a rack or baking sheet.
• In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the chicken breasts and reduce the heat to medium. Cook, turning once, until the crumbs are golden brown and the chicken breasts feel firm when pressed in the centers, about 4 minutes on each side. Adjust the heat as needed so the crumbs don't burn. Transfer to a cutting board.
• Cut each chicken breast across the grain into wide strips. Slide a knife under the strips and transfer to warmed individual plates. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

CRISPY TOFU WITH SWEET-AND-SOUR SAUCE

Steps:

• Press the tofu: Wrap the block of tofu in a clean tea towel, and place on a cutting board. Weigh down the tofu with a sheet pan topped with something heavy, such as a large skillet, cans or books, until the tea towel is soaked, about 30 minutes.
• While the tofu is pressed, prep the zucchini: Halve the zucchini crosswise, then cut each piece lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick planks. Finally, cut each plank lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick "fries." Place the zucchini fries in a large colander set over a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and toss until evenly coated. Set aside to drain.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a measuring cup, stir together the apricot preserves, rice vinegar, soy sauce, red-pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 2 teaspoons water until smooth. Transfer to a small dish for dipping, and set aside.
• Slice the pressed tofu in half horizontally, and cut each of those halves into 8 rectangular pieces, creating 16 nuggets total. Directly on the cutting board, season the tofu with 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, smearing each piece around to catch all the seasonings.
• In a large bowl, toss to combine the potato starch and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Place the tofu in the starch, and gently toss with your hands until each piece is evenly coated.
• Fry the tofu: Heat a large skillet over medium-high, and add a thin layer of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the tofu in a single layer, and cook, flipping a couple of times, until lightly golden on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the cooked tofu to a towel-lined plate to drain, and season it with salt to taste.
• To serve, transfer the tofu and zucchini to a large platter, and serve alongside the dipping sauce.

KID-APPROVED SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir reserved pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, and ketchup in a saucepan over medium heat until blended, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Whisk cornstarch and water in a bowl until cornstarch is dissolved; stir into pineapple juice mixture.
• Stir pineapple and carrots into the sauce; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.