Sweet and Sour Chicken

I started going through my chicken recipes that I saved in my google reader when I realized that we've been eating a huge amount of pasta lately.  I found this recipe for sweet and sour chicken that I saved from Brown Eyed Baker.  I've said before that I think chinese food  has been he most difficult cuisine for me to try to recreate at home.  This recipe looked so easy so I thought why not give it a try.  As I was preparing it I was a little overwhelmed by the smell of the ketchup.  Did not seem or smell very asian to me.  Luckily it turned out great!  I have to be honest, it didn't really taste very asian to me but it was a great dinner.  I think that maybe by adding a different type of sauce (maybe even a orange marmalade) in place of half of the ketchup will give it more of an asian flavor.  Any ideas?  I definitely recommend this recipe though.  It was excellent!

Brown Eyed Baker's Sweet and Sour Chicken

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 1 hour

For the Chicken:

3-4 boneless,skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ cup canola or vegetable oil

For the Sauce:

¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar (preferably rice or white)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Working in two batches, toss the chicken pieces in egg and then coat with the cornstarch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and again in two batches, brown the chicken, turning it so that all sides are browned.

4. Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9×13 baking dish.

5. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour evenly over the chicken. Turn the chicken to ensure each piece is coated.

6. Bake for 1 hour, turning the chicken every 15 minutes.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

I started going through my chicken recipes that I saved in my google reader when I realized that we've been eating a huge amount of pasta lately.  I found this recipe for sweet and sour chicken that I saved from Brown Eyed Baker.  I've said before that I think chinese food  has been he most difficult cuisine for me to try to recreate at home.  This recipe looked so easy so I thought why not give it a try.  As I was preparing it I was a little overwhelmed by the smell of the ketchup.  Did not seem or smell very asian to me.  Luckily it turned out great!  I have to be honest, it didn't really taste very asian to me but it was a great dinner.  I think that maybe by adding a different type of sauce (maybe even a orange marmalade) in place of half of the ketchup will give it more of an asian flavor.  Any ideas?  I definitely recommend this recipe though.  It was excellent!

Brown Eyed Baker's Sweet and Sour Chicken

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 1 hour

For the Chicken:

3-4 boneless,skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, slightly beaten
¼ cup canola or vegetable oil

For the Sauce:

¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar (preferably rice or white)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

3. Working in two batches, toss the chicken pieces in egg and then coat with the cornstarch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat and again in two batches, brown the chicken, turning it so that all sides are browned.

4. Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9×13 baking dish.

5. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and pour evenly over the chicken. Turn the chicken to ensure each piece is coated.

6. Bake for 1 hour, turning the chicken every 15 minutes.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Rachael Ray's Sesame Chicken

I can't help but laugh at myself whenever I attempt to make a stir fry. It's never right. The sauce is always too salty, not enough balanace of salty and sweet so Steve and I end up drowning it in soy sauce. Not this time. I finally found a stir fry recipe that works for me! I followed the recipe exactly, although I am not sure how many chicken breasts a pound would be. I only used two since I buy mine frozen in portions and Steve and I only eat one breast each. The recipe does say it serves four so maybe one more chicken breast and yes it would be perfectly portioned for four. I had rice left over an some chicken and veggies but it's mostly rice.

I would only make two changes next time. The recipe calls for cooking the rice in chicken broth. I did that but after putting the delicious sauce over it I realize that it was unnecessary, plain white rice with scallions added would be just perfect. The second change would be the scallions. I would add less of the white part of the scallion since they are raw and was a little strong for my taste. The green part seems to be milder so I would use all the green and some of the white so the scallion flavor isn't as strong.

That's it. This was absolutely the best homemade stir fry I have ever had. Not only does it taste great but the vibrant colors make it so visually appealing.



This recipe can be found in Rachael Ray's Magazine "Everyday with Rachael Ray" or on her website www.rachaelraymag.com .


Devilish Sesame Chicken with Green Beans and Scallion Rice

From Every Day with Rachael Ray
August 2008

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken broth
Salt
1/2 pound green beans
1 pound chicken breast, chicken cutlets or chicken tenders, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons tamari (dark soy sauce)
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted


Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the rice; toast, stirring, for a minute or two. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, lower the heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 17 minutes.

2. In a medium skillet, bring enough water to reach a depth of 1 inch to a boil, salt it, add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water.

3. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 2 turns of the pan, over high heat until rippling. Add the chicken and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook until just softened, 3 minutes. Add the green beans and cook, tossing, for 1 minute.

4. In a bowl, mix together the tamari, honey, hot sauce, mustard and remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables; toss. Drizzle the sesame oil over the chickenal.

5. Stir the scallions into the rice and fluff with a fork. Serve the chicken over the rice and top with the sesame seeds and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Rachael Ray's Sesame Chicken

I can't help but laugh at myself whenever I attempt to make a stir fry. It's never right. The sauce is always too salty, not enough balanace of salty and sweet so Steve and I end up drowning it in soy sauce. Not this time. I finally found a stir fry recipe that works for me! I followed the recipe exactly, although I am not sure how many chicken breasts a pound would be. I only used two since I buy mine frozen in portions and Steve and I only eat one breast each. The recipe does say it serves four so maybe one more chicken breast and yes it would be perfectly portioned for four. I had rice left over an some chicken and veggies but it's mostly rice.

I would only make two changes next time. The recipe calls for cooking the rice in chicken broth. I did that but after putting the delicious sauce over it I realize that it was unnecessary, plain white rice with scallions added would be just perfect. The second change would be the scallions. I would add less of the white part of the scallion since they are raw and was a little strong for my taste. The green part seems to be milder so I would use all the green and some of the white so the scallion flavor isn't as strong.

That's it. This was absolutely the best homemade stir fry I have ever had. Not only does it taste great but the vibrant colors make it so visually appealing.



This recipe can be found in Rachael Ray's Magazine "Everyday with Rachael Ray" or on her website www.rachaelraymag.com .


Devilish Sesame Chicken with Green Beans and Scallion Rice

From Every Day with Rachael Ray
August 2008

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken broth
Salt
1/2 pound green beans
1 pound chicken breast, chicken cutlets or chicken tenders, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons tamari (dark soy sauce)
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 bunch scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted


Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the rice; toast, stirring, for a minute or two. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, lower the heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 17 minutes.

2. In a medium skillet, bring enough water to reach a depth of 1 inch to a boil, salt it, add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water.

3. In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 2 turns of the pan, over high heat until rippling. Add the chicken and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red pepper and cook until just softened, 3 minutes. Add the green beans and cook, tossing, for 1 minute.

4. In a bowl, mix together the tamari, honey, hot sauce, mustard and remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables; toss. Drizzle the sesame oil over the chickenal.

5. Stir the scallions into the rice and fluff with a fork. Serve the chicken over the rice and top with the sesame seeds and pepper. Cover to keep warm.