Heart Healthy
A Chinese take-out family favorite, this Sweet & Sour Chicken cuts out the sugar and fat of restaurant varieties. This version combines the natural sweetness of pineapples with sugar substitute for a healthier take and uses a variety of bell peppers to create a colorful entrée.
Print Recipe
Sweet and Sour Chicken
-
Servings:
4
-
Serving Size :
2 cups chicken + 1/2 cup brown rice
Ingredients
-
4 bell peppers -
1/8 teaspoon black pepper -
4 teaspoons canola oil -
1 1/4 pounds chicken breast -
1/4 cup cider vinegar -
4 teaspoons cornstarch -
1 large egg white -
pineapple -
1/8 teaspoon salt -
2 teaspoons soy sauce -
3 tablespoons sugar substitute -
3 tablespoons tomato paste -
2 teaspoons ginger -
1/4 cup scallions -
2 cups brown rice
Directions
Tip: Click on step to mark as complete.
-
Halve each bell pepper lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds; slice each one into 1-inch strips. -
Prepare the sweet and sour sauce: into a small bowl, add ½ cup pineapple juice, cider vinegar, tomato paste, sugar substitute, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Stir together to combine. -
Place the chicken breast pieces lengthwise onto a cutting board and cut 1-inch strips of chicken. Add to a bowl with egg whites and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Stir together to combine. -
Warm a large nonstick pan with 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stirring frequently, sauté until chicken is fully-cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from heat, transfer chicken to a plate, and cover with foil to keep warm. -
Again warm the nonstick pan with 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper strips and stirring constantly, cook until pepper are soft and tender, about 5 minutes. Add in the ginger, stirring and cooking for 30 seconds, before stirring in the reserved sweet and sour sauce and 1 cup pineapple chunks. Stir until sauce slightly thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in reserved chicken and cook another minute. Remove from heat and garnish with scallions. -
Serve sweet and sour chicken over the brown rice.
Cooking Tip:
Mixing raw chicken slices with cornstarch and egg whites is a Chinese cooking technique called "velveting." It prevents meat from drying out while cooking in a stir-fry and provides a soft, velvety texture.
Keep it Healthy: Mixing tomato paste with a low- or no-calorie sweetener is a short-cut to replace ketchup in a recipe without the extra sodium of the condiment.
Tip: 1 teaspoon of ground ginger can be substituted for the fresh; just mix into the sweet and sour sauce in advance.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
Protein
FiberNutrition Facts
| Calories | 471 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 9.6 g | |
| Saturated Fat | 1.4 g | |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2.3 g | |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4.4 g | |
| Cholesterol | 91 mg | |
| Sodium | 510 mg | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 57 g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g | |
| Sugars | 26 g | |
| Protein | 36 g | |
Dietary Exchanges
1 1/2 starch, 2 fruit, 1 vegetable, 4 lean meat
-
Servings:
4
-
Serving Size :
2 cups chicken + 1/2 cup brown rice
Ingredients
-
4 bell peppers -
1/8 teaspoon black pepper -
4 teaspoons canola oil -
1 1/4 pounds chicken breast -
1/4 cup cider vinegar -
4 teaspoons cornstarch -
1 large egg white -
pineapple -
1/8 teaspoon salt -
2 teaspoons soy sauce -
3 tablespoons sugar substitute -
3 tablespoons tomato paste -
2 teaspoons ginger -
1/4 cup scallions -
2 cups brown rice
Directions
Tip: Click on step to mark as complete.
-
Halve each bell pepper lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds; slice each one into 1-inch strips. -
Prepare the sweet and sour sauce: into a small bowl, add ½ cup pineapple juice, cider vinegar, tomato paste, sugar substitute, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Stir together to combine. -
Place the chicken breast pieces lengthwise onto a cutting board and cut 1-inch strips of chicken. Add to a bowl with egg whites and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Stir together to combine. -
Warm a large nonstick pan with 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; stirring frequently, sauté until chicken is fully-cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes depending on thickness. Remove from heat, transfer chicken to a plate, and cover with foil to keep warm. -
Again warm the nonstick pan with 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper strips and stirring constantly, cook until pepper are soft and tender, about 5 minutes. Add in the ginger, stirring and cooking for 30 seconds, before stirring in the reserved sweet and sour sauce and 1 cup pineapple chunks. Stir until sauce slightly thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in reserved chicken and cook another minute. Remove from heat and garnish with scallions. -
Serve sweet and sour chicken over the brown rice.
Cooking Tip:
Mixing raw chicken slices with cornstarch and egg whites is a Chinese cooking technique called "velveting." It prevents meat from drying out while cooking in a stir-fry and provides a soft, velvety texture.
Keep it Healthy: Mixing tomato paste with a low- or no-calorie sweetener is a short-cut to replace ketchup in a recipe without the extra sodium of the condiment.
Tip: 1 teaspoon of ground ginger can be substituted for the fresh; just mix into the sweet and sour sauce in advance.