This favourite Filipino dish has the right balance of sweetness and tanginess that coats every single crispy chicken morsel perfectly. A must-try recipe!
⅓cuppineapple juicefrom the canned pineapple chunks* or water
¼cupvinegar
1Tablespoonsoy sauce
½teaspoongrated ginger
½teaspoongarlic powder
A pinch of ground black pepper
For the chicken: (Mixture B)
2lbsboneless skinless chicken thighscut into 1 inch cubes/squares
1large eggbeaten
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
Chicken breading mix: (Mixture C)
1cupcornstarch
½cupall purpose flour
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
For sautéing:
1red or green bell peppercut into 1 inch squares
1medium onioncut into 1 inch squares
1carrotsliced into 1 cm disks
1cupcanned pineapple chunksdrained and liquid reserved for the sauce*
1 ½tablespoonscornstarch mixed with 1 ½ tablespoons waterto thicken sauce
Canola oilfor frying
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients for Mixture A in a medium bowl and set aside. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
In a large bowl, add all the ingredients in Mixture B. Mix well and set aside.
Combine all the ingredients for the breading mix (Mixture C) and blend well. You can either use a big bowl, a clean paper bag or a large ziploc bag.
Heat a large frying pan and add oil, about 1 to 1 ½ inches deep. Transfer the chicken pieces to the breading mix and coat each piece completely. Shake off excess flour and transfer to a large tray (like a cookie sheet). Fry the chicken pieces (in batches) until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Make sure the meat doesn’t touch each other to maintain the oil temperature and not make the chicken oily after frying. Place fried chicken pieces on a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet or a colander to let the excess oil drip.
Heat another large pan or a wok (medium heat) and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the carrots, onion, bell peppers and stir fry for a minute. Next add the pineapple chunks, sweet and sour sauce (Mixture A) and the cornstarch mixture to thicken sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes on medium-low heat.
Add the fried chicken pieces and toss for a minute or two, using 2 wooden spoons until all the meat is evenly coated with the sauce. Serve immediately.
Notes
*Double the amount of sauce if you want a saucier dish**Pineapple chunks are preferred but I only had tidbits at home. Fresh pineapple cut in chunks can also be used.***Fry the chicken in batches and do not crowd the pan to have crispy chicken pieces. Drain the excess oil by placing it on a pan with a cooling rack on top.****Remove cooked bits of batter accumulating in the oil (using a shallow strainer) in between frying.*****Add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter sauce.