All In A Days Work

Our family LOVES Chinese food! Though I was 18 before I even stepped foot into a Chinese restaurant, my kids have loved everything about the food since they were about 2 years old. One of their most favorite, of course, is the sweet n’sour chicken.

Since we’ve been trying to be healthy, Chinese hasn’t been on the menu in quite awhile. My kids were begging for take out so instead I decided to do some research and I found a baked sweet n sour chicken recipe, and my entire family is hooked!

I doubled the ingredients for my family planning on having leftovers for lunch the next day – I had just enough to share with my sister to get her opinion (which she said it was better then the restaurant style!)

Preheat oven to 325.

For the chicken you’ll need:

• 3-4 boneless 
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup canola oil

For the Sweet N’ Sour Sauce:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 tbs ketchup
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic salt

 Cut chicken breast into cubes (this is the longest part of the process)
Season with salt and pepper to taste
Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs. (this is a pretty messy part, and you want to make sure you shake off the ‘extra’ egg so you have enough. I ended up using wayy more then the recommended amount the first time)
Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned (but not cooked all the way) and place the chicken in a greased baking dish.
Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. (It will be a bit liquid y  but that’s OK, it’s supposed to)
Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes.  

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Looks yummy doesn’t it? I know I was a bit surprised myself.

Of course Sweet n’ Sour chicken can’t  be ate alone – I also threw together some brown fried rice, (I kept it simple) and that was quite a hit as well.
You’ll need:

• 3 cups brown rice (preferably already cooked and cooled – much easier)
• 3 tbs canola oil (or sesame oil)
• bag of frozen pea’s and carrots
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup small onion (if desired – I did about 1/4 cup)
• 2 tsp minced garlic (I just added some garlic powder)
• 1/4 cup green onion

On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.
   Add the peas/carrots mix,  Stir fry until tender. (to be quicker, I actually heated the veggies      up in the microwave so they were already partially tender)
Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side
pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled.
Add soy sauce, and then mix rice, veggies and eggs together
Stir fry until completely heated.

Baked Sweet n’ Sour Chicken and Brown Fried Rice
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I wouldn’t recommend trying to get all this done on a ‘work’ nite though..It took me a total of about an hour and 45 minutes before we could eat! (My kids were starving). I’ve since started the chicken chopping and putting it in the freezer/frig so the meat is prepared and it takes a lot less time.

Do you have any alternative recipes to some ‘fried’ favorites? Share with us!