Recipe: Sweet & Sour Chicken with Fried Rice

This one's a twofer! I really should type up one of these and save it for after the baby's born so y'all don't get bored without any posts from me, but this is too good not to share. Legitimately one of the best meals I've made in awhile, which is awesome because I've been less than thrilled with some of my dinners lately. Not my fault, of course, but the recipes' I've picked off Pinterest ;)

So I've been craving chinese food, but since all we did this weekend was eat out, I figured I could give it a shot in my own kitchen. Wouldn't you know it, Ben & I both loved it. The chicken is time-intensive (but not labor-intensive!) but worth it.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Ingredients
Chicken

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup peanut oil

Sauce

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Lightly grease 9x13 glass pan
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
4. Season chicken with salt & pepper
5. Coat chicken, first in cornstarch then egg mixture
6. Fry in oil until golden brown
   
7. Meanwhile, mix all sauce ingredients and whisk together well
   
8. Transfer chicken to glass pan
9. Cover evenly with sauce
   
10. Bake for 1 hour, flipping chicken every 15 minutes

Fried Rice

Ingredients

• 2 cups white rice (uncooked)
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Cook rice in microwave according to directions on box
2. Meanwhile, using the skillet from the sweet & sour chicken, heat oil over medium-high heat
3. Once heated, add sesame seeds to skillet
4. Add onion, garlic, corn and peas; heat until onions are slightly translucent
   
5. Reduce to medium heat
6. Push all vegetables to one side of skillet; heat eggs on other side of skillet, scrambling as they cook
   
7. Once eggs are cooked through, add rice and soy sauce
8. Reduce to low heat, stirring thoroughly until heated throughout
   

And yeah. It's good. Here's hoping the leftovers are just as delicious because it makes a huge portion!

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