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Posted on Tue 30th June 2020

Charred Pineapple Sweet And Sour Chicken

Delicious Sweet and Sour Chicken with a twist

Cuisine

Chinese

Time

1 hr 15 mins

Servings

4 people

Most popular
recipe

Ingredients

  • 200g fresh pineapple or drained canned pineapple
  • 300g boned, skinless chicken thighs
  • 200g cornflour, seasoned with ¼ teaspoon
  • Salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 1 green pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

THE MARINADE

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 egg

THE SAUCE

  • 4 tablespoons Chinkiang black rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 200ml chicken stock

Method

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/Gas 8.

• Cut the pineapple into large chunks, peeling it and reserving the peelings if using fresh pineapple as you go. Put the pineapple chunks on a roasting tray and cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until charred around the edges. Set aside.

• Lay your chicken thighs flat and slice them at an angle into thin pieces roughly 5cm wide. Put the meat in a mixing bowl, add the marinade ingredients and mix together well, then add the seasoned cornflour and, using your hands, massage it into the meat until each piece of meat separates.

• Put all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan, adding your discarded pineapple pieces if using fresh pineapple, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, then increase the heat to a boil and cook for a further 5 minutes until the flavours have melded and infused and the sauce has reduced by half. Remove the pineapple pieces and pour into a small bowl

• Chop the onion and pepper into large chunks. Toast the sesame seeds in a dry wok for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and golden brown, then set aside.

BUILD YOUR WOK CLOCK: place your marinated chicken slices at 12 o’clock, then arrange the onion, pepper, charred pineapple chunks, reduced sauce and toasted sesame seeds clockwise around your plate.

Cooking

• Half-fill a large pot, wok or deep-fryer with vegetable oil and heat to 170°C (350°F), or until the tip of a wooden chopstick or skewer starts to fizz after a few seconds in the oil. Carefully add the marinated chicken and deep-fry until golden brown, about 4–5 minutes.

• Remove the pieces carefully with a slotted spoon and drain well on a plate covered with kitchen paper.

• In a separate wok, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over a high heat until smoking-hot. Add the onion and pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute until nicely charred. Add the pineapple chunks, pour over the sauce and bring to a vigorous boil, then add the chicken pieces and toss through two to three times to mix everything together. Spoon into a serving bowl, scatter over the toasted sesame seeds and serve.

How to cook Charred Pineapple Sweet And Sour Chicken