Colourful pantry staples come collectively to make this fragrant and flavorful pineapple hen that has the proper stability of candy and bitter to brighten your day! {Gluten-Free Adaptable}
Are you struggling to provide you with new meal concepts based mostly on what you could have in your pantry? So many individuals are, and I believed I’d share one in all my favourite Chinese language dishes to cheer you up. My pineapple hen recipe is one thing you can also make with belongings you most likely have in your kitchen proper now. You simply won’t understand these issues go collectively.
Should you like sweet and sour chicken out of your native Chinese language takeout, this may utterly fulfill that craving. My model of pineapple hen makes it more healthy with much less sugar due to the ample aromatics. The recipe will educate you the way to create crispy hen with much less oil and no deep-frying. So you may bask in these candy and savory flavors with out guilt!
Pineapple hen components
My pineapple hen recipe requires hen thighs, although hen breast can work in a pinch for this. Ensure you thaw it out first! Frozen peppers can be utilized as-is with out thawing, and that may of pineapple you could have behind the pantry has simply been ready for a second like this to actually shine.
While you’re able to prepare dinner, your desk ought to have these components:
- Chopped pepper and pineapple
- Marinated hen
- Combined sauce
- Minced ginger
NOTE:
What provides that additional zing to the sauce is the addition of grated contemporary ginger. I do know it’s a bit additional work in comparison with utilizing ginger powder. However when you could have time, you may grate it and freeze it for later use so it makes prepping quicker. You could find all my tips for freezing ginger right here!
Learn how to prepare dinner pineapple hen
Cooking pineapple hen is really easy.
- Coat the marinated hen with cornstarch
- Pan fry the hen with a skinny layer of oil
- Briefly prepare dinner the veggies
- Thicken the sauce and add again the cooked hen
TIPS
- Coat the hen with cornstarch solely whenever you’re able to prepare dinner, to create the additional crispy impact.
- This recipe makes use of the minimal quantity of oil to create additional crispy hen. It’s necessary to take away the hen to let it cool off a bit earlier than including it again, which is able to crisp up the coating a bit extra.
- While you prepare dinner the veggies, it’s necessary to maintain the cooking time brief so the veggies should not utterly cooked by. As a result of the veggies will proceed cooking when you add the sauce.
Afterthought
So, you could have hen, veggies, and fruit collectively in a single dish. It’s shiny and cheerful in look and tastes completely wonderful with steamed white rice.
This pineapple hen dish is so easy and flavorful, and with such straightforward components, you’ll need to make it time and again!
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Less difficult Chinese language takeout recipes
Pineapple Hen
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Components
Hen:
- 1 lb (450 g) hen thighs (or breast) , reduce into 1” (2.5 cm) items
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons peanut oil
Sauce:
- 3/4 cup pineapple juice (*Footnote 1)
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Stir Fry:
- 1 cup (about half a 20 oz/565 g can) pineapple slices , reduce into 1” (2.5 cm) chunks
- 1 bell pepper , reduce into 1” (2.5 cm) items
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
Directions
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Add the hen, salt, and Shaoxing cooking wine in a medium-size bowl, combine effectively. Let marinate whereas getting ready different components.
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Mix all of the sauce components in a medium-size bowl. Stir till the sugar is dissolved and put aside.
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While you’re able to prepare dinner, add the cornstarch to the marinated hen and toss it to coat it utterly.
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Warmth the oil over medium-high warmth in a big nonstick (or carbon metal) skillet till sizzling. Shake the surplus cornstarch off the hen and unfold the items into the pan with out overlapping. Cook dinner with out touching till the underside is browned, 2 minutes or so. Flip to prepare dinner the opposite aspect till browned, one other 2 minutes. Switch the hen to a giant plate to let it cool.
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Use a couple of layers of paper towel held in a pair of tongs to wipe the additional oil from the pan and go away just one tablespoon in it. In case your pan doesn’t have sufficient oil, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Warmth the skillet over excessive warmth and add the pineapples and peppers. Add the ginger on prime of the veggies. Enable them to prepare dinner undisturbed for 1 to 2 minutes, till the pineapples caramelize and the peppers start to blister. Stir a couple of occasions.
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Stir the sauce once more to dissolve the cornstarch utterly, and pour it into the pan. Cook dinner till the sauce is absolutely thickened.
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Take the pan off the warmth and add the hen. Toss to coat the hen with sauce.
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Serve sizzling as a essential with steamed rice.
Notes
- That is how a lot juice you get from 1 (20 oz/565 g) can of sliced pineapple.
Video
Vitamin
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 399kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 34.2g, Fats: 15.4g, Saturated Fats: 3.5g, Ldl cholesterol: 101mg, Sodium: 779mg, Potassium: 476mg, Fiber: 1.4g, Sugar: 13.6g, Calcium: 36mg, Iron: 2mg
Lilja Walter is part of the Omnivore’s Cookbook crew and labored carefully with Maggie to develop and check this recipe.