Spicy Sweet-and-Sour Chicken

This home-style sweet-and-sour chicken has a lighter, fresher-tasting sauce than typical restaurant versions. And because the color red is considered lucky, the dish's crimson hue will bring good fortune for the Year of the Ox.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup)

Ingredients

• 4  teaspoons  cornstarch, divided
• 5  teaspoons  low-sodium soy sauce, divided
• 1  teaspoon  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1  teaspoon  dark soy sauce
• 1  teaspoon  Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) or dry sherry
• 1/8  teaspoon  white pepper
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  pound  skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 2 x 1/2–inch-thick pieces
• 1/2  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  tablespoon  brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons  ketchup
• 2 1/2  tablespoons  rice vinegar
• 2  teaspoons  chile paste
• 1  teaspoon  dark sesame oil
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil, divided
• 1  cup  (1/2-inch) diced onion
• 1  cup  (1/2-inch) diced green bell pepper
• 1  cup  (1/2-inch) diced medium red bell pepper
• 1/2  cup  (1-inch) slices green onions
• 1  cup  (1/2-inch) diced fresh pineapple

Preparation

1. Combine 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce, and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a medium bowl. Add chicken; stir well to coat. Set aside.

2. Combine chicken broth, remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, brown sugar, remaining 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, chile paste, and sesame oil.

3. Heat 1/2 teaspoon canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, bell peppers, and green onions to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer to a bowl.

4. Heat remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons canola oil in pan. Add chicken mixture to pan, and spread in an even layer; cook, without stirring, 1 minute. Sauté an additional 3 minutes or until chicken is done.

5. Return vegetable mixture to pan. Add soy sauce mixture and pineapple, stirring well to combine. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

132 (0.0% from fat)

Fat:

3.8g (sat 0.6g,mono 1.7g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:

12.7g

Carbohydrate:

12.2g

Fiber:

1.4g

Cholesterol:

31mg

Iron:

0.9mg

Sodium:

304mg

Calcium:

26mg