There is a saying that most people eat with their eyes, well if that is the case this next dish won’t be around for very long, as it looks absolutely gorgeous. This is a simple way to experience the exotic without it costing the earth. The flavours are stunning, the different textures meld together perfectly, and the whole dish looks divine.
There is something just that little bit special regarding Chinese food, but whilst it may look and taste exotic, the preparation and cooking of it is actually really simple. By following the recipe and video below you will conquer any fear you have of cooking foreign food and gain confidence in your cooking abilities about what you can achieve.
PINEAPPLE GINGER CHICKEN
Serves 4 to 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
– 1-½ pounds boneless chicken breast, pounded thin and cut into bite-size pieces
– 2 eggs
– 2 tablespoons water
– 1 cup flour
– 1 teaspoon garlic powder
– 1 teaspoon paprika
– ½ teaspoon ground ginger
– Onion powder
– ½ teaspoon black pepper
– ½ teaspoon kosher salt
– ¼ cup pineapple juice
– ⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons apricot-pineapple preserves
– ¼ cup soy sauce
– ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
– ½ teaspoon coconut oil
– 3 cloves garlic, minced
– 2 teaspoons freshly-grated ginger
– 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
– 2 teaspoons cornstarch
– 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (191 degrees Celsius). Line a sheet pan with foil and grease.
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and water together.
In a gallon-sized plastic bag, combine the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, paprika, ground ginger, onion powder, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Dip the chicken pieces into the egg wash and let the excess drip off. Place each dipped piece of chicken into the plastic bag, then shake until evenly-coated with flour mixture.
Place chicken, evenly spaced, on the prepared sheet pan.
Bake for 10 minutes. After those 10 minutes, adjust the oven rack so the pan is 8 to 10 inches below the broiler, and broil for 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and broil for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, until you reach the desired crispness.
While the chicken cooks, prepare the sauce. In a small sauce pan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and fresh ginger, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the pineapple juice, soy sauce, preserves, brown sugar, Sriracha and cornstarch. Whisk to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the chicken and sauce, stirring to evenly coat. Add fresh pineapple and stir until just combined. Serve over rice, garnished with green onion.