My family absolutely adored this crispy sweet & sour chicken and fried rice. Everyone said it was as good as takeout–even P. F. Changs! I seldom make Chinese at home, but when I saw these recipes on Life in the Lofthouse, I decided to give them a try and see if they compared to takeout. The results were fabulous, and I’ll definitely be putting this on our menu rotation. Since fresh chicken is usually on sale at The Fresh Market (on $2.99 Tuesdays), this meal can be made at a fraction of the cost of takeout.

The chicken gets its crisp exterior by the pan frying and is finished by baking in the oven. This dual cooking method gives it a crispy texture and sticky, tangy glaze that is typical to restaurant versions.

The fried rice was delicious and super easy.  I used rice that I had made the day before and kept in the fridge in a ziploc bag. I’ve learned that leftover rice is a wonderful thing to have in the fridge, as you can whip up wonderful fried rice in minutes that will rival anything you’ll get in a restaurant.

Here are my adaptations of the recipes.  I hope your family enjoys this meal as much as mine did. Please let me hear back from you in the comments section of this post if you give this a try. I’d love your feedback! Take care, and stay savvy!

Crispy Sweet & Sour Chicken

Yield: 6-8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

This really is as good or better than take out! Serve this sweet & tangy chicken with fried rice for a meal your whole family will love!

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Ingredients

• 3 boneless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs (or 4 egg whites) beaten
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 Tablespoons ketchup
• 3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 1/2 TB soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Instructions

2. Preheat oven to 325° degrees.
3. Cut chicken into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Dip chicken into beaten egg, then dip into cornstarch, shaking to remove excess.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet.
6. Pan-fry chicken pieces until crispy and slightly brown on both sides. Set aside.
7. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk.
8. Pour sauce evenly over chicken, stirring to coat pieces well.
9. Transfer chicken to cookie sheet lined with foil and sprayed with Pam, spreading pieces apart.
10. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until chicken is cooked through and glaze is dark brown.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 2424Total Fat 84gSaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 258mgSodium 4928mgCarbohydrates 289gSugar 167gProtein 135g

The following quick and easy fried rice goes perfectly with the sweet & sour chicken.

Quick & Easy Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked white rice (day old works best)
• 3 TB sesame oil
• 1 cup frozen peas & carrots
• 1 small onion, chopped (or 1 cup diced frozen)
• 2 tsps (4-5 cloves) minced garlic
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 3-4 Tablespoons soy sauce

Preparation:

1. On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet.
2. Add the peas & carrots, onion, and garlic. Stir fry until tender.
3. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side of skillet.
4. Pour eggs on the other side of skillet; stir fry until scrambled.
5. Add the rice and soy sauce. Stir fry until heated through.