Sweet and Sour Popcorn Chicken

I just have to laugh at my kid sometimes. Like me, she likes to go out to eat and frequently has very strong opinions about where she does and does not want to eat when we do go out. What's so funny is that, no matter where we go, she always gets the exact same thing! McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Hardee's, Bojangles...it's always chicken nuggets. Any other restaurant...nuggets by another name! It really cracks me up when she says she's in the mood for Chinese food, because all she ever orders is sweet and sour chicken which is, you guessed it, chicken nuggets with sweet and sour sauce on the side!

This month, she asked me to put homemade sweet and sour chicken on the menu, and I was happy to oblige because I knew I had this great recipe she would definitely like. Now this sauce does not taste exactly like that red #5 goo they serve at most Chinese restaurants, but in my opinion, it's a lot better! Plus, I know exactly what's in it, unlike that restaurant stuff which probably contains more chemicals that actual food product. Now, this does call for store-bought popcorn chicken, but you could totally make your own if you were so inclined. Like any good Asian dish, you can personalize by adding any kind of vegetable or garnish, but it's super yummy all by itself too.

Sweet and Sour Popcorn Chicken
Prep time: 5 min  Cook time: 15 min
Serves 6

1 medium bell pepper, cubed (any color or a mix)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbs canola oil
1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks
3 Tbs white vinegar
2 Tbs soy sauce
3 Tbs ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbs cornstarch
1 pkg (12 oz) frozen popcorn chicken
3 cups hot cooked white rice
Peanuts and/or crispy chow mein noodles (optional)

In a large skillet or wok, stir-fry green pepper and onion in oil for 3-4 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Drain pineapple, reserving the juice in a 2-cup measuring cup; set pineapple aside. Add enough water to the juice to measure 1-1/3 cups; stir in the vinegar, soy sauce and ketchup.

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in pineapple juice mixture until smooth. Gradually add to the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in pineapple and heat through.

Meanwhile, prepare chicken according to preferred package directions. (Most brands can be microwaved, baked, or deep fried. Deep frying makes them crispy and less likely to get soggy when added to the sauce, so that's what I prefer.) Stir into pineapple mixture. Serve over rice. Sprinkle with peanuts and chow mein noodles if desired.

388 calories per serving.  Click here for more nutritional info and shopping list!