Sweet and Sour Chicken and Rice

Green

A mix of sweet and sour that keeps things interesting for the kids!

Ingredients

  • Ingredient
  • Amount
  • Cornflour
  • 50 grams
  • Chinese five spice
  • 10 grams
  • Skinless chicken thigh, raw, diced
  • 900 grams
  • Olive oil
  • As needed
  • Onion, diced
  • 200 grams
  • Garlic, peeled, crushed or finely diced
  • 20 grams (4 cloves)
  • Ginger, peeled, grated or finely diced
  • 20 grams
  • Mixed vegetables*, cut into small cubes
  • 600 grams
  • Mixed leafy green vegetables^, finely shredded
  • 100 grams
  • Tomato sauce
  • 200 millilitres
  • White vinegar
  • 200 millilitres
  • Pineapple juice (reserved)
  • 200 millilitres
  • Salt reduced soy sauce
  • 50 millilitres
  • Brown sugar
  • 40 grams
  • Canned pineapple pieces in juice, drained (juice reserved)
  • 1 x 825 gram tin
  • White rice, uncooked
  • 550 grams

Method

  1. In a bowl, add the cornflour and Chinese five spice and mix to combine. Add the chicken and stir well to coat.
  2. Put the large frypan or wok over medium heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
  3. Place chicken in a single layer to cover the bottom of the pan. Leave for 2 minutes and then turn, cook until browned all over. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining chicken. Set aside.
  4. Add the onion and cook, stirring until it starts to look transparent and soften. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a minute until fragrant.
  5. Add the vegetables, starting with the hardest to the softest and cook for 2 minutes between each addition. Leave the leafy greens (e.g. cabbage, broccoli, spinach) until after the chicken is returned to the pan.
  6. Add the tomato sauce, vinegar, reserved pineapple juice, soy sauce and brown sugar and bring to the boil. Add the pineapple pieces, cooked chicken and leafy green vegetables to the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.
  7. Rinse the rice well in a colander and cook according to packet instructions.

*Use what is in season and available to you, such as carrot, capsicum, beans, zucchini or cauliflower. ^ Use what is in season and available to you, such as broccoli, cabbage, kale or spinach.

Serves: 10

This recipe has been produced for the School Lunch Program by School Food Matters in partnership with Loaves and Fishes Tasmania and Department of Health Tasmania Dietitians.

Feel free to share with this acknowledgement.