Sweet & Sour Chicken (lean)

0/4

Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run

Gather everything first, then follow the steps

Protein· 1

  • 130 g chicken breast (cubed)130g

Carbs· 1

  • 6 g cornstarch (light coating)(staple)6g

Vegetables· 3

  • 50 g red capsicum (chunks)50g
  • 40 g cucumber (chunks)40g
  • 6 g garlic (minced)6g

Sauces· 2

  • 20 g tomato purée20g
  • 8 g rice vinegar(staple)8g

Spices· 2

  • 4 g sugar (1 tsp)(staple)4g
  • pinch of salt(staple)1g

Fruit· 1

  • 60 g pineapple (chunks)60g

Fats & oils· 1

  • 5 g cooking oil (1 tsp)5g

  1. Cube the chicken breast, season with a pinch of salt, then toss in cornstarch to coat thinly and shake off the excess.

    Why? The original dips the chicken in a thick batter and deep-fries it — that batter plus the oil it soaks up adds well over 100 kcal. A thin cornstarch dusting still crisps up in the pan, for a fraction of the calories.

    Tip: Too much cornstarch clumps and turns soggy — keep it a thin film.

    Next up:Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and pan-sear the chicken over medium-high heat until golden on all sides, about 6 min, then set aside.

  2. 6 min · hands-free

    Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan and pan-sear the chicken over medium-high heat until golden on all sides, about 6 min, then set aside.

    Why? Give the pieces space so steam escapes and they brown into a crust — crammed together they steam instead, going soft and tempting you to add more oil.
    06:00

    Next up:In the same pan, fry the garlic until fragrant, then add tomato purée, rice vinegar, sugar and 3 tbsp water; simmer until bubbling and slightly thick.

  3. In the same pan, fry the garlic until fragrant, then add tomato purée, rice vinegar, sugar and 3 tbsp water; simmer until bubbling and slightly thick.

    Why? The sweet-sour balance comes from vinegar and tomato purée, not a big scoop of sugar — the purée is already tangy and savoury, so 1 tsp of sugar is all you need to round it off.
    Watch out: The sugary sauce catches and scorches fast — splash in water if it dries out.

    Next up:Toss in the pineapple, capsicum and cucumber for 1 min, then return the chicken and stir to coat everything in the sauce; take off the heat.

  4. Toss in the pineapple, capsicum and cucumber for 1 min, then return the chicken and stir to coat everything in the sauce; take off the heat.

    Why? Adding the veg and fruit last for just 1 min keeps them crisp and vitamin-rich; the chicken only needs a quick toss to glaze, or long cooking softens the crust and it falls off.

    Tip: Serve with half a bowl of brown rice — the sweet-sour tang keeps it light, not cloying.