Sweet & Sour Chicken Nuggets

 

After all of the excess of the past few weeks, I wanted to cook us something simple for our tea tonight, and yet I still wanted something delicious.  

 

Its New Years after all  . . .  and whilst the traditionalist in me was telling me that I needed to be baking  a Ham like my mom always did, the lazy person in me said, no, no, no  . . .  the lazy person won!  

I decided that I would try to develop some sort of recipe using frozen chicken nuggets. I had a bag of them in the freezer so why not! I love creating tastiness out of what I have to hand.

 

Let me introduce Sweet & Sour Chicken Nuggets.   I know that sweet & Sour sauce is a very popular dipping sauce for chicken nuggets  . . . 

  

And sweet and sour chicken balls are a very popular entree on a Chinese menu.  This tasty recipe combines the two, plus has the added convenience of using frozen chicken nuggets.

  

By all means if you are a purest, do make your own chicken nuggets from scratch.   There are plenty of good recipes out there.   This one on Great Grub Delicious Treats uses a Tempura batter. I love Tempura Batter.

This one on Savory Nothings is baked.   So it is a bit healthier.  

Do whatever your conscience dictates. From scratch or frozen.  You know where your heart lies and what is best for you and for your family.

 

There are some very good quality frozen chicken nuggets available these days as well, made from chunk chicken and not ground chicken or pink slime.  

This is what I used.   

 

This is the brand I used, from Asda.  Asda is the U.K. equivalent of Walmart. I have used them before and I was confident that they are a premium chicken product, made with actual chunks of chicken, not regurgitated chicken paste.  

But if this still bothers you, by all means buy some chicken breast, cut it into chunks, batter it and make your own.

 

Like I said,  with me  . . .  today  . . .  Lazy won out!  I am suffering from Holiday Cooking burnout!

 

One thing, if you decide to use frozen, do use battered and NOT breaded.     I don't think the breaded would yield very good results.  I think the breading would absorb the sauce and you would get a soggy finish.

  

You simply spread your nuggets out on a baking sheet and bake according to the package directions until they are crisp and golden brown.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN NUGGETS

Really simple ingredients.  That's how I roll.

You will need:

1 family sized bag of frozen battered chicken nuggets

(Not breaded)

1 tsp oil

1/2 each red, green and yellow sweet bell pepper, trimmed

and cut into chunks

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks

1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 tin (435g/14 oz) pineapple chunks in juice, drain and save  the juice

For the sauce:
55g of tomato ketchup (1/4 cup)
1 tsp soy sauce
60ml of white vinegar (1/4 cup)
50g soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup packed)
95g of white sugar (1/2 cup)
180ml of water or a mix of water and pineapple juice (3/4 cup) plus 2 1/2 TBS

1 1/2 TBS corn flour (corn starch)

To serve:

1 spring onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal

cooked rice

 

While they are baking you  make your sauce.  I used three kinds of peppers in my sauce . . .  red, yellow and green  . . .  along with an onion, I cut into chunks and some garlic.  

You cook these in a tiny bit of oil until crispy tender and then you pour on the liquid ingredients. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

 

HOW TO MAKE SWEET & SOUR CHICKEN NUGGETS

I promise you, nothing could be simpler to make, or quicker.

Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended on the
package of chicken nuggets.  Spread the nuggets out on a tray in a
single layer and then bake according to package directions.  While the
nuggets are baking, make the sauce.

Whisk the  tomato ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, white sugar and
pineapple juice/water mixture together.  In a bowl mix together the 2
1/2 TBS of water and the corn flour.  Set aside.

 

Heat  the oil in  skillet.  Add the vegetables and cook, stirring, until
crispy tender. Add the pineapple chunks.  Pour in the tomato ketchup
mixture. Bring to the boil, then whisk in the corn-flour/water mixture
and cook stirring until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy. 

 

Remove  the chicken from the oven.  Place a third of the sauce in a baking
dish.  Top with half the nuggets.  Pour another third of the sauce over
top of the nuggets.  Top with the remaining nuggets, and then finally
the remaining sauce.

  

Bake in the heated oven, uncovered,  for 10 to 15 minutes until hot and bubbling.  

Remove from the oven.  Scatter the spring onion over top and serve along with cooked rice.

 

I can promise you this is as good, or better than any takeaway and at a fraction of the cost as well.  The sauce is thick and rich with just the right amount of sweet and sour.

I also really love the crunch from the crispy tender vegetables.  The pineapple adds a really special touch also. I think your family will really love these!

  

Each nugget gets coated with  scrumptious flavors!  Quick, easy and delicious!  It doesn't take much time at all and dinner is served!

SOME OTHER QUICK AND EASY CHICKEN RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY

DELECTABLE MUSTARD BAKED CHICKEN - Very tender and juicy chicken with wonderful flavors.  Crispy skinned and glazed with a sweet and tangy mustard sauce. This really is finger-licking good.

APRICOT CHICKEN - This is actually a very simple recipe, using only four basic ingredients, not counting salt and pepper. All you need for this is chicken pieces, apricot jam, fresh lemon juice and ground nutmeg.  Simple.  The end result is amazing.

Yield: 4 - 6Author: Marie Rayner

Sweet & Sour Chicken Nuggets

A simple, easy and deliciously family friendly entree.

ingredients:

You will need:

1 family sized bag of frozen battered chicken nuggets

(Not breaded)

1 tsp oil

1/2 each red, green and yellow sweet bell pepper, trimmed

and cut into chunks

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks

1 large clove garlic, peeled and minced

1 tin (435g/14 oz) pineapple chunks in juice, drain and save  the juice

For the sauce:
55g of tomato ketchup (1/4 cup)
1 tsp soy sauce
60ml of white vinegar (1/4 cup)
50g soft light brown sugar (1/4 cup packed)
95g of white sugar (1/2 cup)
180ml of water or a mix of water and pineapple juice (3/4 cup) plus 2 1/2 TBS

1 1/2 TBS corn flour (corn starch)

To serve:

1 spring onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal

cooked rice

instructions:

Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended on the
package of chicken nuggets.  Spread the nuggets out on a tray in a
single layer and then bake according to package directions.  While the
nuggets are baking, make the sauce.

Whisk the
tomato ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, white sugar and
pineapple juice/water mixture together.  In a bowl mix together the 2
1/2 TBS of water and the cornflour.  Set aside.

Heat
 the oil in  skillet.  Add the vegetables and cook, stirring, until
crispy tender. Add the pineapple chunks.  Pour in the tomato ketchup
mixture. Bring to the boil, then whisk in the cornflour/water mixture
and cook stirring until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy. 

Remove
 the chicken from the oven.  Place a third of the sauce in a baking
dish.  Top with half the nuggets.  Pour another third of the sauce over
top of the nuggets.  Top with the remaining nuggets, and then finally
the remaining sauce.

Bake in the heated oven, uncovered, 
for 10 to 15 minutes until hot and bubbling.  Remove from the oven. 
Scatter the spring onion over top and serve along with cooked rice.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

I served it with some cooked rice and a garnish of green spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal.  It was simply gobbled it up.  I love it when that happens!  Happy New Year and Bon Appetit! 

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again! 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin