UPDATE

Hello all, well we've had a few comings an goings in the offices recently and as such we're going to be closed on Monday 2nd February for a little bit of staff training. We will be open as usual from Tuesday the 3rd though so any queries will take a day or two. In the meantime if any of you have any suggestions on recipes you might enjoy, drop us a note and we'll see what we can do, but coming up over the next few weeks: pancake ideas, a treat for valentines, an idea for the Chinese new year looking onward to March celebrations.

Sweet and sour chicken

By The Hairy Bikers

From Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and Lose Weight

This is exactly like your favourite sweet and sour from the local down the road, but with fewer calories. Proves that a diet doesn’t have to be all about denial.

288 calories per portion (without rice).

Less than 30 minspreparation time

Less than 10 minscooking time

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 x 425g/15oz can pineapple chunks in natural juice
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 medium onion, cut into 12 wedges
• 2 peppers, red, green, orange or yellow, deseeded and cut into chunks of about 3cm/1¼in
• 1 x 225g/8oz can water chestnuts
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 25g/1oz piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely grated
• freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

1. To make the sauce, drain the pineapple in a sieve over a bowl and keep all the juice – you should have about 150ml/5fl oz. Put the cornflour in a large bowl and stir in three tablespoons of the pineapple juice to make a smooth paste. Add the remaining juice and 150ml/5fl oz water, then stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ketchup and chilli flakes until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
2. Cut each chicken breast into eight or nine even pieces. Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok and stir-fry the onion and peppers for two minutes over a high heat. Drain the water chestnuts and cut them in half horizontally.
3. Add the remaining oil and the chicken to the pan and stir-fry for two minutes until coloured on all sides. Add the garlic, ginger, pineapple chunks and water chestnuts and stir-fry for 30–60 seconds.
4. Give the cornflour and pineapple mixture a good stir and add it to the pan with the chicken and vegetables. Stir well, season with some ground black pepper and bring to a simmer. Cook for 4–6 minutes until the sauce is thickened and glossy and the chicken is tender and cooked throughout, turning the chicken and vegetables a few times. Serve with a small portion of rice.