Sweet & Sour Chicken

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 bell peppers (green, red, yellow, or a combination), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 scallions, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces, white and green parts separated
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss chicken with 1 tablespoon each soy sauce and cornstarch, salt, and pepper. In another bowl, combine remaining soy sauce and cornstarch, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, and 1/2 cup water; set aside.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook half the chicken, turning occasionally, until browned and almost cooked through, 4 minutes; remove. Cook the remaining chicken in another tablespoon oil; remove.
3. Add remaining oil to the pan. Add peppers, white parts of scallions, and garlic; cook over medium-high, stirring, until peppers are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
4. Whisk soy sauce mixture; add to pan. Return chicken; add scallion greens. Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened and chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately over rice, if desired.