Golden Crispy Chicken Delight with Homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce 🍗🍍

Chicken Strips with Sweet and Sour Sauce

🕒 Total Time: 30 minutes
🥘 Yield: 8 servings
🍽️ Serving Size: 2 1/2 cups of sauce

Description

Indulge in the delightful flavors of tender chicken strips paired with a tangy and sweet homemade sweet and sour sauce. This recipe, perfected over 25 years, promises a culinary delight that has garnered immense approval. The versatile sauce, also ideal for oven-baked spare ribs or other chicken dishes, adds a burst of flavor to every bite.

Ingredients

For Chicken Strips:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 eggs
• 6 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

For Sweet and Sour Sauce:

• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 1 teaspoon Accent seasoning
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
• Red food coloring (as desired)
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
• 1 tablespoon cold water
• Crushed pineapple or chunky pineapple (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare Chicken Strips:

   • Remove all fat from chicken breasts and discard.
   • Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of wax paper and pound with a rolling pin or flat hammer to about 1/2 inch thickness.
   • Cut chicken into 1 inch strips.

2. Coat Chicken Strips:

   • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and buttermilk.
   • In a separate bowl, mix together bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, granulated garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dill weed.

3. Preheat Oven:

   • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

4. Dip and Bake:

   • Dip each piece of chicken in the buttermilk mixture and then into the crumb mixture until coated on all surfaces.
   • Place chicken strips in a single layer on a baking sheet or cookie sheet.
   • Drizzle with melted margarine or butter.
   • Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
   • Turn chicken strips over and continue to bake for another 5 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through.

5. Prepare Sweet and Sour Sauce:

   • In a medium saucepan, add white vinegar and granulated sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently to dissolve, about 3 minutes.
   • Add pineapple juice, Accent seasoning, ketchup, soy sauce, seasoning salt, and granulated garlic powder. Bring to a boil and stir until blended.
   • Add red food coloring and stir to blend.
   • In a small bowl, mix together cold water and tapioca starch until smooth.
   • While the sugar mixture is boiling, slowly add the tapioca starch mixture, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens slightly.
   • Optionally, add about 1/2 cup of crushed pineapple or chunky pineapple to the sauce mixture near the end of cooking for a pineapple-infused flavor.

6. Serve:

   • Serve the baked chicken strips with the homemade sweet and sour sauce as a dip, and enjoy the burst of flavors!

This recipe is perfect for a quick lunch or snack, and its simplicity makes it a go-to option for busy weeknights. The combination of crispy chicken strips and the vibrant sweet and sour sauce is sure to tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving for more!