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Sweet And Sour Chicken

Sweet And Sour Chicken reads umami 7.6, sourness 5.2 and salinity 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese main, about 2 hr 25 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.4 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.6 · Sourness 5.2 · Salinity 5.1 · Sweetness 4.7 · Fruity 4.3 · Citrus 4.2 · Richness 4.1 · Allium 3.5 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Floral 1.4 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Earthy 1.0 · Nutty 0.8 · Bitterness 0.8

What's in it (13)

• 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts cut into 2-inch x 1/2-inch strips
• 1/4 c. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 c. chicken broth
• 1 (14 oz.) can pineapple chunks
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/3 c. vinegar
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts
• Boiled rice

Time & effort: about 2 hr 25 min (25 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 67.1 kcal, 5.8 g protein, 1 g fat, 8.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Add chicken to 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
2. Mix and let stand for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Brown chicken in oil, reserving marinade (soy sauce and lemon juice).
3. Add reserved marinade and 3/4 cup broth.
4. Cover and simmer 30 to 45 minutes. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Combine 1/4 cup reserved pineapple juice, brown sugar, ginger, cornstarch, vinegar, remaining broth and remaining soy sauce.
5. Add to chicken.
6. Cook until sauce thickens and clears, stirring constantly.
7. Cut bell pepper into thin strips and onion into eighths.
8. Add to chicken and cook until tender crisp.
9. Add pineapple and water chestnuts. Cook until warm.
10. Serve over rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Beef And Broccoli Bowl — Chinese
• Karaage (唐揚げ) — Japanese
• Sheet-Pan Greek Chicken with Potatoes — Greek
• Sweet and Sour Pork (咕噜肉) — Chinese
• Greek Beef and Orzo Skillet — Greek

Keep reading: what umami, sourness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.