Peach Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is the perfect way to use up that big box of peaches you got from your locals farmers market. This lightened up version of sweet and sour chicken uses seasonal ingredients making it the perfect quick and easy meal for the end of summer.

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Peach Sweet and Sour Chicken

Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the Sauce

• 2 tbs soy sauce

• 2 tbs honey

• 1 tbs brown sugar

• 1/4 cup peach white balsamic vinegar

• 2 tbs ketchup

• 2 tbs water

• 1/4 tsp Chinese five spice

To Assemble

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• Salt to taste

• 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice

• 1/4 tsp Szechuan ground pepper (sub black pepper)

• 2 chicken breasts, cut into strips or small pieces

• 3 tbs basil olive oil

• 1/4 cup red onion or shallot, very finely chopped

• 4-5 cloves garlic, very finely minced

• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger

• 2 bell peppers (any colour) cut into chunks

• 1 cup very ripe peaches, cut into small chunks

• Green onion for garnish

• Rice or noodles to serve

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the sauce and whisk well; set aside until ready to use

2. Set a wok on the stove to preheat at medium low (3) heat. While it’s heating, prepare the chicken. To another mixing bowl, add the chicken, cornstarch, salt to taste, Szechuan ground pepper and Chinese five spice. Toss well with your hands to coat all of the chicken in the seasoned cornstarch.

3. Once the wok is hot, add the basil olive oil. When it starts shimmering, add the chicken in. It should start frying immediately - if not, the wok is not hot enough. Let the chicken sit untouched for 4-5 mins, then start to gently stir for another 3-4 minutes to brown all sides. Once the chicken is golden and cooked all the way through (anywhere from 7-10 mins depending on the size), remove from the wok and set on an unlined baking tray (no paper towel!).

4. To the hot wok, add the onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Add the peppers and peaches and stir for another 45-60 seconds, crushing the peaches lightly with your spatula the whole time. Add the reserved sauce and stir well for 30 seconds then add the chicken back into the wok. Stir well to coat the chicken and cook until the sauce has thickened enough that it sticks to the chicken (it should be ‘dry’ and not ‘saucy’). This took about 3 minutes for me. Remove from heat and garnish with green onion; serve immediately.

NOTES

• you can easily use plums or nectarines in place of peaches in this recipe; the amount of peaches used is in cups instead of per fruit so that you can sub it for other stone fruit.