Sweet & Sour Chicken

So, my husband never asks me to make anything.  I can ask him "would you like anything special for dinner?" until I'm blue in the face, but I never get an answer.  This is generally a good thing because I can take certain liberties (dark leafy greens, for instance).

The first time he ever asked me to make something it was Angel Food Cake.  I promptly when into culinary cardia arrest.  He wants me to make what!?!?!  That involves egg whites and is hard!  Well, I survived that incident and went on to make a "better than mom's" angel food cake.  Turns out, she actually always made hers from a box.  I win. 

Today I experienced symptoms of a culinary cardiac arrest, but was able to avoid a full blown MI.  I asked Aaron how he would like his chicken cooked tonight.  He asked me to make sesame chicken.  "Like the kind at the Chinese place?"  Oh brother.  I ran over to Allrecipes.com and discovered I didn't really have the right spices to do it right.  I asked him if he wanted anything else.  "Sweet and Sour Chicken."  Oh great.  That requires some special sauce I don't have.  Well, I am courageous.  Thank goodness for All Recipes.  Here is one of their recipes for Sweet & Sour Chicken.  I modified it a tiny bit, and it was TASTY TASTY.  Here is my version.  The numbers are a little weird because the original recipe is for 8 chicken breasts (Seriously!??!!).

Combine in zip top bag:
1/2 c AP flour
1/2 T vegetable oil
1/2 T cornstarch
3/8 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1/4 t onion powder
1/2 T egg, beaten
1/4 c  + 2 T water
2 chicken breasts in 1" cubes

Heat oil in a skillet/wok/fryer to 360*.  Use about 1.5-2" (enough to submerge chicken).
Cook chicken in batches (1 layer deep with a little wiggle room) for 10 minutes.  Drain on paper towels. 

While chicken is cooking, make the sauce. 

First, stir together:
1 T cornstarch
1 T water

Bring to a boil:
Juice from 2 oz of crushed pineapple (reserve pineapple)
3 T white vinegar
1/4 c + 2 T sugar
1/4 c + 2 T water
1 drop each red and yellow food coloring

Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch mixture until thick. Stir in pineapple.

Stir together sauce and chicken, if desired.  We liked dipping our chicken.