This recipe is dedicated to a very special little girl. Earlier this year we holiday’d with friends. I love to cook on holiday because I have the luxury of time and can create whatever the family desires, from sheppards pie in high summer to chicken fajitas I ask for requests before we go and take the special ingredients with me. I always manage to drum up the requests despite some decidedly doggy cooking arrangement! This recipe was a special request from Neave, she sort of like it but said it wasn’t as good as Mummy’s I can take that as Mummy’s food is always best. I however think this is of high enough make and taste quality to share it with you. Don’t be put off by the ingredients list its actually really quick to make.
Serves 4 easily halved
Cooking time: Prep 15 minutes cook 20 minutes, 35 minutes in total
Ingredients
2 tablespoons rice bran oil
4 skinless boneless chicken thighs chopped into chunks
1 onion chopped
1 small red chilli chopped (optional)
1 chopped red pepper
1 chopped yellow pepper (alternative green pepper)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (alternative 2 tbspns tomatoe ketchup)
1 450g can pineapple chunks, drained reserving the juice
3 tablespoons light brown sugar (alternative: white sugar)
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (alternative: white wine vinegar)
125ml chicken stock from a stock pot (alternative : half a stock cube)
4 teaspoons cornflour mixed with 4 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Ground black pepper to season
150g beansprouts (optional)
2 pouches ready cooked long grain rice heated to serve
Fresh coriander to garnish
Method
In a large non-stick frying pan heat 1 tbspn of oil over a medium heat, add the chicken and cook stirring until lightly browned, remove to a plate.
Add the remaining oil to the pan and add the onion, chilli if using and the peppers cook stirring until they start to soften. Stir in the tomato paste, pineapple chunks, juice, sugar, vinegar and stock. Turn up the heat until the liquid starts to bubble and reduce. Add the cornflower and water mixture and stir until it starts to thicken.
Add the soy sauce and pepper to taste and stir through the bean sprouts if using until they just start to wilt. Serve with the long grain rice. Enjoy xx
