Sweet and Sour Chicken with Ham Fried Rice

I love this dinner, I think it's one of my favorites to make and eat. I could never pick a favorite recipe but this is pretty close. I don't make very many Chinese recipes so it is always nice to have a little change. The sauce is also a perfect dipping sauce for egg rolls or wantons. For the rice to go really fast and easy make rice ahead of time and just use some frozen carrots and peas instead of the other vegetables.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 egg
• 1 T. water
• 2 T. butter or margarine
  
• 1/4 c. cornstarch
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. chicken broth or water
• 1/3 c. white vinegar
  
• 1 t. vegetable oil
• 1 t. soy sauce
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 T. cornstarch
• 2 T. water
• 1 tomato, cut into thin wedges
• 1 small green pepper but into 1" chunks
• 1 20-oz can pineapple chunks drained

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Combine beaten egg with water to make an egg wash. Dip chicken pieces into egg wash and dredge with cornstarch. Melt butter in heavy frying pan or spray and brown chicken pieces slowly over medium heat until well browned and juices are clear. Meanwhile, combine sugar, broth, vinegar, oil, soy sauce, salt and garlic in small sauce pan. Bring to a gentile boil over medium heat. Thicken with mixture of cornstarch and water, stirring constantly. Add remaining ingredients and return to boil. Serve hot.

Ham Fried Rice

• 1 t. vegetable oil
• 1 T. chopped onion
• 2 T. chopped celery
• 1/2 c. finely chopped carrot
• 1/2 c. finely chopped ham
• 2 c. cooked rice
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 2 t. soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a wok or large saute pan over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and ham; stir fry until vegetables are limp. Add rice and stir until mixture begins to brown. Push rice mixture to the side of the pan add beaten egg, stirring until almost set, then combining with other ingredients. Stir in soy sauce and season to taste.

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