Easiest Sweet and Sour Sauce Ever!

I put Chinese takeout in the same category as buffet food.  Food that's made for the masses loses its quality (in my opinion).  I also think that I get more excited at the sight of the food than I do actually EATING the food. 

My parents love Chinese takeout... Like the calls-and-orders-enough-to-feed-20-people and the-delivery-folks-know-them-by-name kind of love.  Most times, I love eating their Chinese takeout too.  I just feel the best Chinese is made when my dad gets in the kitchen and concocts his own... Seriously, his egg rolls can beat any restaurant's, I'm sure of it!

With my dad's spirit for cracking the restaurant chain's recipe (he knows how to make Panera's soups too!!), I wanted to share my EASY sweet and sour chicken recipe with you. ENJOY!

Ingredients

1 cup Catalina dressing (yes, dressing.  TRUST ME)

1 cup minced pineapples (with juice)

1/4 cup minced onion

1/4 cup minced green (and/or red) pepper

1 lb skinless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces (I used thighs)

salt and pepper

Step-by-Steps

1.  Brown chicken in large frying pan with a dash of salt and pepper.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside. 

2.  In large bowl, combine dressing, pineapples, onions and peppers.

3. Pour sauce in pan and cook on low-medium for 10-15 minutes.  The sauce should be bubbly and turn slightly darker than the dressing's original bright red.

4. Add chicken to sauce.  Stir and cook for 5-10 minutes.

Serve over rice (JASMINE rice tastes the BEST but brown rice is a healthier option) with steamed broccoli or a spinach salad on the side.

I would show a finished picture BUT, according to Darren, "people don't have time for that blog stuff," so the food was gone before I could snap a pic.

If you need to make more than 4 servings(as clearly I did), simply remember to use equal parts Catalina dressing and pineapples.  This sauce also makes for the perfect means to shake up Hubbs' boring frozen roasted chicken in his lunch.  He pours it over the chicken half-way through the cook time for a great change to the typical diet!

Dinner in 30 minutes? For around $15? 

Can't go wrong with that!