Name: Sweet and Sour Chicken and Eggplant
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: 1 large eggplant (200g); 1 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 small chicken thigh (250g); A pinch of salt; Potato starch, to taste; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp mirin; 1 tbsp vinegar; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp grated garlic; 1 tsp grated ginger

About "Sweet and Sour Chicken and Eggplant"

A stove-free air fryer recipe for Sweet and Sour Chicken and Eggplant. Prep and coat the eggplant with oil, dust the chicken with potato starch, and air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 12 minutes. Toss them in a special sweet and sour sauce and let sit for 5 minutes. It's a delicious, healthier alternative to deep-frying!

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Tips for Making "Sweet and Sour Chicken and Eggplant"

Prep
- Use a plastic bag to soak the eggplant in water for 10 minutes to remove bitterness. Squeeze out the water, add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil, and shake to coat evenly.
Prep
- Remove excess fat and sinew from the chicken thigh, cut into 10 pieces, and massage with salt and potato starch. The starch coating locks in juices for a succulent finish.
Air Frying
- Arrange both the chicken and eggplant skin-side up on the air fryer rack. This keeps the chicken skin crispy and the eggplant skin a vibrant purple.
Air Frying
- Air fry on bake mode at 200°C (400°F) for 12 minutes. It is completely hands-off, allowing you to multitask while it cooks.
Sauce
- After cooking, wipe away excess chicken fat with paper towels. In the same bowl, mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp each of grated garlic and ginger.
Finishing
- Toss the cooked chicken and eggplant in the sauce, arranging the eggplant skin-side up so the flesh absorbs the glaze. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes to let flavors meld.

Ingredients for "Sweet and Sour Chicken and Eggplant"

11 items

* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon

1large eggplant (200g)
1tbsp vegetable oil
1small chicken thigh (250g)
Apinch of salt
Potatostarch, to taste
2tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp mirin
1tbsp vinegar
1tbsp sugar
1tsp grated garlic
1tsp grated ginger

How to Make "Sweet and Sour Chicken and Eggplant"

1
Cut off the stem of 1 large eggplant (approx. 200g) and cut it into bite-sized rolling wedges.
2
Place the cut eggplant in a plastic bag, fill it with water, and let it soak for 10 minutes to remove bitterness.
3
Cut a small corner of the plastic bag and squeeze out the water thoroughly.
4
With the eggplant still in the bag, add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and shake the bag to coat the eggplant evenly.
5
Remove excess fat and sinew from 1 small chicken thigh (approx. 250g) and cut it into 10 bite-sized pieces.
6
Season the chicken with a pinch of salt, dust with potato starch to taste, and massage to coat evenly.
7
Arrange the starch-coated chicken skin-side up on the air fryer rack.
8
Arrange the oil-coated eggplant skin-side up on top of the chicken.
9
Air fry on bake mode at 200°C (400°F) for 12 minutes.
10
Once cooked, remove the rack from the air fryer.
11
Wipe away the excess fat and residue that dripped into the bottom glass bowl using paper towels.
12
In the same bowl, combine 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp grated garlic, and 1 tsp grated ginger, and mix well.
13
Return the cooked chicken and eggplant to the bowl and toss well to combine.
14
Arrange the eggplant skin-side up so that the cut surfaces are submerged in the sauce.
15
Cover with the air fryer's lid and let it sit for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
16
Plate the dish, pour the remaining sauce from the bowl over it, and serve.

Food Science

Why This Dish Tastes So Good

The synergistic effect of inosinic acid from the chicken and glutamic acid from the eggplant, combined with the balanced five basic tastes—salty soy sauce, sweet sugar and mirin, and sour vinegar—enhances the overall deliciousness. Additionally, coating the chicken with potato starch controls moisture by locking in juices to keep it succulent, while the high-temperature cooking of the air fryer triggers the Maillard reaction, creating a savory, roasted aroma.

Umami SynergiesBalance of Five TastesMoisture ControlTemperature & Heat Reactions

Detailed Commentary on "Sweet and Sour Chicken and Eggplant"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Hands-Off Sweet & Sour Chicken & Eggplant

Hi everyone, I'm Katchan! Today, I'm sharing an air fryer recipe using eggplant and chicken. We'll make 'Sweet and Sour Chicken and Eggplant,' which is completely stove-free, uses very little oil, and is almost entirely hands-off. The eggplant turns out incredibly tender and the chicken stays juicy—it's so delicious it might even beat deep-fried versions! My new cookbook, 'Raku-shite Nori-nori Honki Gohan,' is also on sale now, so please check it out. Air fryers are incredibly convenient, and I've been absolutely obsessed with them lately. Let's get started on this easy and delicious air fryer recipe!

Easy Eggplant Prep: Soaking & Oil Coating

First, cut off the stem of 1 large eggplant (approx. 200g) and cut it into bite-sized rolling wedges. Place the eggplant in a plastic bag, fill it with water, and let it soak for about 10 minutes to remove bitterness. Using a plastic bag helps submerge everything evenly. Once soaked, cut a small corner of the bag and squeeze out the water thoroughly. Then, add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and shake the bag to coat. This method keeps your hands clean and ensures an even coat with just a small amount of oil. Eggplants tend to absorb a lot of oil, but this technique keeps them light and not too greasy.

Prep Tips for Juicy Chicken Thighs

Using kitchen shears or a knife, carefully remove any excess fat and sinew from 1 small chicken thigh (approx. 250g), then cut it into 10 bite-sized pieces. Season the chicken with a pinch of salt, dust with potato starch, and massage it in well. Coating the chicken in potato starch locks in the juices and flavor, ensuring it stays juicy and tender even when air-fried. This starch coating also helps the special sweet and sour sauce cling to the chicken later, making the final dish even more delicious.

Skin-Side Up! Starting the Air Fryer

Today, I'm using an Epeios air fryer. First, arrange the starch-coated chicken skin-side up on the rack. Next, place the oil-coated eggplant on top, also skin-side up. Keeping the skin-side up ensures the chicken skin gets crispy and fragrant, while the eggplant retains its beautiful purple color without discoloring. Once set, air fry on bake mode at 200°C (400°F) for 12 minutes. Since it's completely hands-off while cooking, you can use this time to prep other things or do the dishes, which is incredibly convenient!

Wiping Excess Fat & Making the Glaze

After 12 minutes, the chicken and eggplant are perfectly cooked. Lift the rack out with chopsticks, and you'll see the excess fat from the chicken has dripped into the glass bowl below. Wipe away this fat and residue cleanly with paper towels. In the same glass bowl, add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp each of grated garlic and grated ginger, then mix well. If you are concerned about the alcohol in the mirin, you can microwave it beforehand to burn off the alcohol for an even better flavor.

Cover & Let Sit for 5 Minutes to Marinate

Return the cooked chicken and eggplant to the glass bowl with the sauce and toss everything well. The key here is to arrange the eggplant skin-side up so that the cut surfaces are fully submerged in the sauce. Cover with the air fryer's lid and let it sit for about 5 minutes to let the flavors meld. Letting it rest allows the sweet and sour sauce to soak deeply into the eggplant and chicken, creating a beautifully cohesive flavor. Plate it up, pour the remaining sauce from the bowl over the top, and your delicious Sweet and Sour Chicken and Eggplant is ready!

Tasting: Tender Eggplant & Juicy Chicken

Cheers with a seasonal Suntory 'Hao Ulong Pineapple & Lychee'! First, let's try a piece of the tender eggplant soaked in sauce. It's so flavorful and delicious, I can't help but say, 'Nice eggplant!' Next, the chicken. Thanks to the potato starch, the juices are locked in, making it incredibly succulent. With an air fryer, you just prep, press a button, and you get a light, non-greasy, and absolutely delicious sweet and sour dish. Minimal cleanup and being able to multitask while it cooks are huge pluses. I highly recommend giving this a try!

About kattyanneru/かっちゃんねる

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