Sweet and Sour Chicken and Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

Tonight was definitely one of those nights where I was trying to throw together a dinner, using ingredients that were about to expire/go bad. I saw this recipe on my sister's blog (Delectable Dining) and have been dying to try it! I had a package of boneless skinless chicken breasts in the fridge that were marked "sell by March 24th", so I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to try it out. My family just loves Chinese food and I think I prefer this recipe to any sweet and sour chicken I've ever had out. I also desperately needed to use a bunch of asparagus, so I resorted to using a recipe I had previously tried and had yet to post. I can't say as I would necessarily serve these two dishes together again, but I did enjoy them independently!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken Ingredients
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper.
Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce Ingredients
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stove top. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

Source: Delectable Dining

Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray, and season with salt and pepper. Bake asparagus 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the baked asparagus to serve.

Source: Allrecipes