Easy for a pot-luck. Sweet & Sour Chicken. Bring to a boil boil 2 cups rice in 4 cups of water plus 1 tsp salt for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from heat.
While the rice is cooking, bone and skin 4 large chicken breasts. Throw the bones and skins into a pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn down to simmer. Cook until the rice is done.
While the rice is cooking, dice the chicken meat into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat a large, heavy frying pan over high heat. Add 2 tbs. cooking oil and swirl to cover the pan bottom. Add the chicken cubes and stir-fry until lightly browned on all sides. Remove the chicken from the heat.
Strain the chicken broth through a fine wire mesh sieve and discard the skins and bones. Add salt to taste. Add 3 tbs. dark-brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1/8 tsp. ground ginger. Stir in and let cook for 5 minutes. Taste and correct the seasoning to your liking. Add 3 tbs. vinegar, stir and taste. Add more vinegar or brown sugar to get the sweet/sour ballance you want. Thicken with a corn starch slurry.
Let the sauce cool and add the cooked chicken. Take the rice and chicken sauce to the pot luck, heat in a crock pot (or bring hot), and let everyone tell you what an incredible cook you are.
Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North