When sweet-and-sour chicken becomes a grinder

The best weeknight recipes are those that are versatile enough to work not just with what you want, but also what you have.

As in this simple recipe for sweet-and-sour chicken. In a creative take on this classic Asian takeout, the lightly sweet and tangy chicken is intended to be nestled into a sub roll. But if you don't have any or simply aren't in the mood, it does just as well over noodles, wrapped in a flour tortilla or even — ready? — over rice.

Likewise, you could turn this into a sweet-and-sour beef or pork by using an equivalent amount of sirloin or pork tenderloin (adjust cooking times as needed). If vegetarian is more your style, cubes of extra-firm water-packed tofu would be delicious, as would the wheat protein known as seitan.

Even the sauce is agreeable to tinkering. For a spicy take, add a splash of hot sauce (sweet-and-heat-and-sour), a pinch of red pepper flakes or some finely diced jalapeno peppers.

SWEET-AND-SOUR CHICKEN GRINDERS

Start to finish: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

1 teaspoon hot sauce

2 tablespoons apricot or peach jam

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 large red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced

1 large green bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced

1 cup chunk pineapple, and 1/2 cup of the canning juice

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Four 6-inch sub rolls

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, hot sauce, jam and cornstarch. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and chicken, tossing to coat. Set aside.