I saved this to my Pinterest a while back, and have probably made it 5-6 times… we absolutely love it, so I wanted to include it in the Recipe Edit archives to make sure it was easy to find again. The only change I made was doubling the sauce, because I like extra for my rice. Feel free to add baby corn, water chestnuts, and/or bok choy for a vegetable-filled meal. To see the original, head here.
Cashew Chicken
Sweet, spicy, and healthy. The perfect combination of flavors, and very easy to make. Feel free to add water chestnuts, baby corn, bok choy, or other veggies of your choosing! Be sure to prepare in advance, and let the chicken marinate between 30 minutes and 4 hours. Serve with Jasmine Rice.
Servings: 6
Equipment
- Wok or heavy bottomed skillet
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ c honey
- 6 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Sriracha sauce (add more or less to fit your spice preference)
- 1 c chicken broth
Main Dish:
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 2 c broccoli, cut into bite sized florets
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced into strips
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 c unsalted cashew nuts
Instructions
- Prep marinade in large bowl by whisking together all ingredients from the "Marinade" ingredient group. Add chicken, evenly coat, and cover. Let sit, refrigerated, for about 30 minutes to 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350º, spread cashews onto baking sheet, and bake for 5-7 minutes.
- In a small bowl, prepare the sauce, by whisking together all ingredients from the "Sauce" ingredient group. Set aside.
- Set wok (or heavy bottomed skillet) over high heat, and add 1tbsp of vegetable oil. You'll know the oil is well heated when it begins to shimmer. At this point, add the marinated chicken. Stir frequently, and fry the chicken for 6-10 minutes, until it's lightly browned and cooked through. Remove from wok, and set aside.
- Add 1tbsp of vegetable oil to the pan you just used for the chicken, and let it heat until shimmering again. Add onion, bell pepper, broccoli, and/or your choice of vegetables. Sauté, stirring frequently for 4 minutes, so the vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes, continue to stir frequently for 1 minute.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add chicken back to the pan. Pour in the sauce mixture, and continue to cook until everything is evenly coated and the sauce has thickened. It will take between 3-10 minutes. You'll know it's thickened when it coats a spoon without running off.
- Once the sauce is reduced to your liking, turn off the heat and add the cashews. Stir to distribute them evenly throughout the dish, and serve over Jasmine rice. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and Sriracha, and enjoy!
Notes
Divide sauce ingredient quantities in half, for a light stir-fry coating. The listed quantities are for a dish with a little extra sauce.