Description
Craving restaurant-quality flavor, this better-than-takeout cashew chicken brings Chinese-inspired comfort straight to your kitchen. Crispy chicken, crunchy cashews, and a savory sauce create an irresistible meal you’ll want to make again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts (or thighs), boneless, skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¾ cup cashews, roasted
- ½ cup bell pepper, red, diced
- ½ cup bell pepper, green, diced
- ¼ cup soy sauce, low-sodium (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 2 tbsps cornstarch
- 2 tbsps vegetable oil
- 2 tbsps hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsps rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey (or brown sugar)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsps water (slurry)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 tsp ginger, fresh, grated
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- steamed rice, for serving
Instructions
- Coat Chicken: Thoroughly toss chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper until uniformly covered, ensuring each morsel is well-seasoned and ready for cooking.
- Sear Protein: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high temperature, creating a sizzling surface. Swiftly cook chicken in batches, achieving a golden-brown exterior and ensuring complete internal doneness. Transfer cooked pieces to a separate plate.
- Craft Sauce: Blend soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes in a mixing bowl, whisking until ingredients harmonize into a rich, aromatic liquid.
- Vegetable Preparation: Utilize the same pan to flash-sauté bell peppers, releasing their vibrant colors and natural sweetness while maintaining a crisp texture.
- Final Assembly: Reintroduce seared chicken to the pan, drizzle with prepared sauce, and fold in crunchy cashews. Incorporate cornstarch slurry and simmer briefly to create a luxurious, glossy coating that clings to each ingredient.
- Presentation: Elegantly garnish with finely chopped green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve atop steamed rice or delicate noodles, transforming a simple meal into a restaurant-quality experience.
Notes
- Ensure chicken pieces are evenly and lightly coated with cornstarch for a crispy, golden exterior without clumping.
- Maintain medium-high heat to achieve perfect browning without burning the chicken or creating tough texture.
- Adjust cornstarch slurry amount to achieve desired sauce thickness – start with less and gradually add more if needed.
- Swap regular soy sauce for low-sodium or gluten-free alternatives, and use alternative sweeteners like maple syrup for honey to accommodate different dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg