Cashew Chicken

4.91 from 70 votes

Our Cashew Chicken recipe––from our family's restaurant days––is balanced and not too sweet, with a brown sauce that perfectly complements roasted cashews.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Chicken

Cuisine: American/Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 340kcal

Author: Bill

Ingredients

For the chicken and marinade:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into 1-inch/2.5cm pieces)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon neutral oil
2 teaspoons oyster sauce

For the sauce:

1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock (or homemade)
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

For the rest of the dish:

3 tablespoons neutral oil (divided)
1 teaspoon ginger (grated)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/2 cup red bell pepper (chopped)
1/2 cup scallions (chopped)
1/2 cup water chestnuts (cut into 1/2-inch/1cm pieces)
1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
1 cup unsalted cashews (roasted at 350°F/180°C for 5 mins)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons/30ml water)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Mix the chicken, cornstarch, 3 tablespoons water, oil, and oyster sauce, until all the liquid has been absorbed by the chicken. In a separate bowl, mix together all the sauce ingredients.
Heat your wok over high heat until just smoking. Spread 2 tablespoons neutral oil along the perimeter of the wok.
Add the marinated chicken breast, spreading the pieces evenly in the wok. Fry for 1 minute on each side, and transfer back to the bowl. The chicken should be browned on the outside and about 80% cooked.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok, along with the ginger, and fry for 5 seconds before adding the garlic. Immediately add the red bell pepper, scallions, and water chestnuts. Stir fry for 30 seconds.
Next, spread your Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok. Give everything a quick stir fry for 10 seconds.
Pour in the sauce mixture you made earlier, using your wok spatula to deglaze the sides of the wok. Add the chicken and any juices that may have collected in the bowl. Once everything comes to a simmer, add your roasted cashews.
Stir up your cornstarch slurry, and add about 3/4 of it to the stir-fry. Add more cornstarch slurry if you like a thicker sauce, or less if you prefer thinner. Bring to a simmer, and continue stirring to thicken the sauce and combine everything evenly. Plate and serve immediately with steamed rice!

Nutrition