Chicken with Cashew Nuts (Indo-Chinese)
Here's a quick and easy 25-minute Chicken with Cashew Nuts recipe recipe with an Indo-Chinese twist (read: bolder flavor!). This recipe includes tips on how to get tender chicken and gives intense, yet balanced flavor!
Equipment
- Large Skillet or Wok (No lid required)
Ingredients
- 1 lb* boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2/3"-1" pieces or sub chicken thighs
Stir-Fry
- 3 tbsp neutral oil such as grapeseed
- 3/4 inch ginger crushed or very finely minced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed or very finely minced
- 1 small green bell pepper seeds removed and diced into 1" squares
- 1 small onion diced into 1" squares
- 1/2 cup toasted, unsalted cashews see note for raw cashews
- toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
To Tenderize (Optional)
- 1 tsp baking soda
To Marinate:
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt or sea salt
- 2 tsp corn starch
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp oyster flavored sauce I use gluten-free
- 2 tsp soy sauce I use GF tamari soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 3/4-1 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp sugar I use cane sugar
- 1/8-1/4 tsp kosher salt or sea salt
Instructions
To Tenderize - Optional Step
- Place the chicken in a strainer or colander and sprinkle it with baking soda. Mix well and let this mixture rest for 15-20 minutes. Rinse the chicken thoroughly, ensuring it's completely free of any baking soda. Pat dry.
Make the Cashew Chicken
- In a medium bowl, marinate the chicken in the salt and cornstarch and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients listed for the sauce and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large, nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the chicken in an even layer and allow it to cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Flip over and allow the other side to cook for another minute. Then stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through (~4-5 minutes). Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 15-20 seconds. Add the onion and bell pepper and raise the heat back to high. Stir-fry until you can smell the peppery aroma of the green peppers and onions turn translucent (~4-5 min). Add the chicken back in, followed by the prepared sauce.
- Stir-fry until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is fully cooked (~1-2 min). Taste and adjust salt and spice, if desired.
- Add in the cashews and mix well. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately with rice.
Notes
*The older version of this recipe called for 1 chicken breast, which is usually around 0.5-0.7 lb. Using less chicken will give more sauce and concentrated flavor.
-If using raw cashews, either roast them separately or add mid-way when cooking the onion and bell pepper in Step 4.
Nutrition
Calories: 360kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1193mg | Potassium: 656mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 257IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2mg