Cashew Chicken is one of the most popular takeout dishes of all time, but did you know you could also make it at home? It’s so quick and easy, nutritionally balanced, and most importantly, it’s budget-friendly. There’s no reason not to try it at home. The taste? Don’t worry about it! Once you try it, you may want to open your own restaurant with this bad boy.
Cashew Chicken (3-4 servings)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450g) boneless, skin-on chicken thighs (or chicken breasts)
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 2 cups red, yellow, and/or green bell peppers
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp (2g) grated ginger
- 3 green onions, divided
- 2 tbsp neutral-tasting oil
- 1/2 cup (75g) unsalted raw (or roasted) cashews
- 3-4 cups hot cooked rice, to serve
Marinade:
- 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or mirin, dry sherry, water, etc.)
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (such as grape seed, canola, vegetable oil, etc.)
Stir Fry Sauce:
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce (optional), for color
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder (or a mix of golden mountain sauce and fish sauce)
Instructions:
MARINATE CHICKEN
Trim off any excess skin or fat that you may want to remove. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and give it a good massage. Set aside.
PREPARE VEGETABLES
1. Cut the onion and bell peppers into bite-sized pieces.
2. Finely chop the garlic cloves. Grate a small knob of ginger (1/2 tsp). Cut the green onions into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces and thinly slice some white parts of the green onions.
MAKE SAUCE
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small container and mix well. (If you want it to be more Thai-style, use a mix of golden mountain sauce and fish sauce instead of chicken bouillon powder.) Set aside.
MAKE CASHEW CHICKEN
1. Roast the cashews: In a large wok (or pan), add 2 tablespoons of oil. Heat it over medium heat. Once it gets nice and hot, add the cashews. Roast for 2 to 3 minutes or until deep dark brown. Remove from the pan, leaving the oil behind.
2. Cook the chicken: Place the same wok over high heat. Once it’s heated, add the marinated chicken. Spread it out and let it sear for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Place the same wok over medium heat. Into the chicken fat, add the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the green onions. Saute for 1 minute or until fragrant. (If there’s not enough oil because you used chicken breast, you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil.)
4. Increase the heat to high. Add the onion and bell peppers. Stir-fry it for 1 minute. Add the chicken back into the wok. Toss together for 30 seconds.
5. Give the sauce a quick stir and add it to the wok. Stir everything together until the sauce is thickened. Turn the heat off. Add the rest of the green onions and cashews. Give it a final mix. Serve with hot rice. Enjoy!
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Cashew Chicken
4
servingsIngredients
1 lb (450g) boneless, skin-on chicken thighs (or chicken breasts)
1/2 yellow onion
2 cups red, yellow, and/or green bell peppers
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp (2g) grated ginger
3 green onions, divided
2 tbsp neutral-tasting oil
1/2 cup (75g) unsalted raw (or roasted) cashews
3-4 cups hot cooked rice, to serve
- Marinade:
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or mirin, dry sherry, water, etc.)
1/4 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp neutral oil (such as grape seed, canola, vegetable oil, etc.)
- Stir Fry Sauce:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tsp dark soy sauce (optional), for color
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp white pepper (or black pepper)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
4 tbsp water
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp chicken bouillon powder (or a mix of golden mountain sauce and fish sauce)
Directions
- Marinate Chicken
- Trim off any excess skin or fat that you may want to remove. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and give it a good massage. Set aside.
- Prepare Vegetables
- Cut the onion and bell peppers into bite-sized pieces.
- Finely chop the garlic cloves. Grate a small knob of ginger (1/2 tsp). Cut the green onions into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces and thinly slice some white parts of the green onions.
- Make Sauce
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small container and mix well. (If you want it to be more Thai-style, use a mix of golden mountain sauce and fish sauce instead of chicken bouillon powder.) Set aside.
- Make Cashew Chicken
- Roast the cashews: In a large wok (or pan), add 2 tablespoons of oil. Heat it over medium heat. Once it gets nice and hot, add the cashews. Roast for 2 to 3 minutes or until deep dark brown. Remove from the pan, leaving the oil behind.
- Cook the chicken: Place the same wok over high heat. Once it’s heated, add the marinated chicken. Spread it out and let it sear for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Place the same wok over medium heat. Into the chicken fat, add the garlic, ginger, and white parts of the green onions. Saute for 1 minute or until fragrant. (If there’s not enough oil because you used chicken breast, you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil.)
- Increase the heat to high. Add the onion and bell peppers. Stir-fry it for 1 minute. Add the chicken back into the wok. Toss together for 30 seconds.
- Give the sauce a quick stir and add it to the wok. Stir everything together until the sauce is thickened. Turn the heat off. Add the rest of the green onions and cashews. Give it a final mix. Serve with hot rice. Enjoy!
Notes
- 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 240 ml
2 Comments
Had this last night it was so good. Added Sambol Oleke for some spice. Husband loved it.
I made this last night. It was excellent!!! If I wanted to add some spice to it, what are your recommendations? Thanks so much