Scrumptious Cashew Chicken is a delicious and flavorful dish that is perfect for those who love Chinese cuisine. It is a popular recipe that combines tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and a variety of vegetables in a savory and slightly sweet sauce.
How To Make:
To make Scrumptious Cashew Chicken, start by marinating diced chicken breast in a mixture of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch. In a separate pan, sauté chopped garlic and ginger until fragrant, then add sliced vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, and carrots. Once the vegetables have softened, add the marinated chicken to the pan and cook until browned and cooked through.
The final step is to stir in a delicious sauce made from soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, and a bit of sugar. Add in the cashews and allow the sauce to thicken before serving over rice or noodles.
Tips and Variations:
Tips:
Use high-quality chicken: Choose boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a more flavorful and tender result.
Marinate the chicken: Marinating the chicken in a mixture of soy sauce, cornstarch, and rice vinegar for at least 30 minutes before cooking will make it more flavorful and tender.
Toast the cashews: Toasting the cashews in a dry skillet for a few minutes until they are fragrant and lightly browned will bring out their flavor and crunch.
Use the right pan: Use a wok or a large skillet with high sides to cook the chicken and vegetables quickly and evenly.
Serve with rice: Serve the cashew chicken over steamed rice to soak up the delicious sauce.
Variations:
Spicy Cashew Chicken: Add some heat to the dish by adding sliced red chili peppers or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Vegetarian Cashew Chicken: Replace the chicken with cubed tofu or seitan, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Coconut Cashew Chicken: Replace the chicken broth with coconut milk for a creamy and rich version of the dish.
Orange Cashew Chicken: Add some tangy citrus flavor by adding orange zest and orange juice to the sauce.
Green Cashew Chicken: Add some fresh herbs such as cilantro, basil, or mint to the dish for a burst of freshness and color.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of small-cut, skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions:
Combine the cornstarch, salt, and black pepper in a bowl.
Add the chicken pieces and toss until coated.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the vegetable oil. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
In a separate bowl, mix together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, and chicken broth.
Pour the sauce over the chicken in the skillet and bring to a simmer.
Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is cooked through.
Add the roasted cashews and green onions to the skillet and stir to combine.
Serve the Scrumptious Cashew Chicken over rice or noodles and enjoy!