Quick and tasty Cashew Chicken with crisp vegetables tossed in a flavorful Asian sauce. The spice level of this dish can be adjusted to your liking. Serve it with White rice and Chinese cucumber salad for a complete dinner in under 30 minutes!
How to Make Cashew Chicken
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
To toast the Cashew: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the cashew on an ungreased baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Set aside; they will crisp up as they cool.
In a non-reactive medium bowl, combine the marinade ingredients and stir until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat: Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
Bring the peanut oil to almost smoking temperature in a 14-inch wok or skillet over high heat. Stir-fry the chilies, ginger, garlic, and white part of the green onions for 30 to 40 seconds or until the chilies turn dark.
Add the chicken and stir-fry for 5 to 6 minutes until golden in color. Remove the chicken from the wok. Add the poblano pepper and onions, and cook, stirring, until the onion turns translucent, about 1 minute, then return the chicken to the wok.
Give the reserved sauce a quick stir, pour in the sauce mixture, boil, and cook until the sauce has thickened for a couple of minutes. Add the peanuts and toss them together. Serve the Cashew Chicken over white and garnish with julienned green onions.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1-½ lb chicken tenderloins or skinless chicken thigh , cut into 1-½ inch pieces
For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar , or rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mushroom flavored soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce or oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Asian/toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (use half the amount for a milder sauce)
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger , peeled and grated
- ⅓ tablespoons water plus ¼ teaspoon Knorr chicken flavor bouillon and 1 tablespoon cornstarch , mixed to make the slurry
For the Stir Fry:
- 2- 3 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 large red bell pepper , diced into 1'' pieces
- 1 large yellow onion , diced into 1'' pieces
- 6 cloves garlic , chopped
- 6 green onion , cut the white part into ½ -inch pieces, julienne the green parts
- ¾ cup unsalted cashew , roasted
- 6 chiles de arbol or other dried chiles , snipped into small pieces
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro , steam removed, chopped
- Cooked white rice for serving
Instructions
- To toast the Cashew: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the cashew on an ungreased baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 10 minutes until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Set aside; they will crisp up as they cool.
- For the Marinate: In a non-reactive medium bowl, combine the marinade ingredients and stir until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add the chicken and toss to coat: Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- For the Sauce: In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
- For the Stir-Fry: In a 14-inch wok or skillet over high heat, bring the peanut oil to almost smoking temperature. Stir-fry the chilies, ginger, garlic, and white part of the green onions for 30 to 40 seconds, or until the chilies turn dark.
- Add the chicken and stir-fry for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden in color. Remove the chicken from the wok. Add the poblano pepper and onions, and cook, stirring, until the onion starts to turn translucent, about 1 minute, then return the chicken to the wok. Give the reserved sauce a quick stir and pour in the sauce mixture, bring it to a boil, continue to cook until the sauce has thickened for a couple of minutes. Add the peanuts and toss them together. Serve the Cashew Chicken over white and garnish with julienned green onions.
Notes
How to Store & Re-heat
To store: Cashew chicken can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for three days. To reheat: In a skillet over medium-high heat or microwave until heated. Make-Ahead To prevent the vegetables from getting too soft, store the cooked chicken and stir-fried vegetables in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Store the sauce in a separate container in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, reheat the chicken and vegetables in a skillet over medium-high heat, then pour the sauce over and stir until heated. Cashew Chicken can be frozen for up to three months. Allow the dish to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer. To reheat, thaw the dish overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a skillet over medium-high heat until heated. Mix the ingredients and coat the chicken a day in advance. Keep the chicken covered in the refrigerator until ready to stir-fry. You can chop them in advance and store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator until ready to stir-fry. This can save time and make the preparation process easier. How to Freeze After cooking, let the Cashew Chicken cool down to room temperature before freezing. Portion the Cashew Chicken into freezer-safe containers or freezer bags. Portioning the chicken into smaller containers is best to thaw only the amount you need. Label the containers or bags with the dish's name and the freezing date. Place the containers or bags in the freezer and freeze for up to three months. When ready to use, thaw the Cashew Chicken overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat the Cashew Chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat until heated, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or chicken broth if the sauce is too thick.All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
