Cashew Chicken {Better than Takeout

I’ve shared many peanut chicken recipes but never one for chicken with cashew nuts.  I don’t know what I was waiting for! This cashew chicken really does taste better than a restaurant. Not that I’m partial or anything.

Consider this dish like cashew chicken stir fry. The chicken is sautéed with sesame oil for depth of flavor before adding broccoli, red bell peppers, edamame, and garlic. The vegetables stay crisp-tender which is exactly the way I like them. If you prefer green bell peppers or other vegetables, mix and match as you see fit.

The dish is finished with cashews, of course, that wonderful cashew chicken sauce that’s made with soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and Asian chili garlic sauce. Asian chili garlic sauce is kept in the Asian section of my regular grocery store. The heat from this sauce really makes the chicken come to life without being overly hot and spicy, but if you’re sensitive to heat and spices, scale back as you see fit. The sauce helps keep the chicken moist and tender and clings to the veggies beautifully.


INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• about 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 heaping cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup red bell peppers, diced small
• 1 cup shelled frozen edamame
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 cup unsalted dry-roasted whole cashews
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce, or to taste (found in the Asian section of the grocery store)
• 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 to 1 cup green onions, sliced into thin rounds (from about 3 or 4 green onions)

DIRECTIONS:

1. To a gallon-sized ziptop bag, add the cornstarch, salt, pepper, chicken, seal, and shake to coat chicken evenly.
2. To a large skillet, add the oils, chicken, and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, flipping and stirring so all sides cook evenly. Chicken should be about 80-90% cooked through.
3. Add the broccoli, bell peppers, edamame (I add it straight from the freezer), garlic, and stir to combine. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is cooked through; stir intermittently. While vegetables cook, make the sauce.
4. .......................................

for full instruction please see : www.averiecooks.com

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