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Chicken cashew stir fry in pan.
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Chicken Cashew Stir Fry

Quick, easy and a cinch to throw together, this is a great one for when you're craving some Chinese takeout.
Prep Time15 mins
Active Time10 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: asian chicken, cashew chicken, chicken cashew stir fry, chicken stir fry
Yield: 4

Materials

For the Chicken

  • 1 pound (454 g) chicken breasts, cut into a medium dice
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅛ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp baking soda (it acts as a tenderizer)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
  • 2 scallions, whites sliced into thin slices, greens sliced into 2" piece batons, separated
  • 2 bell peppers, de-seeded and cut into medium dice
  • ½ cup ( 65 g) cashews, raw or roasted, whole or pieces

For the Sauce

  • ¼ cup (60 ml) rice vinegar (or white, apple cider, champagne vinegar, etc)
  • ¼ cup (55 g) sugar, white or brown
  • 2 tablespoons (35 ml) soy sauce
  • 1 tsp cornstarch

Instructions

  • Season the chicken: in a medium bowl, add the chicken, salt, pepper and baking soda. Stir well to combine. Sprinkle cornstarch over chicken. Stir to coat each piece. Set aside while you prep.
  • Combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium bowl. Whisk until cornstarch is dissolved and sugar is mostly dissolved.
  • Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add the oil. Add the ginger, garlic and scallion whites. Cook for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the chicken and spread out into a single layer. Don't touch it and allow to cook for 30 seconds. Stir and flip chicken pieces to brown other side. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes more until chicken is lightly seared and browned on all sides.
  • Add the bell peppers and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. If using raw cashews, add them to the pan and stir fry for 1 minute (if using roasted cashews, add and only cook for 20 seconds).
  • Pour sauce over everything. Bring to a boil (reduce heat if needed), stirring and cooking, until everything is coated and glossy, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and stir in the scallion greens. Serve immediatey over plain rice or noodles.

Notes

-Chicken thighs may be substituted for the chicken breasts. If using thighs, omit the baking soda. 
-Any vinegar may be used as long as it's on the clear side and not something like balsamic or a black vinegar.