Cashew Chicken

Cashew Chicken

November 22: National Cashew Day

Islander’s Daddy would cook cashew chicken for his co-workers in the back kitchen of a Hawaii clinic where he currently is employed. Even though they are all in the food service industry, they still go nuts when they find out this dish is on the employees’ lunch menu. This classic Asian stir fry has become a favorite for our family and friends as well. The combination of chicken, crunchy cashews and colorful vegetables wok-tossed in a tasty sauce is a crowd pleaser. Stir up some smiles by cooking cashew chicken in observance of National Cashew Day.

Recipe

(From Daddy)

For the stir fry

  • 3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 1 large carrot, julienned
  • 1 cup snow peas, tips removed
  • 1 cup green onions, green tips only cut into one-inch pieces
  • 1 cup cashews, toasted
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce

  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, sliced
  • 1 ½ tablespoons sugar (we used C&H brand, granulated white)
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce (we used Aloha Shoyu brand)
  • ½ tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons  cornstarch
  • 4 tablespoons water

Directions

Slice the chicken into thin, bite-sized pieces. Cut the stir-fry vegetables and set aside. Prepare the sauce by pouring the chicken broth into a small pot with the ginger slices.

Cashew Chicken

To the pot mix in the sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer. In a small cup, dissolve the cornstarch the water to form a paste. Slowly pour this into the sauce to thicken. In a wok or skillet, heat the two tablespoons of oil. Saute the minced garlic until golden brown. Add the chicken pieces and fry until no longer pink. Stir in the vegetables and cook until crisp and tender. Mix in the cashews. Pour in the sauce and stir until all ingredients are combined. Let the sauce thicken a little more. Season with salt and pepper. Discard the ginger. Serve hot with rice.

Cashew Chicken

Notes

  • Add a teaspoon of chili oil or red pepper flakes to the recipe for a spicy dish.