Cashew Chicken
This homemade Cashew Chicken is better than takeout! You'll never ask your local Chinese restaurant for cashew chicken again. Tender chicken marinated in a luscious garlic sauce, stir-fried, and tossed with more sauce and crunchy, toasted cashews. You'll love how saucy this is and how well it goes with your veggie of choice! This takes 20 minutes from start to finish, which is quicker than delivery!
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken thighs boneless & skinless, cut into 1" cubes
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 ½ tbsp Shaoxing wine or mirin
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 tsp toasted sesame oil
- Pinch of ground white pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
- ½ medium onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 ½ tbsp hoisin sauce optional
- ¾ cup cashew whole, roasted, unsalted, or lightly salted
Instructions
- Combine the soy sauce and cornstarch in a small mixing bowl. Whisk until no lumps remain. Stir in the Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, and white pepper.
- Transfer the cut chicken to a ziploc bag. Add in 2 tbsp of the sauce to the chicken. Shake to coat, then allow to marinate for about 10 minutes.
- In a wok or non-stick skillet, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Cook the onions and garlic for about 1 minute, stirring so the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add in the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add in the remaining sauce, hoisin sauce (if using), and water. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 1 minute; until the sauce is thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked to 170F.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cashews. Serve over rice.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: This reheats just fine in the microwave for a few minutes. You can also add it back to a pan and flash-fry in the pan on medium-high until heated through. This will help crisp up the chicken and nuts a bit.
- How to roast cashews: Preheat your oven to 350F. Spread the cashews out onto a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roast for about 10 minutes. Do not turn your back! They will burn if you aren't paying attention.
- How to velvet chicken (Chinese Method): For every 8oz chicken breast strips or pieces, toss with 3/4 tsp baking soda. Marinate for 20 minutes. Rinse well under running water (about lukewarm), then pat dry with paper towels.
- Does this change the taste of the chicken? Not at all. It just changes the texture, meaning the chicken fibers are broken down so the chicken becomes softer both inside and out. Hence, where the name "velveting" came from!