Cashew Chicken

For the crunchy texture, flavor and spiciness of Chinese-style Cashew Chicken this recipe – adapted from one in Food & Wine – is a really good one. Give it a try when you’re looking for some bold Asian flavors.

Ted Scheffler

April 26, 2024

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2- x 1/2-inch pieces

1 Tbs[ Shaoxing wine

2 Tbs[ soy sauce, divided

1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

1/2 tsp. finely minced garlic (about 1 clove)

1/3 cup plus 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, divided

4 1/2 Tbsp canola oil, divided

1 cup raw whole cashews

15 dried Thai chiles

2 Tbsp water

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp oyster sauce

1 Tbsp light brown sugar

6 scallions, trimmed and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces

1 small white onion, peeled and sliced (about 1 cup)

Method

Toss together the chicken, wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, Chinese five-spice, and garlic in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes or up to 5 hours.
Sprinkle the chicken in the bowl with 1/3 cup cornstarch; toss to coat. Set aside.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large wok or stainless steel skillet over medium. Add cashews, and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add chiles, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Transfer cashew mixture to a large heatproof bowl using a slotted spoon or spider, reserving oil in wok.
Place the wok over high heat. Add the chicken in an even layer, and cook, flipping once, until chicken is deeply browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side, adjusting heat if needed to prevent overbrowning. Transfer the chicken to a bowl with the cashews. Meanwhile, whisk together 2 tablespoons of water and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth; whisk in oyster sauce, brown sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Add scallions, onion, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil to wok; cook over medium-high, stirring often, until onion is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Return chicken and cashew mixture to wok; add oyster sauce mixture. Cook over medium-high, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of wok to loosen any browned bits, until sauce thickens slightly and glazes the chicken, 20 seconds to 1 minute.

Serve immediately with white rice.

Food & Drink, Recipes, Scheff’s Table, The Dish, Utah Bites, Utah Food

Ted Scheffler

Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine, and travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, music, and reading, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers. Ted is also the author of the Utah Bites newsletter, which is published in partnership with Utah Stories. Before moving to Utah, Ted lived in New York City, and numerous states in the US, as well as in various countries overseas, Spain, Japan, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. He earned a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from the Graduate Faculty of The New School for Social Research.