Cashew Chicken

By nurseliz

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup roasted, unsalted cashews (these are sometimes in the produce section)
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into 1-1 1/2 inch pieces*
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 medium garlic cloves, minced (use a garlic press)
• 8 scallions (1 bunch), white and green parts separated, each cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce (best brands are Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. (Start cooking rice, if making.)

2. Place cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer. Toast in oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes. They will crisp up as they cool.

3. Place chicken pieces in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.

4. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over high heat until very hot. Add half** the chicken to the skillet and stir-fry (stir as you cook) until lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

5. Add the remaining tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet; then add remaining chicken, garlic and white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry until the chicken is lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Turn heat down to medium and add the rice vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.

6. Add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce and water; cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens, cashews and sesame oil. Serve immediately.

*Chicken pieces should all be roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Since chicken breasts are not uniform thickness, compensate by making the thinner pieces a bit bigger.

**The reason the chicken is cooked in two batches is because it will not sear properly if crowded into the pan. You want it in a single layer.