This delectable Cashew Chicken recipe brings crispy pan-fried chicken bites, sweet red bell pepper, crisp-tender broccoli, and roasted cashews together in a spicy, salty, and sweet mouth-watering sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 581kcal
Ingredients
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- 1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger
- 2 tablespoons ground fresh chili paste Sambal Oelek
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 cups chopped broccoli crowns
- ¾ cup roasted unsalted cashews
Instructions
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Combine the chicken and cornstarch in a large zipper bag and shake to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces in a single layer, cooking until browned on both sides. Work in batches plating the cooked chicken as you go. Add more vegetable oil as needed.
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While the chicken is cooking, whisk together the Hoisin Sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, brown sugar, grated ginger, and chili paste in a small bowl.
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In the same skillet over medium-high heat, cook red bell peppers and broccoli until crisp-tender.
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Add the cooked chicken, cashews, and sauce to the skillet stirring gently to combine. Simmer for 3-4 minutes to heat everything through and thicken the sauce.
Notes
- Cut your chicken into thin bite-size pieces so that it cooks all the way through.
- Cook the bell pepper and broccoli just until crisp-tender, as they will be simmering for a couple of minutes at the end in the sauce.
- Hoisin sauce and ground fresh chili paste (Sambal Oelek) can be found in the Asian food section of most grocery stores.
- In a pinch, either ketchup or Hoisin Sauce can be substituted for the other. I like the combination of both, but you could use 4 tablespoons of ketchup or 4 tablespoons of Hoisin Sauce.
- Use salted or unsalted roasted cashews. I usually don’t chop them unless they are extremely large.
- This dish is best served promptly while the chicken is just slightly crunchy, the veggies are still crisp-tender, and the sauce is the right consistency.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat at reduced power in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 581kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 993mg | Potassium: 1130mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1311IU | Vitamin C: 81mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg