Easy Cashew Chicken

Time :50

Yield :4 servings

Recipe Background

Ah now that's what we call easy living! Easy Cashew Chicken makes ordering delivery seem like the more stressful option when it comes to dinnertime! The chicken is perfectly juicy and savory, coated in a sweet, tangy, and umami-packed sauce with all the delicious soy flavor you could hope for, and then there are the cashews! Toasty, crunchy, and satisfying, the cashews are just the best! Easy Cashew Chicken is easy to love!

Ingredients

For the marinade and sauce:

1/2 cup mirin divided
6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce divided
3 teaspoons toasted sesame oil divided
1 teaspoon ginger paste
3 tablespoons cornstarch divided
4 chicken breasts boneless and skinless, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar can substitute white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

For the stir-fry:

6 teaspoons vegetable oil divided
2 cups cashews toasted
1 (8-ounce) package water chestnuts drained and chopped
2 cups frozen baby peas
6 cloves garlic minced

Optional, for serving:

white rice to taste, cooked and hot
broccoli to taste, cooked and hot
sugar snap peas to taste, cooked and hot
3 scallions thinly sliced diagonally

Directions

In a medium bowl, add 1/4 cup of the mirin, 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the sesame oil, the ginger paste, and 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch and whisk to combine.
Add the chicken to the marinade and stir well to coat.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
In another medium bowl, add the remaining mirin, the remaining soy sauce, the remaining sesame oil, the chicken broth, the Worcestershire sauce, the hoisin sauce, the rice vinegar, the red pepper flakes, the brown sugar, and the remaining cornstarch and whisk to combine. Set the sauce mixture aside.
Drain the chicken pieces and pat them dry with paper towels.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil and allow it to heat until it is just smoking.
Add about 1/2 of the marinated chicken pieces to the hot oil and cook, while stirring often, until the chicken pieces are browned but not fully cooked through, about 4 minutes.
Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a plate.
In the same skillet, add 2 teaspoons of the remaining vegetable oil and the remaining chicken pieces. Cook until the chicken pieces are browned but not fully cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer them to the plate with the other chicken pieces.
In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil and allow it to heat until it is shimmering.
Roughly chop 1/2 of the cashews and leave the remaining 1/2 whole.
Add the water chestnuts, 1 cup of the chopped cashews, and the frozen peas to the hot oil and cook, while stirring continuously, for 1 minute.
Reduce the heat to medium-low.
Add the garlic to the cashew mixture and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the reserved sauce mixture to the cashew mixture and cook, while stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the browned chicken pieces and any accumulated juices on the plate to the sauce and cook, while stirring, until the chicken pieces reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 2-3 minutes.
Top the chicken stir-fry with the remaining whole cashews.
Plate the stir-fry with the white rice, the broccoli, and the sugar snap peas.
Garnish with the scallions and serve.