Tender chicken, crunchy cashews and crisp vegetables tossed in a savory, glossy brown sauce, cashew chicken is a quick and tasty stir fry for any day.
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Cashew chicken stir-fry, or 腰果鸡丁 (yāo guǒ jī dīng), is a popular Chinese stir fry that combines several contrasting textures in one wok: tender chicken, crisp vegetables, and crunchy cashews. Aromatics like garlic and ginger bring fragrance, while the sauce lightly coats everything with an appetizing shine.
The use of nuts in savory dishes is quite common in Chinese cooking, much like in classics such as Kung Pao Chicken where peanuts add richness and texture. The sauce in this dish is also a familiar example of the savory brown sauce often found in Chinese takeout dishes, such as Chicken Chop Suey. It is built mainly on oyster sauce and soy sauce, with just a subtle touch of sweetness.
Like many Chinese stir fries, cashew chicken comes together very quickly once the ingredients are prepared. Served with steamed rice, it makes a simple but deeply satisfying everyday meal.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need for this recipe:
- Chicken thighs: they are ideal for this dish because they stay juicy and tender during stir frying. Chicken breast can also be used if preferred. In this case, pay extra attention not to overcook to avoid drying it out.
- Cashew nuts: It’s best to use raw cashews that are not seasoned or roasted.
- Onion and bell pepper: they add sweetness, freshness, and texture to the dish.
- Garlic and ginger: they are the aromatic foundation of many Chinese stir-fries.
- Seasonings: oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil, and white pepper
Cooking Procedure
Step 1. Prepare the chicken and vegetables
Cut the chicken into small bite sized cubes, roughly matching the size of the cashews. This gives the dish its classic appearance and helps everything cook evenly.
Mix the chicken with cornstarch, white pepper and water until well combined. Then add a little oil to coat. Leave it aside while preparing other ingredients.
Cut the onion and bell pepper into chunks of similar size. Slice the garlic and julienne the ginger.
Step 2. Mix the sauce
In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Then stir in sesame oil.
Step 3. Fry the cashew nuts
Add the cashews and oil to a cold wok or skillet (frying pan). Place over low heat and fry slowly, stirring frequently, until the nuts turn golden. Transfer out leaving the oil behind.
Step 4. Sear the chicken
Using the same wok, sear the chicken over high heat. Spread the pieces out as much as possible so they sear properly rather than steam. Once the underside turns pale, toss and stir to quickly sear the other sides. Transfer the chicken out as soon as it turns pale all around and is nearly cooked through.
Step 5. Stir fry the vegetables
Use the remaining oil in the wok to sizzle garlic, ginger and onion until fragrant and the onion begins to soften around the edges. Add the bell pepper and cook briefly so it stays slightly crisp and vibrant.
Step 6. Season the dish
Return the chicken to the wok. Toss for a further minute. Stir the sauce again before pouring it in, as the cornstarch settles quickly at the bottom of the bowl. Continue stirring as the sauce thickens and coats everything evenly.
Turn off the heat and finally fold in the fried cashews.
How to get the best results
Wei’s Pro Tip
- Marinating the chicken with cornstarch helps keep it tender and juicy during stir frying. This is a common technique used in Chinese cooking.
- Measure and mix all the sauce ingredients before turning on the heat. Having the sauce ready beforehand makes stir frying much easier, as the cooking process moves very quickly.
- Fry the cashews slowly from a cold pan for more even browning and better crunch.
- Add the fried cashews only at the end so they stay crisp instead of softening in the sauce.
More takeout favorites
Looking for more inspiration for cooking Chinese takeout dishes at home? Check out these popular recipes:
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Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry (腰果鸡丁)
Video
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 12 oz chicken thighs, boneless skinless, or chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
You also need
- 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 4 oz cashew nuts, raw
- 3 cloves cloves garlic, sliced
- 5 slices ginger, julienned
- 1 small onion, cut into chunks
- 1 bell pepper, cut into chunks
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- Cut the chicken into small bite-sized cubes, roughly matching the size of the cashew nuts. Place in a bowl and mix with cornstarch, white pepper and water, then add oil to coat. Set aside.
Mix the sauce
- In a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar, water, and sesame oil. Stir well and keep nearby.
Fry the cashew nuts
- Add the cooking oil and cashew nuts to a cold wok or skillet (frying pan). Place over low heat and fry gently, stirring often, until the cashews turn golden. Transfer out leaving the oil in the wok.
Sear the chicken
- Put the chicken in the wok. Stir fry over high heat until the pieces turn pale on the surface and are nearly cooked through. Remove from the wok and leave any oil behind.
Stir fry the vegetables
- Add garlic, ginger, and onion to the wok. Stir fry until the onion begins to soften and lightly char around the edges. Return the chicken to the wok and toss for another minute to combine.
Season the dish
- Give the sauce mixture a stir to loosen any cornstarch sitting at the bottom of the bowl, then pour it into the wok. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens and coats everything evenly.
- Turn off the heat and fold in the fried cashew nuts. Serve immediately.
Your Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
