Tender chicken smothered in an incredible savory sauce with crunchy roasted cashews and green bell pepper. Get this Chinese restaurant style Cashew Chicken on your dinner table in less time than ordering takeout!
Cashew Chicken is a Chinese-American classic that features tender chicken smothered in a super delicious savory sauce, then paired with crunchy roasted cashews and green bell pepper.
Make this Cashew Chicken at home for a fraction of the cost, and also in less time than it would take to order takeout (and not to mention, much healthier!) I'm sure that you will agree that it tastes just as good, if not better than takeout as well. You will love how quick and easy it is to prepare!
You could use other vegetables such as zucchini or celery in Cashew Chicken but I personally think that the flavors from the green bell pepper along with the onion are what makes this dish truly unique. Do not omit the green pepper if at all possible.
How to Make Cashew Chicken
Cut 1 lb of chicken thighs into small bite-sized pieces. Marinate the chicken in 2 dashes of ground white pepper, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine and 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch.
Allow the chicken to marinate at room temperature for just a few minutes.
While allowing the chicken to marinate, prepare the sauce by combining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch.
After stirring and breaking up all of the cornstarch clumps, add ¼ cup of water to the sauce mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok over medium heat. Add 1 green bell pepper (cut into approximately ¾ inch squares) to the wok, then ½ a yellow or white onion cut into thick slices.
Stir-fry till the bell pepper is a little charred but right before the onion starts to soften. Remove them from the wok and set aside.
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For this dish, I love my onion slices to be slightly crunchy and just a little charred on the outside, which is why I cook it with the bell pepper then remove it in this part of the cooking process. If you prefer your onions to be very soft in this dish, you can add them just before or after cooking the chicken.
Add 2 more tablespoons of cooking oil to the wok, then add the chicken in one single layer. Allow the chicken to sear for about 30 seconds, then add 5 slices of ginger (julienned) and 2 cloves of garlic (minced). Stir fry until the chicken is fully cooked.
Give the sauce a quick stir, then pour the sauce over the chicken.
Add ½ a cup of roasted cashews, then return the bell pepper and onion to the wok.
Stir to combine all the ingredients, while allowing the sauce to thicken.
Transfer to a serving dish.
Garnish with chopped scallions just before serving. You can enjoy Cashew Chicken on its own but it really does pair perfectly with a bowl of steamed white or brown rice.
Enjoy!
Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 dashes ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablesoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ cup water
Stir-Fry
- 4 tablespoons cooking oil divided
- 1 green bell pepper cut into ¾ inch squares
- ½ onion cut into thick slices
- 5 slices of ginger julienned
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup roasted cashews
- ½ cup chopped scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken in ground white pepper, Shaoxing wine and cornstarch for just a few minutes at room temperature.
- Prepare the sauce by combining soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil and cornstarch. After stirring and breaking up all of the cornstarch clumps, add water to the sauce mixture.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a wok over medium heat. Add green bell pepper and onion. Stir-fry till the bell pepper is a little charred but right before the onion starts to soften. Remove them from the wok and set aside.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the wok, then add the chicken in one single layer.
- Allow the chicken to sear for about 30 seconds, then add the ginger and garlic. Stir fry till the chicken is fully cooked.
- Give the sauce a stir, then pour it over the chicken.
- Add roasted cashews, then return the bell pepper and onion to the wok.
- Stir to combine all the ingredients, then transfer to a serving dish.
- Garnish with chopped scallions just before serving. Serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!
Anna says
I doubled the sauce portions and added some honey to balance it and it ended up being quite good!
Char says
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review, Anna! 🙂
Francis says
The flavours are all very well balanced and it was quick and easy to make, thank you for sharing this recipe!
Char says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Francis! 🙂