Where is cashew chicken from?

Cashew chicken is a Chinese-American dish that can be either stir-fried or deep-fried - the latter of which (what we're making here), originated in Springfield, Missouri. It was created by a chef named David Leong who moved to the US from China and was looking to create a dish that appealed to the tastes of Americans, which is how it was born. Thank you, David!

Can I stir-fry the chicken instead of frying it?

Absolutely! As I mentioned above, the other version of this dish is stir-fried instead of deep-fried. Just skip the coating and frying step and stir fry your chicken, then add the sauce.

Could I use tofu instead of chicken?

Yup! I'd maybe skip the batter and deep frying and employ one of the crispy tofu ideas in this post . You can also check out this Sesame Apricot Tofu as an equally delicious alternative!

What type of pan is best for this recipe?

Non-stick is best for all the deep-frying fun happening here. Check out all my favorite cookware here !

How does this hold up for leftovers?

There's a little sogginess that happens for leftovers, but I still really enjoyed it. If you want to revive the crispiness, you can heat it in a pan on medium-high heat to get things crisped up again.

Could I add other veggies to this?

Absolutely! Green beans, bell peppers, snow peas, whatever suits your fancy.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Sure! Though I prefer chicken breasts in this specific recipe (makes it really deliciously tender, and a little less greasy!).

How can I make this cashew chicken healthier?

A few ideas: stir-fry the chicken instead of frying it, use brown rice instead of white rice, increase the veggies, and/or serve up that delicious chicken in lettuce cups instead for a fun lettuce wrap vibe!

Cashew Chicken

Description

Saucy, sticky, crispy, sweet and savory Cashew Chicken! Just like your favorite takeout, but made easy at home. Served with steamy rice and broccoli.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Chicken:

3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 cup cold water
about 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 cup cashew halves

Sauce:

1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon sriracha (optional)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cloves fresh garlic, grated
a small piece of fresh ginger, grated

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Instructions

Make Batter: Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, and paprika. Set aside half of the flour mixture in a small bowl. Mix the other half of the flour mixture with 3/4 cup cold water to form a loose batter.
Make Sauce: Whisk all sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
Fry Chicken: Heat oil over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles across the top. Dredge the chicken pieces in the dry flour mixture, then dip into the batter. Let excess batter drip off. Add battered chicken pieces to the oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towel lined plate. Drain out any excess oil from the pan. (SEE NOTES FOR AN EASY SHORTCUT ON THIS STEP.)
Finish: Put chicken back in the pan. Add sauce and cashews. Stir for about 1 minute, until coated and you can start to smell the garlic. Done! Serve with rice and maybe some roasted or steamed broccoli. SO GOOD!

Notes

Chicken Shortcut: I find dredging, battering, and frying individual pieces of chicken to be kind of tedious. So I tossed *all my chicken* together into the flour, then stirred up *all the floured chicken* together into the batter. From there, I dumped about half of it into the pan of hot oil – it’s going to stick together and feel very wrong, but you can work quickly and use two forks to break the pieces apart. And repeat with the other half batch. Done!

Type of Pan: Personally I like to use a nonstick for this to avoid the chicken getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Caramelization and Stickiness Level: If you like extra browning, caramelization, chewiness, and stickiness, let everything cook in the pan together for more like 5 minutes instead of 1 minute. Personally I like the texture of the sauce at 1 minute, but it does look really pretty with that caramelization.

Leftovers: They get a tad bit soggy but I still really enjoyed them. For best results, brown the chicken in a nonstick skillet for a few minutes to get some browning / crisping on the outside.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dinner
Method: Fry
Cuisine: Chinese-Inspired

Keywords: cashew chicken, takeout chicken, takeout at home, sticky chicken, chicken and rice