Chinese Cashew Chicken

Chinese Cashew Chicken
Easy, quick and delicious. What makes this Chinese cashew chicken truly special is the delicious and flavoursome glaze/coating around each piece of chicken. 
Chinese Cashew Chicken

Ingredients

  • 4 large chicken thighs, skinless, boneless about 500g/1lbs, roughly cut into 2.5cm/1inch cubes
  • ½ cup roasted cashew nuts (note 1)
  • 1 red capsicum roughly cut into 2.5cm/1inch squares
  • 1 green capsicum roughly cut into 2.5cm/1inch squares
  • 1 brown onion roughly cut into 2.5cm/1inch squares
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoon oil neutral tasting oil such as canola or sunflower

Chicken marinade

  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine substitute: dry sherry
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • ½ teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup cold water

Instructions

  • Combine chicken with marinade ingredients. Mix well, cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
  • In a large skillet or non-stick frying pan, saute chicken with 1 tablespoon of oil on high heat. Turning every minute for about 4 minutes or until chicken is caramelised but not cooked through. (note 2) Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
  • In the same pan (without washing), add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, onions, garlic and capsicums (bell peppers). Cook on high heat until vegetables slightly charred and caramelised (flavour!). About 4 minutes.
  • Whilst vegetables are cooking, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well until sauce is smooth and constarch is disolved.
  • Add cashew nuts and chicken back into the pan, mix through then pour in prepared sauce. Reduce heat down to medium and stir until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked. This should take about 2 minutes.
  • Serve with freshly steamed rice!

Notes

Note 1. Salted or unsalted cashew nuts this recipe is quite forgiving and will work with either. However, taste and adjust for salt if required (especially if using unsalted). 
Note 2. Turning chicken every minute this is a good technique when caramelising chicken (or brown) as much as possible. Turning the chicken constantly with a spatula will cause the chicken to release its juices and thus stops caramelisation to occur. This is the case for most things (meats and vegetables!). One that I refer back to is cooking steak. Turning it once or twice to keep the juices inside and caramelisation on the outside. 
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