I often get requests for more Indo-Chinese and Hakka-style recipes. So I thought why not bring back an old favorite from the blog: Cashew Chicken. Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get recipes & tips every week! Along with an extra dose of red chili flakes, this recipe uses a generous amount of aromatics compared to more subtle versions of the stir-fry. More Indo-Chinese favorites: Chilli Chicken, Chicken Manchurian, Chicken Shashlik, Honey Ginger Chicken, and Chicken Jalfrezi
Origins
Cashew Chicken is a popular Chinese stir-fry made famous by Chinese-American restaurants. Like many Asian dishes, Cashew Chicken has made its way into Indo-Chinese restaurants, which serve a bolder, more intensely flavored version. This recipe is loosely adapted from Rasa Malaysia. I love her tip for tenderizing the chicken – simply coat the chicken in baking soda before cooking. This loosens the protein bonds and makes the chicken tender, moist, and almost silky.
Sauce Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make the sauce:
Oyster-flavored Sauce – Oyster sauce gives essential flavor and sweetness to this recipe. I use a gluten-free version. Soy sauce, GF soy sauce, or Tamari – Any all-purpose soy sauce will work. Rice vinegar – You may substitute regular distilled white vinegar. Sesame oil – I use the toasted kind but in a pinch, I’ve successfully tipped some untoasted sesame oil from my jar of tahini. Red chili flakes – These are essential for the signature Indo-Chinese flavor. Ground black pepper & white pepper. Sugar – I use raw cane sugar but you can use any you’d like. Kosher salt or sea salt – I love using sea salt in Asian dishes as it gives a bit of MSG flavor without the MSG. Keep in mind that the type of sauces you use will affect the amount of salt you need.
Other Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll also need standard stir-fry ingredients like garlic, ginger, onions, and bell pepper. Can’t forget the cashews (use any you have on hand) and chicken. How much chicken?The older version of this recipe called for 1 chicken breast, which is usually around 0.5-0.7 lb. Back then, I didn’t have a weighing scale so I just eyeballed the amount (#truestory).I now use (and suggest using) around 1 lb to make this recipe. Using less than 1 lb will increase the quantity of the sauce and make it more concentrated in flavor.
How to make it (Workflow)
Tenderize Chicken
Make the Sauce
Stir-Fry the Chicken
Stir-fry Veggies
Toss Everything to Combine
How to make it more saucy
I’ve experimented with adding more water to the sauce, but I found it diluted the flavors of the sauce. On the flip side, doubling the sauce made the dish overpoweringly strong. So, if you’re looking to make it saucier without losing any of that flavor, here’s what I recommend: Over high heat, spread the chicken into a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Then flip the pieces and continue to cook for another minute before stir-frying for a few more minutes. This works to prevent overcooking because:
Since the chicken is spread out, it doesn’t release too much water. This helps it sear nicely and cook more evenly. The pieces remain slightly raw in the center and finish cooking with the sauce instead of getting overcooked in the final stage.
Add the ingredients in the sauce generously. Add an extra 1/4 cup water plus a teaspoon of cornstarch to the sauce so it thickens instead of evaporating.
Variations and Tips
Onion and green bell pepper are often associated with cashew chicken, but you can use other stir-fry-friendly vegetables too. I’ve loved using celery when I had it on hand. For an extra spicy kick, add a bit of red chili pepper along with the salt when marinating the chicken. As with all stir-fries, have all the ingredients ready to go before you start cooking! A good idea is to prep while you tenderize the chicken.
What to Serve it With
I usually eat basmati rice with Indo-Chinese dishes, but I love serving this with Jasmine rice. I find the crispy, crunchy texture of the Cashew Chicken really stands out with the shorter rice kernels. I think it’d also be great with noodles. Either way, you can’t go wrong! Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! You can also take a quick picture and upload it directly into the comments. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!
