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Do you love Chicken with Cashew Nuts as much as I do? It is one of my favourite Chinese dishes. However I sometimes find that the versions served in restaurants is disappointing, and I worry about the calories, salt and fat they contain. Fancy a recipe that tastes even better than your local Chinese restaurant or take away and is healthier too?
That’s where the wonderful Ching-He Huang comes in. Author of several cookbooks, Ching is quick to point out that traditional Chinese food is healthy food. Her aim is to “demonstrate how light, healthy and simple Chinese cooking can be”. By simplifying and modernising traditional dishes she makes them much more accessible and easier to cook.
A Lighter, Healthier Chicken with Cashew Nuts Recipe
Ching’s version of Chicken with Cashew Nuts is light and the sauce consists only of soy sauce and chicken stock. It’s a refreshing change from the fluorescent coloured, artificial tasting sauces I’ve had in many restaurants.
Tips for Making Chicken with Cashew Nuts
I’ve adapted Ching’s recipe slightly and I often add more veggies than the original recipe calls for depending on what I have in my fridge.
The first time I made this recipe I could not believe that one egg white and a tablespoon of corn flour was going to be enough to batter three sliced chicken breasts but honestly, it really is.
Ching also suggests that this recipe can be made as a chow mein by adding some cooked egg noodles with the cashew nuts and spring onion. It’s a delicious variation.
If you do have a wok, I recommend using it for this recipe. It’s much easier than a frying pan and allows you to get the oil really hot so that not too much of it is absorbed. A wok is a great kitchen investment. If you don’t have one, I urge you to add it to your wish list!
Easy, fresh and delicious, Chicken with Cashew Nuts is a welcome change from take out Chinese food and is much healthier too!
Chicken with Cashew Nuts – Printable Recipe
Chicken with Cashew Nuts
Ingredients
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon corn flour corn flour is also known as corn starch
- pinch salt
- 3 raw chicken breasts, sliced
- 1 cup mild vegetable oil any oil that is suitable for frying, sunflower and ground nut oil work well
- 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
- 3 peppers, deseeded and cut in strips It's nice to use a combination of red and yellow peppers if you can
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced thinkly on the diagonal
- 3 tablespoons chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- ½ cup sliced spring onions Spring onions are also known as scallions
- ¼ cup roasted cashew nuts unsalted if possible as soy sauce is quite salty
- freshly ground pepper
- cooked Basmati rice to serve
Instructions
- Whist the cornflour, egg white and salt in a large size bowl.
- Add the sliced chicken breast and stir to coat with the egg mixture.
- Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan until it is very hot (nearly smoking, but don't leave the oil for even a second as it could catch fire).
- Carefully fry the chicken slices in 3 batches until golden brown and crispy. As each batch of chicken is done, remove it with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper. Keep warm.
- When all the chicken is cooked, turn back the heat and carefully remove all but one tablespoon of the oil from the wok or frying pan. (Put the oil in a heat safe container, and allow the oil to cool before disposing of it safely. Do not put it down the drain.)
- Add the onion and stir fry for a moment or two.
- Add the peppers and carrots and stir fry for 3 or 4 minutes or until tender crisp.
- Add the chicken pieces and stir fry to warm through.
- Mix the stock, soy sauce and a few twists of freshly ground pepper together.
- Add this sauce to the chicken and vegetables in the wok or frying pan, stirring to coat.
- Add the sliced spring onions and the cashews and stir to combine.
- Serve the stir fry over rice on warmed plates or in warmed bowls.
Notes
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag #apriljharris on Instagram and follow @apriljharris for more.
More Easy Chinese-Style Recipes
Chinese Style Beef in the Slow Cooker
Healthier Sweet and Sour Chicken
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This is so colorful and simply beautiful!
Thank you, Nicole 🙂
this looks and sounds amazing. going on my menu for this week!
Thank you, Renee! I hope you and your family enjoy it 🙂
What a beautiful version of cashew chicken! Yours is much better than any I’ve had or seen in Chinese restaurants in our area.
Thank you so much, Patty 🙂
OMG – my husband would LOVE it!!
I’m a vegetarian, but my not my husband, and he loves cashews with chickens
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Winnie 🙂 You could probably make a vegetarian version of this recipe without the chicken. Please let me know if you try!
I love chicken and cashews together ! Thanks for sharing a great recipe, April !
Thank you, Linda 🙂
Nice! Love the colors & flavors. I’d definitely stay IN for this!
Thank you, Patricia 🙂
Your dish looks incredibly tasty, April. I love chicken and cashew nuts, can’t wait to give it a try!
Thank you so much, Del 🙂
Your cashew chicken looks incredible, April. I’m inspired to try it with tofu =)
Thank you so much, Kim. I think it would be amazing with tofu! Please let me know how it goes if you try it. It would be such a great way to make this recipe suitable for vegetarians 🙂
What a pretty and delicious dish!Thank you for sharing it and the cook book it came from. I am going to see if the book is available in the US. One of my favorite things to do when traveling internationally, is to try each country’s version of Chinese food. American Chinese food is often battered, fried, and sweet. This chicken with cashew nuts sounds healthier and more delicious than take-out!
Thank you so much, Wendy. I think Ching’s cookbooks are available on Amazon. I hope you can find them! I really enjoy reading them as well as cooking from them.
I love that this is a lightened up version of one of our favorite takeout dishes! I’m with you on adding more veggies than a recipe might call for – I do that all the time! Sounds delicious!
Thank you so much, Amy. I’m so glad you like it 🙂
My husband would love a plate of this tonight! We are such stir fry fans — and cashews are a favorite!
Thank you, Lisa. We love cashews too! They just might be my favourite nut – or pistachios…I’m never sure 🙂
This recipe looks easy to make and something to try soon. I have been experimenting with Chinese dishes and this one looks easy enough and delicious for the perfect comfort food for this cold winter.
It really is a lovely, easy recipe, Ali. I do hope you will try it soon. Please let me know if you do!
I can’t stand the gloppy, fluorescent sauces that you get at Chinese restaurants either. This looks to be a clean, delicious and healthy version. So much better!
Thank you, Romain, that is exactly what I was aiming for 🙂 I’m so glad you like it.
I am all for homemade take-out- so much healthier and more delicious. I actually have some cashews in my pantry right now- I’;ll have to try this!
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, Jessy. Please do let me know if you give it a try!
Love dishes like this, I always like to add more veggies than what they normally serve in take out so this recipe is perfect. Happy 2017.
Thank you so much, Cheri. Happy 2017 to you too!
This looks delicious April. I will have to make it sometime!
Happy New Year and thanks for sharing this recipe at C&C with J&J.
Hugs, Julie xo
Thank you, Julie! Happy New Year! Hugs xo
Pinned!! 🙂 YUMMY!
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Thank you so much, Jess. I really appreciate the pin and I’ll be over shortly to share 🙂
April, we love experimenting with new Asian recipes that are healthier and yours looks delightful! A must-try for sure! Pinned, tweeted and shared. Happy weekend my friend!
Thank you so much, Linda, and thank you also for sharing. I really appreciate all your generous support! Happy weekend to you too my friend!
This looks like a great recipe! I trust your taste, April! I have tried some of your recipes, as you already know, and the result is always great! Pinning and tweeting!
Thank you so much, Hadia, what a lovely compliment! Thank you for pinning and tweeting too.
Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday. We look forward to seeing you again real soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you for hosting, Miz Helen!
This recipe sounds delicious!
Thank you 🙂
This is an Asian dish I have not had in such a long time. Looks tasty!
Thank you, Christine. It really is one of my favourites – and my hubby’s too!
This recipes looks amazing and so full of color! Thank you for sharing it with us at #funtasticFriday.
Thank you, Joyce 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you have a great day and come back soon!
Miz Helen