Quick Weeknights · Chinese
Chicken with Cashews
Tender chicken morsels and bell peppers stir fried with crunchy cashews in a savory brown sauce.
Why This Works
Adding the nuts at the final stage keeps them crunchy, contrasting with the tender, starch-coated chicken.
The Upgrade
Add a few drops of dark soy sauce if you want a deeper color and more intense umami flavor.
Chef's Secret
Michelin TechniqueThe cornstarch coating (velveting) is essential for that restaurant-style silky texture on the chicken.
Ingredients
Total time including resting: 30 min
Directions
Marinate chicken with a pinch of salt and cornstarch for 10 minutes (this protects the meat from drying out during the high-heat stir-fry).
10 minToast cashews in a dry pan until lightly browned and fragrant, then set aside.
3 minHeat wok to high; sear chicken until no longer pink and edges are slightly seared.
4 minAdd bell peppers and stir-fry until just tender-crisp.
2 minAdd garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
1 minCombine soy and oyster sauces with a splash of water, adding to the pan.
1 minToss in cashews and stir until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
1 minWine Pairing
Gewürztraminer
White Wine
The BottleTrimbach Gewürztraminer
The aromatic, lychee-forward nose of Gewürztraminer elevates the savory nuttiness of the cashews. Its fuller body stands up well to the richness of the brown sauce.
Nutrition per Serving
420
calories
32g
protein
15g
carbs
24g
fat
Make It a Complete Meal
Sides the kitchen recommends alongside this dish.
Side Dish
Blanched Snap Peas
Snap peas offer a bright, sweet crunch that lightens the overall stir-fry experience and adds a refreshing green element.
Ingredients
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add the kosher salt.
Prepare an ice bath in a separate bowl.
Drop the snap peas into the boiling water for exactly 90 seconds until vibrant green and tender-crisp.
Immediately transfer the peas to the ice bath to halt the cooking process; drain thoroughly once cooled.
In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until foaming.
Toss the peas in the butter just to coat, remove from heat, finish with lemon zest and flaky sea salt, and serve immediately.
Side Dish
Egg Fried Rice
A quick side of fried rice adds heartiness and incorporates simple, reliable pantry ingredients to complete the meal.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until smoking.
Add the beaten eggs and scramble quickly until just set, then remove from the pan.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the chilled rice, tossing constantly for 3 minutes to toast the grains.
Return the eggs to the pan and incorporate the soy sauce and sesame oil.
Fold in the scallions and toss for 30 seconds to combine.
Serve immediately while steaming hot.
Member Reviews
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Loved the short ingredient list. Everything was already in my pantry.