Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

Although Eric and I both immensely enjoy spending time in the kitchen, there are some nights that doing so just isn’t feasible. We recently had a night like that. Though we didn’t have any prior commitments, both of us were sick with nasty colds and didn’t have the energy to cook anything too involved. Having already eaten soup three times that week, I was looking for something that would be easy, tasty and spicy. This recipe turned out to be exactly what we needed. Having already made it a couple times before, I knew it would pack a lot of flavor in a short amount of time. Plus, I figured a dose of Siracha in our meal might help clear up our colds. Hey, it couldn’t hurt, right?

I love making stir-fry because it’s quick, delicious and filling. You can really use any combination of meat and vegetables, which makes it highly adaptable. I love this combination – moist chicken, crisp-tender pepper strips and crunchy cashews. The sauce is made from hoisin and white wine vinegar, with a cornstarch slurry to thicken it. I was a little wary the first time we made this because I thought for sure the sauce would need more ingredients, but it’s quite flavorful as is. The only change I made to the original recipe is to add Siracha to the sauce. I like the heat it adds, but you can certainly leave it out if you don’t want the dish to be spicy. This is an insanely quick meal, and it takes longer to prep the ingredients than it does to actually cook them. If you’re fast with a knife, you can have this meal on the table in next to no time, perfect for nights when you’re in a hurry or simply lack the energy to cook.

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons water or chicken broth
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon Siracha (optional)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
salt and pepper, to taste
Half a bell pepper, cut into strips
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
Rice, for serving

Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water/chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Stir in hoisin, vinegar and Siracha and set aside.

Add oil to wok or large skillet and set over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cashews and stir until garlic is golden and fragrant. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then add to wok. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, then add pepper strips and cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the green onions. Serve with rice and top with remaining green onions and additional cashews, if desired.

Serves 3

Adapted from Eclectic Recipes