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30-Minute Cashew Chicken

Cashew chicken with rice in a bowl
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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Better than take-out, healthier than take-out, AND ready in 30 minutes?! 30-Minute Cashew Chicken is a family friendly weeknight meal that everyone will be requesting again and again. The easy sticky sauce uses pantry staples and it cooks in just one skillet.

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs - cut into small chunks
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 3/4 cup cold water
  • 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil, for frying. Enough to form a thin layer in your pan.
  • 1 cup cashew halves
  • 1 cup white rice, cooked according to package directions
  • Sliced green onions, optional for garnish

Sticky Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce - I prefer low-sodium
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha - optional, for spice
  • 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger

Instructions

  1. Start by making the batter. Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, and paprika together in a medium bowl. Place half of the flour mixture in a small bowl. To the remaining half in the medium bowl add the cold water and mix to form a batter.
  2. Mix up the sauce. Whisk the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha, sugar, garlic, and ginger together. Set aside.
  3. Dredge and fry the chicken. Heat oil over medium heat in a medium-large skillet or pan. The oil is ready when a drop of water sizzles upon adding. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, then dip and coat in the batter. Add the battered chicken to the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side. Use a thermometer or cut open a piece to ensure it is cooked through. Remove cooked chicken and drain on a paper towel lined plate. I cooked all the chicken in two batches using a medium-large skillet. Drain excess oil from skillet.
  4. Combine the chicken and sauce. Add all the chicken back to the pan and add the sauce and cashews. Stir and cook for 2-4 minutes over medium heat until desired consistency is reached. The longer it cooks, the stickier and thicker the sauce will be.
  5. Serve and enjoy. Serve over rice and with a sprinkle of sliced green onions. Enjoy!

Notes

Leftovers? The Cashew Chicken can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for about 4 days. The chicken will lose some of its crispness and become slightly soggy. This is normal. If that doesn't bother you, you can just reheat in the microwave. But, if you want to crisp it up again then I recommend tossing it into a skillet to heat it back up.

Nutrition

Keywords: Cashew Chicken

Find it online: https://kathleenscravings.com/30-minute-cashew-chicken/