Name: Ultimate Cashew Chicken
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: ChineseAsianAsia
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed and cut into ¾-inch pieces; 5 tablespoons soy sauce , divided; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 1 tablespoon dry sherry; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 1/3 cup hoisin sauce; 1/3 cup water; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 cup raw cashews; 2 celery ribs , sliced on bias ¼ inch thick; 6 scallions , white parts sliced thin, green parts cut into 1-inch pieces; 2 garlic cloves , minced; 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Why This Recipe Works

Our version of cashew chicken features crunchy, golden-brown, buttery cashews and tender morsels of juicy stir-fried chicken in a salty-sweet sauce. To ensure that the chunks of chicken were flavorful and remained tender and juicy, we gave them a quick soak in a mixture of soy sauce, dry sherry, toasted sesame oil, and cornstarch. The cornstarch not only coated the lean chicken and protected its exterior from becoming dry and tough but also thickened the stir-fry sauce, giving it an attractive glossy sheen. For cashew chicken that treated the cashews as more than just a garnish, we deeply toasted them in the same oil we later used for the stir-fry, so their flavor permeated the whole dish.

Before You Begin

Be sure to have all the ingredients prepared and close by so that you're equipped for fast cooking. Serve with white rice.

Instructions

Combine chicken, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, cornstarch, sherry, and sesame oil in bowl. Combine hoisin, water, vinegar, and remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce in separate bowl.

Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add cashews and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes, reducing heat if cashews begin to darken too quickly. Using slotted spoon, transfer cashews to small bowl.

Heat oil left in skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown and no longer translucent, about 3 minutes. Add celery, scallion whites, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes and cook until celery is just beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.

Add hoisin mixture, bring to boil, and cook until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thickened, 1 to 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in scallion greens and cashews. Serve.