Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Chicken with Cashew Nuts Recipe

Even though I love cooking, I don’t love cooking when I have to. Dinner parties are fun, trying new dishes for the blog is fun, cooking 7 nights a week is not fun. During lockdown we have introduced a Friday night takeaway. This not only keeps me out of the kitchen but puts a bit of cash towards a local business. We had a Chinese delivery last week and it was delicious, however, it did encourage me to try to recreate one of the dishes. This Chicken with Cashew Nuts is not only a pretty good Fakeaway option, it’s quick and good value.

I have a freezer full of chicken and am always excited to find a new way to utilise it. Tossing the chopped meat in seasoned corn flour first creates a lovely crisp coating which is then doused in a slightly spiced, sweet and savoury sauce. The ingredients look reasonably lengthy, but don’t be put off, most of these are lockdown friendly, store cupboard standbys. I have meddled with the original recipe from the Recipe Critic, as the soy quantity made it too salty. The resulting dish is sweet with a tiny hit of chilli and the lovely bite of cashew nuts.

With takeaway night only once a week, this Chicken with Cashew Nuts can be whipped up in next to no time, you won’t even realise you’ve been near the kitchen.

I love a boneless chicken thigh, but if you find chicken breasts on your freezer forage then do use them. The rest of the ingredients are all standard store cupboard fodder. If you can’t find rice vinegar then use any other vinegar you have to hand.

Make a start by mixing the corn flour and black pepper in a good sized food bag.

Chop your chosen chicken into bite sized pieces and add to the bag. Toss to ensure everything is well coated.

Now take a high sided frying pan and add enough vegetable oil to only just cover the bottom. Heat over a high heat then add your coated chicken in two batches.

Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until just cooked through and golden.

Remove the chicken to a plate and cook the second batch. Turn the heat down then wipe the pan out removing most of the oil.

Measure the sauce ingredients into a jug and give it all a little whisk.

Pour the sauce mixture into the pan and bring up to the simmer. Cook for a minute or two until it’s thickened a little.

Tip in the browned chicken, with any juices, along with the cashew nuts.

Give the whole lot a good stir and bring up to the simmer once more. Cook for a further minute or two to ensure the chicken is cooked through and everything is piping hot.

Enjoy this with some noods or rice and greenery of some nature.

The takeaways may have to be put on hold now the furlough’s kicked in. But with my Chicken with Cashew Nuts every night can be a Friday night, even though I’ve had to bloody cook it.

Lucy x

Chicken with Cashew Nuts Recipe

Serves a generous 4

You won’t need any exciting equipment for this

Chicken

1kg chicken thighs, boneless, or use chicken breast if you’d rather

3 tablespoons corn flour

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Oil for shallow frying, about 5 tablespoons

Sauce

75ml soy sauce, light is best or this will be too salty

100ml water

4 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

1 teaspoon crushed garlic, fresh or lazy

1 teaspoon ginger, fresh or lazy

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 teaspoon crushed red chilli flakes

100g cashew nuts

Noodles or rice and some greens to serve

Take a large food bag and add the cornflour and black pepper and mix. Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces and add this to the bag of flour. Shake to ensure the chicken is well coated.

In a high sided frying pan, add enough oil to just cover the bottom. Heat over a medium flame until just sizzling. Add the coated chicken in two batches and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until just golden and almost cooked through. Remove to a plate and cook the second batch.

Wipe the pan removing most of the oil. Mix all the sauce ingredients, apart from the cashews, in a jug and whisk. Pour the sauce ingredients into the pan, over a low heat, and simmer for a minute or two until just starting to thicken. Tip in the cooked chicken and pan juices and stir to coat. Add the cashews. Bring the pan up to the simmer and cook for another few minutes to ensure the chicken is cooked through and is piping hot.

Serve immediately with some noodles or rice and some green veg of some nature. Garnish with fresh coriander if you have it.