This is a dry cooked spicy chicken with cashew. Last time, when I try the traditional Cantonese hot and cashew, that’s the first time I figure out how delicious cashew can be in stir-frying dishes after absorbing the seasonings and flavors. Then I bring out this version. Though not popular already, it has the best ever chicken cubes and a slightly spicy flavor cashew for those who love heavily flavored dishes. Possibly the most heavily flavored Sichuan chicken dish should be this mala chicken in which you need to search for the chicken meat among the chili peppers. This chicken and cashew has a well balanced flavor.

Which part to use for this dish

Boneless chicken breast is recommended for traditional Cantonese chicken and cashew, since a limited amount of seasonings are used and they are not enough to cover the raw taste of chicken thigh. But for this one, boneless chicken thigh can work fine too since we add more spices and aromatics.

How to make the dish even hotter?

I use whole dried red chili peppers and the chicken cubes are already quite hot. If you prefer an even hotter version, cut the whole peppers in halves can be quite effective.

Instructions

For raw cashew, toast over slow fire until crispy.

Cut chicken into one bite size and then marinate with salt, light soy sauce, ground pepper, sesame oil and cornstarch. Mix well and set aside for at least 15 minutes.

In a large plate, mix cornstarch with all purpose flour. Then transfer the chicken cubes in to coat. Make sure each piece is well coated with flour. Do not let them sticky together. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Heat oil in wok until hot (if you insert a chopstick, there should be lots of bubbles around), fry the chicken cubes by two batches until golden brown. It takes around 1 minutes. Drain and remove extra oil.

Leave around 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in wok and fry dried chili peppers over slow fire. Continue heating for around 30 seconds, the dried chili pepper will turn dark. Place Sichuan peppercorn, ginger, garlic and spring onion, fry until aromatic.

Place red onion shreds and celery, fry for 20 seconds and add a very small pinch of salt here so the vegetables can have a very basic flavor.

Place chicken cubes in, add light soy sauce and sugar, then drizzle vinegar along with the edges. Mix well. Turn off fire and then mix in cashew. If you have fresh mint, add some fresh mint leaves bring a lovely flavor.

Other yummy Chinese dishes to try

• Authentic Kung Pao Chicken
• Cantonese chicken and cashew
• Szechuan fresh pepper chicken
• Taiwanese salt and pepper chicken
• Saliva chicken

If you tried this recipe or have only ideas, leave me a comment or tag me on instagram.  Happy cooking and enjoy!

Print

Hot Chicken with Cashew

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

 

Amazing flavored spicy chicken with cashew

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 2

Calories: 450 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 boneless chicken breast or 2 chicken thighs cut into one bite size cubes
• 1/4 cup cornstarch + 1/4 cup flour for coating
• 1/2 cup cashew , toasted

Chicken marinating

• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
• a dash of ground peppers
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. sesame oil

Side ingredients

• 1/4 red onion shredded
• 1 small brunch of celery cut into small sections (shredded)
• 12-20 dried Sichuan red chili peppers keep as whole or cut into halves
• 1 tbsp. Sichuan peppercorn
• 1 inch ginger peeled and shredded
• 4 spring onion white parts only, cut into small sections
• 2 cloves garlic sliced
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. black vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. sugar

Instructions

1. Cut chicken into one bite size and then marinate with salt, light soy sauce, ground pepper, sesame oil and cornstarch. Mix well and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
2. In a large plate, mix cornstarch with all purpose flour. Then transfer the chicken cubes in to coat. Make sure each piece is well coated with flour. Do not let them sticky together. Set aside for 5 minutes.
3. For raw cashew, toast over slow fire until crispy.
4. Heat oil in wok until hot (if you insert a chopstick, there should be lots of bubbles around), fry the chicken cubes by two batches until golden brown. It takes around 1 minutes. Drain and remove extra oil.
5. Leave around 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in wok and fry dried chili peppers over slow fire. Continue heating for around 30 seconds, the dried chili pepper will turn dark. Place Sichuan peppercorn, ginger, garlic and spring onion, fry until aromatic. Place red onion shreds and celery, fry for 20 seconds and add a very small pinch of salt here so the vegetables can have a very basic flavor.
6. Place chicken cubes in, add light soy sauce and sugar, then drizzle vinegar along with the edges. Mix well. Turn off fire and then mix in cashew. If you have fresh mint, add some fresh mint leaves bring a lovely flavor.

Nutrition Facts

Hot Chicken with Cashew

Amount Per Serving

Calories 450 Calories from Fat 180

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 20g 31%

Saturated Fat 4g 20%

Cholesterol 72mg 24%

Sodium 1208mg 50%

Potassium 815mg 23%

Total Carbohydrates 37g 12%

Dietary Fiber 4g 16%

Sugars 4g

Protein 33g 66%

Vitamin A 6.3%

Vitamin C 9.5%

Calcium 7.3%

Iron 22.2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.