Dragon Chicken Cashew Stir Fry (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Marinade
01 -
1 large egg
02 -
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
03 -
0.5 teaspoon ginger powder
04 -
0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
05 -
0.5 teaspoon onion powder
06 -
0.5 teaspoon paprika
07 -
0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
08 -
450 grams chicken thighs, sliced into 1.25 cm strips
→ Chicken Breading
09 -
65 grams plain flour
10 -
30 grams cornstarch
11 -
0.5 tablespoon chili powder
12 -
Canola or vegetable oil, for pan frying
→ Sauce
13 -
60 ml reduced sodium soy sauce
14 -
60 grams ketchup
15 -
45 ml honey
16 -
30 ml oyster sauce
17 -
22–30 ml Asian chili sauce (such as Sambal Oelek)
18 -
15 ml Chinkiang vinegar (or 7.5 ml balsamic vinegar + 7.5 ml rice vinegar)
19 -
15 ml toasted sesame oil
20 -
7.5 grams cornstarch
→ Stir Fry
21 -
130 grams unsalted cashews
22 -
15 ml vegetable or peanut oil
23 -
0.5 white onion, thinly sliced
24 -
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
25 -
15 grams freshly grated ginger
26 -
6 garlic cloves, minced
→ Garnish
27 -
Toasted sesame seeds
28 -
Sliced green onions
# Instructions:
01 -
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, soy sauce, and all marinade spices. Add the sliced chicken and turn to thoroughly coat. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature while preparing other ingredients, or refrigerate overnight and bring to room temperature before breading.
02 -
In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, ketchup, honey, oyster sauce, chili sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch until smooth and cornstarch is fully dissolved. Set aside.
03 -
In a large plastic bag or bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, and chili powder. Remove chicken from marinade, pat off excess moisture, and add to breading mixture. Toss or shake until each strip is evenly coated.
04 -
Heat 60 ml of canola or vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, place the breaded chicken in a single layer and cook for approximately 4 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and cooked through. Transfer cooked chicken to a plate lined with paper towels. Add more oil if necessary and repeat with remaining chicken.
05 -
In a dry large cast iron skillet over medium heat, toast the cashews, stirring occasionally, until golden spots appear. Remove from heat and set aside.
06 -
Add a drizzle of oil to the now empty skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion and bell pepper, stir frying for 2 minutes. Add freshly grated ginger and minced garlic, stir frying for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
07 -
Whisk the sauce to recombine, then pour into skillet with vegetables. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 1 minute.
08 -
Return the cooked chicken and toasted cashews to the pan, stirring to evenly coat in the sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Serve immediately for optimal crispiness.
# Notes:
01 -
Slice, marinate, and prepare sauce components in advance to streamline mealtime.
02 -
For maximum crunch, add chicken to the sauce just before serving; delaying will cause breading to soften.
03 -
Adjust chili sauce to control heat level.