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Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

Saucy, sticky, crispy, sweet and savory Cashew Chicken! Just like your favorite takeout, but made easy at home. Serve with steamy rice and broccoli.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Cuisine: Chinese
Calories: 120
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken
  • 0.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon paprika
  • 0.75 cup cold water
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small bite-sized pieces
For the Sauce
  • 1 cup cashew halves
  • 0.5 cup hoisin sauce
  • 0.25 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha (optional)
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cloves fresh garlic, grated
  • 1 small piece of fresh ginger, grated

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, and paprika. Set aside half of the flour mixture in a small bowl. Mix the other half of the flour mixture with 3/4 cup cold water to form a loose batter.
  2. Whisk all sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
  3. Heat oil over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles across the top. Dredge the chicken pieces in the dry flour mixture, then dip into the batter. Let excess batter drip off. Add battered chicken pieces to the oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towel lined plate. Drain out any excess oil from the pan. (SEE NOTES FOR AN EASY SHORTCUT ON THIS STEP.)
  4. Put chicken back in the pan. Add sauce and cashews. Stir for about 1 minute, until coated and you can start to smell the garlic. Done! Serve with rice and maybe some roasted or steamed broccoli. SO GOOD!

Notes

For an easy shortcut, instead of dredging and dipping each piece individually, you can dump all the chicken into the dry flour mixture, then into the batter, and then use chopsticks or tongs to add them to the hot oil. This may feel messy, but it still results in crispy chicken.