Description
Dragon Chicken Cashew Stir Fry is a flavorful and satisfying dish that combines tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and a savory sauce with a hint of heat. This recipe is perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinated Chicken:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- 0.5 teaspoon ginger powder
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 450 grams chicken thighs, sliced into 1.25 cm strips
- 65 grams plain flour
- 30 grams cornstarch
- 0.5 tablespoon chili powder
- Canola or vegetable oil, for pan frying
Sauce:
- 60 ml reduced sodium soy sauce
- 60 grams ketchup
- 45 ml honey
- 30 ml oyster sauce
- 22–30 ml Asian chili sauce (such as Sambal Oelek)
- 15 ml Chinkiang vinegar (or 7.5 ml balsamic vinegar + 7.5 ml rice vinegar)
- 15 ml toasted sesame oil
- 7.5 grams cornstarch
Additional Ingredients:
- 130 grams unsalted cashews
- 15 ml vegetable or peanut oil
- 0.5 white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 15 grams freshly grated ginger
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: 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.
- Prepare the Sauce: 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.
- Bread the Chicken: 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.
- Pan Fry the Chicken: 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.
- Toast the Cashews: 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.
- Stir Fry Vegetables and Aromatics: 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.
- Combine with Sauce: Whisk the sauce to recombine, then pour into skillet with vegetables. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 1 minute.
- Finish and Serve: 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
- Adjust the level of heat by increasing or decreasing the amount of cayenne pepper and Asian chili sauce.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour and ensure all sauces are gluten-free certified.
- Feel free to add more vegetables like snow peas, broccoli, or water chestnuts for extra crunch and nutrition.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 1050mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 44g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 135mg
Keywords: Dragon Chicken, Cashew Stir Fry, Asian Chicken Recipe, Stir Fry Recipe
