If you’re craving a takeaway but want something fresh and homemade, then this Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry is the perfect dish to satisfy those cravings. This Chinese-American classic is packed with tender chicken, crunchy cashews and crisp vegetables, all coated in a deeply flavourful sauce. The best part? It comes together in just 15 minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights. Once you try this, you might never order takeaway again!
Table of Contents
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Top Tips
- Why Shaoxing Wine is Essential
- How to Get the Sauce Just Right
- Choosing the Best Chicken for Stir-Frying
- Mastering the Stir-Fry Technique
- More Stir Fry Recipes
Ingredient Breakdown
- Chicken thighs: Juicy and flavourful, they stay tender during stir-frying.
- Cashews: Roasted, unsalted cashews add crunch and nuttiness.
- Bell peppers: Vibrant, slightly sweet and crisp.
- Onion: Adds savoury depth and mild sweetness.
- Dark soy sauce: Provides a deep umami flavour and rich colour.
- Oyster sauce: Adds a savoury-sweet depth to the sauce.
- Shaoxing wine: Enhances the dish with authentic restaurant-quality flavour.
- Sesame oil: A touch of nuttiness for balance.
- Garlic and ginger paste: Essential aromatics for bold flavour.
- Corn flour: Thickens the sauce to create a glossy coating.
- Sugar: Balances out the savoury components.
- Vegetable oil: The ideal neutral oil for stir-frying.
Top Tips
This Chicken Cashew Stir-Fry is straightforward and simple to make, but a few key steps make sure that you end up with the ultimate stir-fry.
- Use high heat: Stir-frying requires a hot pan to sear the ingredients and develop flavour.
- Prep everything first: Once you start cooking, things move quickly. Have all ingredients ready to go.
- Don’t skip Shaoxing wine: It adds a depth of flavour that makes all the difference.
- Keep the vegetables crisp: Cook them just long enough to soften slightly while retaining their crunch.
- Whisk the sauce before adding: This ensures the corn flour is evenly distributed and prevents lumps.
Why Shaoxing Wine is Essential
Shaoxing wine is the secret to restaurant-quality Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry. This aged Chinese cooking wine adds depth, complexity and an unmistakable savoury note. It enhances the natural umami in soy sauce and oyster sauce, bringing all the flavours together. Without it, the dish can taste flat.
Shaoxing wine also helps tenderise the chicken, ensuring a silky, juicy bite. While some people substitute dry sherry or mirin, nothing quite matches the authentic flavour of Shaoxing wine. In the UK, many supermarkets carry it, but Asian supermarkets or online stores are the best places to find a good-quality bottle. To use it properly, always add it early in cooking, so the alcohol cooks off, leaving only its rich flavour behind. A small splash goes a long way, and once you start using it, you’ll find it indispensable in many Chinese recipes, from stir-fries to marinades.
How to Get the Sauce Just Right
The sauce in Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry should be glossy, rich and perfectly thickened. Corn flour is the key to achieving that signature silkiness. However, it’s important to mix the corn flour with water before adding it to the sauce. This prevents clumping and ensures a smooth consistency. Give the sauce another whisk before pouring it into the pan, as corn flour tends to settle at the bottom. Once added, stir constantly to help the sauce thicken evenly and coat the ingredients in a luscious glaze.
Choosing the Best Chicken for Stir-Frying
For the best texture and flavour, boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the ideal choice for Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry. They remain tender and juicy even when cooked at high heat. Unlike chicken breast, which can dry out quickly, thighs have a slightly higher fat content, which keeps them succulent. When slicing the chicken, cut it into even, bite-sized pieces to ensure quick and uniform cooking.
If you prefer chicken breast, consider marinating it briefly in a little soy sauce and cornflour to help retain moisture. For an extra tender bite, some Chinese restaurants use the velveting technique. This involves coating the chicken in a mixture of egg white, cornflour and Shaoxing wine before quickly blanching or stir-frying. While this step isn’t necessary for home cooking, it’s a great trick to make the chicken extra soft. No matter which cut you choose, cooking it quickly over high heat helps lock in moisture.
Mastering the Stir-Fry Technique
The key to great Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry is mastering the stir-fry technique. Stir-frying requires high heat and quick cooking to lock in flavours and maintain the crisp texture of the vegetables. Start by prepping everything before turning on the heat. Once you begin, there’s no time to chop or measure.
Use a wok or a large non-stick pan to allow even cooking. Heat the oil until it shimmers before adding ingredients. Stir constantly to prevent burning, moving ingredients quickly around the pan. Cook the onions and peppers first, removing them if necessary to avoid overcooking, before adding the chicken. Once the chicken is golden, reintroduce the vegetables and pour in the sauce. The key to thick, glossy sauce is cornflour, which binds everything together. Keep the heat high but controlled, ensuring every ingredient gets coated evenly. A well-executed stir-fry results in a dish that’s packed with flavour, texture and vibrant colour.
More Stir Fry Recipes
If you’re looking for more flavour-packed meals that come together in no time, just like this Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry, why not try out some of these?
- Sticky Brussels Sprouts Stir Fry: This dish proves that Brussels sprouts are far more than a side dish for Christmas dinner. Roasted until golden and tossed in a rich, umami-packed hoisin glaze, these sprouts will convert even the most sceptical eaters.
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry: Ditch the takeaway and whip up this Chinese-American classic. Bursting with delicious flavours, tender beef and crisp broccoli, this saucy stir-fry is sure to be a hit with friends and family!
- Teriyaki Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry: Bursting with delicious flavours, tender beef and crisp vegetables, this tasty stir-fry is sure to be a hit with friends and family.
See how I make these recipes and more over on my Instagram!
Cashew Chicken
Ditch the takeaway and whip up this Chinese-American classic. It’s packed with tons of flavour and comes together in less than 15 minutes! It combines succulent chicken pieces, roasted cashews and crisp vegetables tossed in a delicious, moreish sauce. Serve with steamed rice or, for a low carb option, try cauliflower rice.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Chicken, Stir Fries
Ingredients
- 1½ tbsps corn flour (cornstarch)
- 3 tbsps water
- 4 tbsps dark soy sauce
- 4 tbsps oyster sauce
- 2 tbsps Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsps garlic paste
- 2 tsps ginger paste
- 2 tsps sugar
- vegetable oil
- ½ onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 640 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 150 ml water
- 100 g roasted, unsalted cashews
Instructions
I highly recommend going the extra mile to source Shaoxing wine as it adds huge amounts of the flavour to the dish and is the secret ingredient that makes homemade Chinese food tastes as good as restaurant food. In the UK, you can find it in many large supermarkets. Otherwise, you’ll definitely find it at your local asian supermarket or online.
- Place the corn flour in a bowl. Add the water and mix until smooth. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside. Once you get cooking, the stir fry comes together very quickly, so it helps to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.
- Heat a splash of vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok over high heat. Add the onion and peppers and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the chicken and stir fry for 5 to 6 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Give the sauce a quick whisk to re-incorporate the corn flour into the sauce. Add the sauce, water and cashews to the pan. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, or until the sauce thickens.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Serve with steamed rice or, for a low carb option, try cauliflower rice.
One Response
This was absolutely delicious! Easy to put together and so so tasty