Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast – cut into 0.75-inch pieces (~4 n/a chicken breasts)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (1.2g)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (8g)
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 2 tsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 cup chicken stock, low-sodium
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic – finely minced
- 1 tbsp ginger – finely minced
- 1 cup celery – sliced 0.25-inch on a bias
- 1 medium bell pepper – cut into 0.75-inch pieces
- 4 scallion – white and green parts separated, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tbsp neutral oil – divided
- 1 cup cashew – unsalted, roasted
- steamed rice – cooked (for serving)
Instructions
- 1.
Whisk the sauce: In a bowl, whisk 0.5 cup low-sodium chicken stock, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, and 2 tsp cornstarch until smooth; set aside.
- 2.
Velvet the chicken: In a separate bowl, combine 0.25 tsp baking soda, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 0.25 tsp white pepper, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 2 tsp neutral oil. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Marinate 15 minutes at room temperature.
- 3.
Prep the aromatics and vegetables: Finely mince the garlic and ginger. Slice the celery, cut the bell pepper into 0.75-inch pieces, and cut the scallions into 1-inch pieces, keeping whites and greens separate.
- 4.
Stir-fry the chicken: Heat a wok or large skillet over high until just smoking. Add 1.5 tbsp neutral oil and half the chicken in an even layer. Sear undisturbed 1 minute, then stir-fry until just cooked through with light browning, 2–3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining 1.5 tbsp neutral oil and repeat with the rest of the chicken; return the wok to high heat.
- 5.
Aromatics: Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites to the wok. Stir-fry until fragrant, 30 seconds.
- 6.
Vegetables: Add celery and bell pepper. Stir-fry until crisp-tender, 2–3 minutes.
- 7.
Sauce and combine: Return all chicken and any juices to the wok. Stir the sauce, pour it in, and toss continuously until it boils and thickens to a glossy coating that clings to the chicken and vegetables, 1–2 minutes.
- 8.
Finish: Add cashews and scallion greens; toss until the nuts are warmed and the greens just wilt, 30–60 seconds. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Cashew Chicken is a hallmark of Chinese-American stir-fry: tender bites of chicken, crisp-tender celery and bell pepper, and buttery roasted cashews bound in a savory, lightly sweet sauce. The textures play off each other—the crunch of nuts and vegetables against juicy chicken—while a glossy, soy-and-oyster-based sauce ties everything together. It’s satisfying, fast-cooking, and designed to be eaten hot over steamed rice, making it a weeknight favorite and a takeout classic.
Originating from Cantonese stir-fry traditions adapted to American tastes, this dish found a permanent home on Chinese-American restaurant menus in the mid-20th century. Some regional offshoots emerged—most famously the Springfield, Missouri version, which deep-fries the chicken and serves it with a brown gravy—yet the stir-fried rendition remains the widely recognized standard. Today, Cashew Chicken stands as a bridge between Chinese technique and American pantry preferences, showcasing how immigrant cooks transformed familiar methods into enduring comfort food.