Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Many people and I included are reluctant to cook Chinese food because it is complicated to prepare and mostly time consuming. Therefore, Chinese takeout restaurants are growing in small towns, large cities, or in shopping malls. After many attempts to prepare simple Chinese stir-fried recipes at home, I am confident to share this popular dish with all my blog followers. Do not fear not having adequate equipment on hand to prepare Chinese food dishes because they are homemade dishes anyway. The stir-fried sauce is the most important item in Chinese cooking. However, simplifying the sauce makes it easier to finish these dishes. I never order a take-out dish from Chinese restaurants anymore because preparing the stir-fried dish at home is a much healthier choice, with less oil, and I totally control the ingredients put into a dish.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, sliced

1 tsp baking soda

Marinade ingredients:

1 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs shaoxing wine (Chinese wine)

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp peanut oil

Pinch of white pepper

Stir-fried sauce ingredients:

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs oyster sauce

1 tbs cooking wine

1/2 cup chicken broth or water

1 tbs cornstarch

1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt

Vegetables:

1 tbs peanut oil

1/2 white onion, cubed

1/2 red bell pepper, cubed

1 celery stalk, sliced

3 mushrooms, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup roasted cashew nuts.

Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro

Serve with cooked rice

Directions:

Mix sliced chicken breasts with baking soda for 20 minutes and rinse (this method will help tenderize the meat-- omitting this step is okay)

Mix the marinade sauce ingredients and add into the chicken. Marinate the meat for 1 hour.

Combine the stir-fried sauce ingredients and mix well.

Heat oil in a wok and add chicken. Stir and cook until sliced chicken breasts are no longer pink. 

Add white onions and garlic. Stir and cook until fragrant about 1 minutes.

Add all the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes.

Pour the stir-fried sauce on top and bring to boil. Stir briefly and mix all the chicken and vegetables until all are coated with sauce (about 2 minutes more).

Stir in cashew nuts and green onions. Remove from heat.

Sprinkle with cilantro when served.