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Crispy Cashew Chicken Takeout-Style Recipe

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A quick and easy homemade takeout-style crispy cashew chicken with a perfect sweet-savory sauce and toasted cashews, ready in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • Vegetable oil or peanut oil for frying
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/2 cup roasted cashews
  • Green onions, sliced (for garnish)
  • Sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
  • Steamed jasmine rice or preferred grain (to serve)

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels to help the batter stick better.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, and black pepper.
  3. In another bowl, beat the eggs until smooth.
  4. Dip each chicken piece first into the beaten eggs, then dredge in the cornstarch-flour mixture, ensuring full coverage. Set aside.
  5. Pour about 1/4 inch of vegetable or peanut oil into a skillet or wok and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking (about 350°F).
  6. Fry chicken pieces in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
  7. While frying, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
  8. Toast roasted cashews in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently.
  9. Drain most oil from the skillet, leaving about 1 tbsp. Pour sauce into the hot skillet and cook over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
  10. Add fried chicken and toasted cashews to the sauce, stirring gently to coat evenly.
  11. Remove from heat and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately over steamed jasmine rice or preferred grain.

Notes

Maintain oil temperature around 350°F to ensure crispy coating. Avoid overcrowding the pan to prevent soggy chicken. Adjust sauce thickness by adding water or broth if too thick, or cooking longer if too thin. Reheat leftovers in skillet or oven to keep crispiness.

Nutrition

Keywords: crispy cashew chicken, takeout-style chicken, homemade cashew chicken, easy chicken recipe, quick dinner, sweet-savory sauce, toasted cashews

Find it online: https://evabakery.com/crispy-cashew-chicken-takeout-style-recipe-easy-30-minute-homemade-dinner/