Cashew Chicken

I always think of Asian food as a sneaky way to add more vegetables not only to my meals but the kids too. I tend to eat more when they are mixed into something than if they are served on their own. I would not choose peppers or broccoli (unless it had cheese on it) on its own but in a dish like this I gobble it up.

Verdict:

Most dishes with an Asian flair are going to be a hit in our house. This is a saucy dish as I serve it with rice noodles (which my daughter prefers over regular or brown rice). If you don’t like your dishes as sauce cut the sauce ingredients in half. Our motto is we would rather have too much sauce than not enough. I can strain the chicken and vegetables out of the sauce but cannot create more sauce instantly once it is gone.

I served this with a cucumber and tomato salad on the side to complete the meal.

Servings: 4-6 large bowls
Time: 30-40 minutes
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into bite sized pieces
1/3 cup sesame oil
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large stalk broccoli, cut into broccoli florets
1 red bell peppers, diced small
3 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 cup unsalted dry-roasted whole cashews
1/2 cup+ low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup honey, or to taste
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (Asian sauce found near Siracha)
1 teaspoon+ ground ginger
3/4 to 1 cup green onions, sliced thinly
12 oz rice noodles for serving, if desired

Directions:

In a large bowl mix cornstarch, salt, pepper, and chicken. Stir to coat chicken completely.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat add the sesame oil and olive oil. Heat until warm. Add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes until almost cooked through.
Add the broccoli, bell peppers, and garlic to the pan. Stir well to combine. Cook 4-5 minutes until vegetables are cooked to your liking. Chicken should now be cooked through.
While chicken and vegetables are cooking in a bowl mix soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, and ginger.
Add the cashews to the chicken and stir well.
Lower heat to medium-low and add sauce to the pan. Allow the sauce to simmer until it thickens about 3-5 minutes. Taste dish and adjust spices as necessary.
Serve over rice or rice noodles as desired topped with green onions.