This simple stir-fry dish is made with a light oyster sauce base and is relatively mild in flavour. The extra crunch of the onions, carrots, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and fried cashew nuts adds a delicious texture to the dish. With the ingredients prepared, as with any stir-fry, the final meal comes together in just a few minutes.
(Chinese Takeaway Style)
- 1 chicken breast, sliced
- Pinch sea salt
- Pinch white pepper
- Pinch msg
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon potato starch or cornflour
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- Dash dark soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon tomato ketchup
- Pinch white pepper
- Pinch msg
- 125 ml light chicken stock
- 1/2 small carrot sliced
- 1/2 onion sliced
- 1 handful bamboo shoots rinsed and drained
- 1 handful water chestnuts rinsed and drained
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 generous teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon potato flour or cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon rice wine
- Dash sesame oil
- 1 handful fried cashew nuts see notes
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In a bowl, combine sliced chicken, sea salt, white pepper, msg, vegetable oil, water and potato flour or cornstarch. Mix well and set aside.
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In another bowl, combine oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, tomato ketchup, white pepper and msg. Mix well. Add the light chicken stock and mix once more.
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In a bowl, add sliced carrot, sliced onion, bamboo shoots & water chestnuts. Set aside.
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Heat a pot with boiling water. Add the marinated chicken & simmer for 1-2 minutes or until the chicken is sealed. Drain the water and set the chicken aside.
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Heat the wok on a high heat until smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the prepared vegetables and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken and stir-fry for a further 1 minute. Add the garlic paste and stir fry for a further 30 seconds.
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Add the prepared sauce. Mix well, bring to the boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the potato flour / cornflour and water mix and stir through until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.
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Add the rice wine and sesame oil. Mix once more and empty the chicken, vegetables & sauce into a long foil tray. Top with the fried cashew nuts and serve.
Chinese takeaways / restaurants typically fry cashew nuts in oil until deep golden brown. To do this, heat vegetable oil to 180c and fry the cashew nuts for around 1 minute until golden, drain and set aside (this can be done in advance of cooking). For a healthier method, the cashew nuts can be toasted in a dry wok or frying pan for 2-3 minutes over a medium-high heat until toasted.
If you like this Chicken with Cashew Nuts recipe, you might be interested in buying my book: The Chinese Takeaway Secret
