This saucy Cashew Chicken is ready in a hurry -- 15-20 minutes and you'll be enjoying this tasty stir fry. No actual frying is required -- we toss leftover cooked chicken with sautéed red peppers and roasted cashews in an irresistible savory sauce!
SAUCE: Combine cornstarch and rice vinegar in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until smooth then add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Stir until smooth and set aside for now. (Stir this sauce once more right before adding to skillet.)
PREP: Cube chicken into 1-inch pieces and set aside. Thinly slice bell pepper(s).
COOK: Heat 2/3 tablespoon sesame oil in a large nonstick sauté pan. Once the oil is hot, add in the thinly sliced pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until crisp tender. Add in the cubed chicken, cashew halves, and scrape every bit of sauce on top. Cook, stirring gently and constantly for about 1-2 minutes or until the sauce nicely thickens and coats everything and chicken is warmed through (Note 5). Remove from heat and drizzle the remaining 1/3 tablespoon sesame oil over everything.
SERVE: Serve right off the stovetop over cooked rice and garnish with thinly sliced green onions and sesame seeds (if desired).
Video
Notes
Note 1: Quick ginger and garlic: Keep things quick by using refrigerated minced garlic and refrigerated ginger paste.Note 2: Red pepper: Use one large bell pepper or about six or seven mini peppers. In the picture and video we are using mini red bell peppers and thinly sliced the whole peppers on a diagonal.Note 3: Chicken: Use leftover grilled chicken breasts, already grilled chicken breasts from the store, or a rotisserie chicken. I don't recommend shredding the chicken; it's best when cut into larger cubes.Note 4:Ready Rice® or microwaveable packaged rice. For a quick rice base use Ready Rice which is already cooked and just needs to be heated to warm it through. Follow directions to heat through in microwave — so easy and convenient! This type of packaged rice is typically found among other packets of rice and grains in the grocery store.Note 5: Cooking: Since the chicken is already cooked, we don't want to cook it too long here or it will dry it out. We just want to warm through the chicken and ensure the sauce thickens nicely!