Cashew Chicken

After a long day yesterday, I did not feel like spending an hour making dinner. But, I had already taken chicken breasts out for dinner, so I wanted to make something instead of going out. I did what I do every time I need to find something to make for dinner...searched my Google Reader!

Luckily for me, last weekend I went through all my starred recipes and labeled them so it's much easier for me to find what I need. I was really looking for a recipe using ingredients I already had on hand, and this one fit the bill. I had everything at home already, except for the green onions, which is why I left them out. I also didn't feel like waiting around for the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes like the recipe says, so I didn't. This meal was great served with rice. I've never actually tried cashew chicken at a Chinese restaurant, so I don't have anything to compare it to. But now that I have this recipe, I won't even need to get it at a restaurant!

Cashew Chicken
from Milk & Honey, written as I made it

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
2 tbsp. dry sherry
1 tsp. ground ginger
3 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, separated
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil, separated
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 c. cashews

Mix sherry, ginger, 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl. Toss chicken with the mixture and set aside. In another bowl, mix chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and 2 tsp. cornstarch.

Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until it starts to brown, or about 8 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan and set aside. Add 1 tsp. oil, garlic, and cashews to the pan. Cook until garlic softens, or about 1 minute. Add chicken back to the pan, whisk the chicken broth mixture, and add sauce to pan. Cook until sauce starts to bubble and thicken (about 3 minutes). Serve over rice.