Cashew Chicken (Yao Guo Ji Ding)

The story

Cashew chicken is the dish that made Chinese cooking a weeknight verb in America. The home version beats takeout because you control the one thing restaurants cannot: the cashews go in at the very last second, and they stay loud.

Ingredients (6 + pantry staples)

• Chicken breast or thighs, diced — 1 lb / 450 g
• Roasted cashews — 3/4 cup
• Bell pepper — 1, diced
• Soy sauce — 2 tbsp
• Garlic — 3 cloves, minced
• Cornstarch — 1 tbsp

Pantry staples used (don't count toward the 6): sugar (1 tsp), cooking oil, black vinegar (1 tsp, optional). Not stocked yet? See the pantry page.

Steps

1. Toss chicken with 1 tbsp soy + cornstarch; rest 10 minutes.
2. Stir-fry chicken 4–5 minutes until cooked; remove.
3. Garlic and pepper 2 minutes; chicken back with remaining soy, a splash of water and the sugar.
4. Cashews in last, one toss, plate immediately.

Swaps

Diced zucchini or snap peas instead of pepper. Vegetarian version with firm tofu cubes.