Chinese-American · main

Cashew Chicken

Cashew Chicken reads umami 6.7, salinity 5.6 and richness 5.1 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese-American main, about 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.7 · Salinity 5.6 · Richness 5.1 · Nutty 4.3 · Sweetness 3.3 · Allium 3.3 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Warm Spice 2.1 · Herbaceous 2.1 · Fruity 1.7 · Sourness 1.3 · Floral 1.2 · Citrus 1.0 · Bitterness 0.9 · Earthy 0.9

What's in it (15)

• boneless chicken — 454 g
• soybean soy sauce — 30 g
• dry sherry — 15 g
• cornstarch — 30 g
• cashews — 237 g
• vegetable oil — 41 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 118 g
• oyster sauce — 30 g
• brown sugar — 13 g
• dark sesame oil — 5 g
• garlic — 9 g
• ginger — 15 g
• red bell pepper — 100 g
• scallions — 400 g
• salt — 3 g

Time & effort: about 30 min (15 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 179.8 kcal, 12.8 g protein, 10.3 g fat, 9.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Toast the cashews in a large dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the sherry, and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, oyster sauce, the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until smooth; set the sauce aside.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer and sear undisturbed until deeply golden on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes, then stir-fry until the pieces are opaque throughout and an instant-read thermometer reads 165 F, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to the cashew plate.
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet. Add the garlic, ginger, bell pepper, and scallion whites and stir-fry until fragrant and the pepper is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
6. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet and toss to combine, about 1 minute.
7. Whisk the sauce once more to recombine the settled cornstarch, then pour it into the skillet. Cook, tossing constantly, until the sauce thickens and coats everything in a glossy sheen, 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Season with the salt, tasting and adding more if needed.
9. Fold in the toasted cashews and scallion greens, tossing just to combine, and serve immediately.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chicken and Snap Pea Stir-Fry with Cashews — Chinese-American
• Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein — Chinese-American
• Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry — Chinese-American
• Beef Yaki Udon — Japanese
• One-Pan Chicken Fried Rice — Chinese-American

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.