Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

Sweet Spiced Chicken and Cashew Nuts

Cashew Chicken is a popular Chicken Stir Fry Recipe and a revered part of Thai Cuisine. Chicken Stir Frys are easily made at home but be sure to use the freshest ingredients and cook over a high heat.

You will need a hot wok and a cooking oil with a high smoking point. The ingredients must be prepared before you start cooking and should be assembled close by for easy access while doing the stir fry.

Once the stir-frying starts it goes really fast. I love the colours and textures that stir-fry dishes have and they are great served with egg noodles or rice. This particular cashew chicken stir fry recipe doesn't have many other vegetables in it so you may want to add your own as a side dish. Brocolli, peppers and miniature corn cobs work well.

Sweet Spiced Chicken and Cashew Nut Stir-Fry

Serves 2

2 tbsp groundnut oil
1 star anise
1 tsp red peppercorns (try Szechuan Peppercorns for their citrussy taste)
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 whole dried red chillies
1 red onion, sliced
300g chicken breast (2 large breasts), cut into 2cm squares
2cm piece of fresh ginger, sliced into matchsticks
1 tbsp rice wine
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp black rice vinegar (available from Oriental Supermarkets or substitute with balsamic vinegar)
2 tsp brown sugar
small handful cashew nuts
2 spring onions, cut into 2cm slices

Preparing The Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

Ensure that you have all the ingredients close by because you'll need to work very fast.
Heat your wok over a very high heat. Pour in the groundnut oil and as it begins to smoke, add the star anise, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and chillies. As the spices get heated they will start to release their fabulous fragrance - this will only take a few seconds.
Add the sliced red onion, chicken breast pieces and all the remaining ingredients except the spring onion. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes and toss to mix all the flavours together well. Cook for a further 3 minutes, check the chicken is cooked, then add the spring onion, stir and serve with cooked egg noodles or rice.
Be sure to remove the whole spices (cinnamon and chilies) before you serve the chicken stir fry.

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