Cashew Chicken (1 Brown Sauce, Many Recipes)

I came up with this sauce when I noticed that a lot of my favorite Chinese recipes use a similar sauce. It somewhat resembles the brown sauce known as “stir fry” sauce but isn’t as salty. Cashew chicken is one of my favorite Chinese recipes with brown sauce. Read to the end of the recipe for more ideas with the same sauce!

The Chicken

Start by velveting the chicken. Cut into thin slices:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast

Marinate for 15-30 minutes in the following:

1 egg white

1 T. cornstarch

Meanwhile, make the rice. I use the Instant Pot for mine and make extra rice by cooking 3 c. rice, 4 1/2 c. water, high pressure for 5 minutes, and quick release.

The Brown Sauce

Mix together in a bowl and set aside for now:

¼ c. oyster sauce

2 t. rice wine

¼ c. soy sauce

½ c. water

2 t. sugar

1 ½ T. cornstarch

⅛ t. white pepper

⅛ t. ginger powder

1 t. sesame oil

⅛ t. garlic powder

Making the Cashew Chicken

Heat a wok until it’s very hot and stir fry the chicken until it’s mostly cooked through, then remove it to a plate.

The vegetables in cashew chicken can vary a lot, but I find that we use broccoli more than anything. Stir fry next:

1 lb. of your favorite vegetables

Then, add the chicken back in with the sauce and stir until it thickens.

Sprinkle over the top:

3/4 c. roasted, unsalted cashews

Serve the cashew chicken with the rice.

Other Recipes Using The Same Brown Sauce

My favorite Chinese dishes all use a similar brown sauce. It’s amazing how different a dish can taste with different meat and vegetables, even when the sauce is the same. Try this sauce with any of the following dishes:

• beef with peppers
• beef with snow peas
• broccoli beef
• chow mein
• garlic beef
• lo mein
• Mongolian beef
• mushroom chicken