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Crispy Cashew Chicken Delight

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A quick and easy recipe featuring golden, crispy chicken with toasted cashews and a perfectly balanced sweet and savory sauce. This baked or fried dish is a crowd-pleaser perfect for weeknights or dinner parties.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free)
  • 2 large eggs, beaten, room temperature
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 cup raw cashews, toasted lightly in a dry pan
  • Cooking oil (vegetable or canola) for frying or baking spray if baking
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium preferred)
  • 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
  • Red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Chopped green onions or scallions (for garnish)
  • Extra toasted cashews (for garnish)
  • Sesame seeds (white or black, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
  2. Set up dredging station: place flour in one bowl, beaten eggs in another. Dip each chicken piece into flour, shake off excess, then into eggs, and back into flour for a double coating.
  3. Toast the cashews in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  4. Heat about 1/4 inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chicken pieces in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (internal temp 165°F). Transfer to a wire rack to drain and keep crispy. Alternatively, bake at 425°F on a wire rack for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway.
  5. In a small saucepan, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  6. Toss the crispy chicken in the sauce until evenly coated or drizzle sauce over chicken on a serving plate. Sprinkle with toasted cashews, green onions, and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Notes

Pat chicken dry before dredging to help coating stick. Double dredge for extra crunch. Fry in batches to avoid sogginess. Toast cashews separately for best flavor. Make sauce last minute and toss chicken quickly. If sauce is too thick, add water; if too thin, simmer longer. Reheat leftovers in oven on wire rack to keep crisp.

Nutrition

Keywords: crispy cashew chicken, sweet and savory sauce, easy chicken recipe, baked chicken, fried chicken, gluten-free option, weeknight dinner, crowd-pleaser

Find it online: https://tomyumy.com/crispy-cashew-chicken-delight-recipe-easy-5-step-sweet-savory-sauce/