Friday, May 4, 2012

Cashew Chicken

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 5 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups peanut oil for frying
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onion for topping
  • 2 cups cashew halves

  1. Cut the chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces. In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch. In another dish or bowl beat the eggs. Dip chicken pieces into flour mixture, then eggs, then flour mixture again. Heat peanut oil in a large skillet and deep fry coated chicken in hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
  2. Meanwhile (while frying chicken), heat broth to boiling in a medium saucepan. Add oyster sauce, sugar, soy sauce and white pepper. Mix remaining 4 tablespoons cornstarch with a small amount of cold water in a cup. Stir cornstarch mixture slowly into broth mixture to thicken, then cook for another 5 minutes over medium-low heat.
  3. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Heat cashew nuts and chopped green onions in preheated oven for about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over fried chicken and top with cashews and green onion. Serve with soy sauce to taste over a bed of fried rice, if desired.