What's for Dinner: Cashew Chicken

I have tried at least a half dozen versions of Cashew Chicken,  both from recipes and thrown together based on what I had on hand. This time around, I opted to dust off a cookbook I've rarely used - Rachel Ray's 30-Minute Meals - and try out her version.

As a rule, I do not like Rachael Ray recipes. I will admit that I have enjoyed food produced from Rachael Ray recipes, but not enough to really try a lot of her recipes out. I tend to like a lot of order to my recipes. I am not one for pouring a couple of glugs of anything into a recipe. My glug might be different than your glug. Give me tablespoons. Give me cups. Don't give me glugs. I need exactness.

Still, when I first received the book and thumbed through it, I made a note that she had her own version of Cashew Chicken -- the name so cutsie, I refuse to post it here. Not into cutsie in my cooking (baking excluded - give me a bunny shaped cake anytime). Yet another strike against her.

But you know what? It turned out great - definitely one of the better Cashew Chicken recipes I've made at home. I'll admit that I was a little heavy handed with the Sriracha on my portion, but it was a decent recipe that actually took about a half hour altogether, even with the chopping involved (I haven't been so lucky with the few other recipes I've tried - a two hour "30 Minute" Chicken and Dumpling recipe springs to mind). As a bonus, the kids loved it too. I'll be holding onto this one. Here's the recipe - glugs removed.

Cashew Chicken
(adapted slightly from Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals)

1 cup jasmine Rice
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced & mashed
2 tablespoons rice wine, rice vinegar or dry sherry (I used rice vinegar)
2 pinches crushed red pepper (more or less to suit your taste)

Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

 

1 tablespoon oil (recipe called for sesame oil, but I've always read that it's more of a flavoring oil, not a cooking one)
1 large carrot, peeled and diced into small cubes
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 can (7 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained and coarsely chopped
3 heaping tablespoons hoisin sauce
A couple of handfuls unsalted cashews
3 green onions, thinly sliced on an angle 

1. Cook the rice according to package directions.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken with 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic, rice wine, crushed red pepper and black pepper. Set aside and let it hang out.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok or large nonstick skillet over high heat until it smokes. Add carrot and stir-fry for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the coated chicken and cook another 3 or 4 minutes. Toss in the bell pepper and water chestnuts. Heat through for 1 minute. Add the hoisin and a handful of the cashews and toss to coat evenly. Place chicken on a bed of jasmine rice and top with additional cashews and green onions.