Readers, I have another tasty and simple recipe for you to add to your dinner rotation! 

One thing is love about chicken is its versatility.  The same can be said for stir fry.  By now you know that I love meals that are quick to prepare, use ingredients on hand, are mostly healthy, and most importantly, are packed with flavor!  “Quick” and “healthy” do not have to mean bland. I look at stir fry as a way to clean out the fridge: use up whatever protein you have on hand, grab those veggies that are wilting in the crisper drawer, and dig out your favorite grain from the pantry.  All you need to do is toss the ingredients with some sauce and spices, and voila… dinner is served!  

Lloyd likes anything that is quick.  He tells me that’s why he doesn’t cook.

“I could have gone to McDonald’s twice in the time it took you to cook this meal.”

Or, “Why would I cook a pizza when Papa Gino’s can do it?” 

And more recently, “Why would I cook dinner?  That’s why I date you.”

Easy, Lloyd.  I know you’ve got a nice life insurance policy. 

And I just so happen to cook all of your food. 

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

Serves 4

Print this recipe!

Adapted from here and here

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 C  unsalted cashews

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 6 tablespoons chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• basmati rice, for serving

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Stir in hoisin, vinegar and soy sauce and set aside.
3. Add oil to wok or large skillet and set over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cashews and stir until garlic is golden and fragrant. 
4. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then add to wok. Cook until chicken is no longer pink, then add pepper strips, mushrooms and cornstarch mixture.
5. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Stir in all but 2 tablespoons of the green onions.
6. Serve with rice and top with remaining green onions and additional cashews, if desired.

Sorry, I’m kind of obsessed with these gorgeous pictures! 

The flavors harmonize perfectly.  Hoisin is a great sauce to add to your arsenal.  Slightly sweet, and just the tiniest bit spicy, this thick, dark brown sauce is generally a combination of soybeans, chiles, and spices.  The cashews added nice texture and flavor, with their soft crunch.  I exclaimed over and over again how much I loved the sauce.  It was light, unlike your typical Chinese fare that tastes sugar-laden and syrupy.  The key to the sauce was balance: not too sweet and not too spicy.  Its flavor was subtle, yet mouthwatering!  The real standouts in this dish were the veggies- aside from their vibrant color, the sauce made them shine!  There was some natural sweetness from the juicy red peppers, and I really enjoyed the distinct, woodsy flavor of the mushrooms.  (Lloyd doesn’t eat either of these things- score for me!)  The final sprinkling of green onions with a handful of nuts took this dish over the top.  I served this on a bed of what is quickly becoming my favorite rice: basmati! 

As far as I’m concerned, this is my favorite stir fry to date!  If Lloyd wants quick(er) food, he can go to McDonald’s.

But he’d better sleep with one eye open.