Description
A flavorful and crispy dish inspired by Cheesecake Factory’s Spicy Cashew Chicken, featuring tender chicken chunks fried to golden perfection and tossed in a spicy, tangy soy-sherry sauce with crunchy cashews and fresh green onions. This recipe balances heat and sweetness for a satisfying and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
- 8 oz cashews
- 6 green onions, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- ⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil
Seasoned Rice Flour:
- ¾ cup rice flour
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- ⅛ tsp paprika
- ⅛ tsp baking powder
Rice Flour Batter:
- 1 ½ cups rice flour
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups ice water
Spicy Soy-Sherry Sauce:
- 1 cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar or white grape juice
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sriracha sauce
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 oz fresh garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp crushed red chili flakes
Instructions
- Make the Seasoned Rice Flour: In a medium bowl, whisk together rice flour, kosher salt, ground black pepper, paprika, and baking powder until evenly combined.
- Make the Rice Flour Batter: In a separate large bowl, mix rice flour, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Gradually whisk in the ice water until the batter is smooth and cold. Keep the batter refrigerated until ready to use.
- Prepare the Spicy Soy-Sherry Sauce: In a small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar (or white grape juice), rice vinegar, sriracha, granulated sugar, minced garlic, and crushed red chili flakes. Stir thoroughly to blend all ingredients and set aside.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat canola oil in a deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Toss the chicken pieces in the seasoned rice flour, coating them evenly. Then dip each piece into the cold rice flour batter, allowing excess to drip off. Fry the chicken in batches for about 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Add Sauce and Cashews: Reduce heat to medium and add the fried chicken back to the pan. Pour in the prepared spicy soy-sherry sauce, add the cashews and green onions, and toss everything together gently. Cook for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken evenly.
- Serve: Transfer the spicy cashew chicken to a serving platter. Garnish optionally with sesame seeds and chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Keep the batter cold by refrigerating it until just before frying for best crispy results.
- Use a deep pan or wok with enough oil to deep-fry the chicken pieces evenly.
- Adjust the amount of sriracha and chili flakes in the sauce for your preferred spice level.
- Garnishes like sesame seeds or fresh herbs add visual appeal and subtle flavor enhancements.
- Ensure chicken pieces are cut evenly for consistent cooking time.
