Cashew Chicken and Broccoli

Cashew chicken has always been a tough one for me to get right. And every Chinese restaurants insist on adding bell peppers, which is an immediate dealbreaker for me. Why ruin perfectly good cashew chicken?

The versions I've made at home haven't quite hit the mark either. They've tended to be too sweet, with the hoisin sauce taking over the whole dish. I actually read through this recipe carefully before making it (shocking, I know), and immediately noticed the amount of hoisin seemed excessive. I cut it back a bit, and I think that cracked the code. The sauce had plenty of flavor without tasting like a bowl of hoisin sauce.

Another bonus here is the ground chicken. I've really become a fan of using ground chicken lately, and it worked surprisingly well in this dish. It cooked quickly and soaked up all that good sauce.

I'd definitely make this one again. It's fast, easy, and delicious—which, as far as I'm concerned, is the trifecta of a great weeknight recipe.

Cashew Chicken and Broccoli

Recipe from Table for Two Blog

Serves 4

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2 cups broccoli florets, sliced
• 1 cup cashew halves, more for garnish
• Sliced scallions, for garnish

FOR THE SAUCE:

• ½ cup hoisin sauce
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons garlic chili sauce

In a medium bowl, whisk together ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoons of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add the ground chicken. Break into smaller pieces with a meat chopper or spatula/wooden spoon. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and no pink remains.

Add the sliced broccoli to the skillet and cook until tender.

Pour the sauce all over the mixture in the skillet and allow to thicken. Add the cashews on top and toss to coat. Remove from heat.

Serve with white rice and drizzle extra sauce on top.