Description

Recreate Cheesecake Factory’s Spicy Cashew Chicken at home with crispy battered chicken, a rich, spicy soy-sherry sauce, and crunchy cashews. This sweet and savory dish is perfect for impressing guests or satisfying your craving for bold, flavorful food.

Ingredients

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

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Instructions

Make the Seasoned Rice Flour:
- In a bowl, mix rice flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and baking powder.
Make the Rice Flour Batter:
- In a separate bowl, combine rice flour, all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, and ice water. Keep the batter cold.
Prepare the Spicy Soy-Sherry Sauce:
- In a bowl, combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar (or white grape juice), rice vinegar, sriracha, sugar, minced garlic, and crushed red chili flakes. Stir to combine.
Cook the Chicken:
- Toss the chicken pieces in the seasoned rice flour. Dip them into the batter and fry in heated canola oil for about 3 minutes on each side until golden and crispy.
Add Sauce and Cashews:
- Add the prepared sauce, cashews, and green onions to the pan with the chicken. Toss everything together for about a minute until the sauce thickens.
Serve:
- Garnish with sesame seeds and parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Vegetarian Option: Substitute chicken for tofu or tempeh for a plant-based version.

Less Spice: Reduce the sriracha or omit the chili flakes for a milder flavor.

Nut Substitution: Use peanuts or almonds as alternatives to cashews, though this may alter the flavor profile.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Frying
Cuisine: Chinese, Fusion