Tender cuts from chicken thighs are quickly stir-fried with scallions and cashews in a delightfully spiced sauce to create a meal full of flavors that put your regular takeout to shame. A first-rate dish from Best Quality Daughter in San Antonio has inspired this new approach to cashew chicken, drawing cues from a less sweet Thai variant.

Shaoxing wine, a Chinese rice wine resembling Japanese mirin, is a key ingredient in the recipe. It can be sourced from any Asian grocery store. Serving suggestions for this dish include white rice, stir-fried noodles, or lettuce cups for a meal less heavy on the stomach.

The secret behind the gentle crispiness of the chicken lies in an even cornstarch coating on the chicken pieces. Equally distributing the cornstarch is the key step you need to nail. A Gewürztraminer with a gingery touch, like Lucien Albrecht Reserve, is recommended to accompany the unique flavors stemming from the five-spice in Cashew Chicken.

The recipe begins with marinating the chicken with Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, Chinese five-spice, and garlic. After an ample coating of cornstarch, the chicken pieces are pan-fried until well-cooked and browned. Cashews and Thai chilies add a crunchy texture and spicy flavor. With the addition of oyster sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce, a tangy and sweet sauce is prepared. Finally, scallions and onions are added and everything is cooked together until the sauce thickens and the chicken pieces are well-glazed.

Clear your evening schedule, because a fantastic culinary experience awaits you with this cashew chicken recipe. This dish promises to be a crowd-pleaser as it perfectly combines the textures and flavors of different ingredients. So why not turn your usual weeknight into a feast? This recipe initially made its appearance in the Food & Wine magazine in March 2024.