Garlic Ginger Chicken with Cashews
Stir-fries are perfect for weeknight dinners, as they cook quickly and are extremely versatile. And using one of our exclusive stir-fry sauces makes assembly even easier. Here we add dried chiles for a dish that really packs a punch. For authentic Chinese flavor, look for dried Chinese red chiles, which are sometimes known as Tien Tsin peppers or Tianjin peppers. Beware that they tend to be quite hot, so vary the amount according to your taste—or omit them entirely if you prefer a mild dish. Serve this dish with plenty of steamed rice.
Ingredients
- 2 lb. (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) strips
- 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./185 ml) Williams Sonoma Garlic Ginger Stir Fry Sauce
- 1/2 to 1 cup (1 to 2 oz./30 to 60 g) small dried red chiles (see note)
- 2 Tbs. vegetable oil
- 1 cup (5 1/2 oz./170 g) cashews, lightly toasted
- 8 green onions, white and light green portions, sliced on the diagonal
Directions
In a sealable plastic bag, combine the chicken with 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) of the stir-fry sauce. Seal the bag and turn it to evenly coat the chicken. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the chiles in a small heatproof bowl. Cover with 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) hot water. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes to soak, then drain.
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs. of the vegetable oil. Add half of the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and no pink remains on the inside, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbs. vegetable oil and the remaining chicken to cook the second half of the chicken.
Return all the chicken to the pot. Add the remaining 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) stir-fry sauce, 3/4 cup (4 oz./125 g) of the cashews, the drained chiles and half of the green onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and the flavors have combined, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cashews and green onions and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen