Description
Craving restaurant-style Spicy Cashew Chicken from Cheesecake Factory brings classic Asian-inspired flavors right to home kitchens. Crispy chicken nestled in spicy-sweet sauce with crunchy cashews creates a mouthwatering meal you’ll want to savor again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1.5 pounds chicken breast, cut into bite-size chunks
- 8 ounces cashews
Flour and Coating:
- 1/3 cup rice flour
- 1/3 cup seasoned rice flour
Sauce and Oils:
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 6 green onions, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Instructions
- Prepare seasoned rice flour by thoroughly blending dry ingredients in a mixing container, ensuring even distribution of spices and flour.
- Create a chilled batter by whisking ingredients in a bowl set over an ice bath, maintaining a cold temperature to ensure crisp coating.
- Craft the sauce by combining liquid and dry components, stirring until smooth and well-integrated.
- Coat chicken pieces generously with the seasoned rice flour, shaking off excess for an even, light dusting.
- Submerge floured chicken into the cold batter, gently folding to achieve complete and uniform coverage.
- Heat canola oil in a large wok or skillet to medium-high temperature, allowing it to reach optimal frying conditions.
- Carefully lower battered chicken into hot oil, avoiding overcrowding the cooking surface.
- Fry chicken pieces for approximately 3-4 minutes per side, rotating to ensure golden-brown crispiness and complete cooking.
- Separate any chicken pieces that might stick together during frying, maintaining individual piece integrity.
- Pour prepared sauce over crispy chicken, introducing cashews and green onions to the pan.
- Toss ingredients vigorously, coating each piece with sauce and distributing components evenly.
- Allow mixture to simmer briefly, approximately 30-45 seconds, enabling sauce to caramelize and thicken.
- Transfer to serving plate and garnish with sesame seeds, fresh parsley, and additional crushed cashews for textural contrast.
Notes
- Flour Selection Matters: Use rice flour for an ultra-crispy chicken coating that’s lighter and crunchier than traditional wheat flour.
- Batter Temperature Technique: Keeping the batter ice-cold ensures a super-crisp exterior by preventing oil absorption and creating a delicate, airy texture.
- Cashew Crunch Boost: Lightly toast cashews before adding to the dish to enhance their nutty flavor and provide extra aromatic depth.
- Sauce Balance Trick: Adjust sauce sweetness and heat levels by gradually adding chili sauce or honey to suit personal taste preferences.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg