Stir-Fried Cashew Chicken in Kung Pao Sauce
Chicken breast coated in a sweet-spicy Kung Pao sauce and stir-fried with cashews for a quick, aromatic weeknight dinner. This Asian recipe, ready in about 32 minutes, blends chicken breast, soy sauce, rice vinegar into a versatile sauce that lifts everything from grain bowls and roasted vegetables to grilled proteins — a small-batch staple worth keeping in the fridge. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 4, so a small batch covers several meals across the week without taking over the fridge. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 pound, boneless and skinless, thinly sliced chicken breast
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup cashews
- 2 cloves, minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon, minced ginger
- 1/4 cup, chopped scallions
- 1/4 cup dried red chilies
- 2 tablespoons water
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Add 1 pound thinly sliced chicken breast and marinate for 15 minutes.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add 1 cup cashews and stir-fry for 2 minutes until golden, then transfer to a plate.
- Step 3: Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, and 1/4 cup chopped scallions to the wok. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add 1/4 cup dried red chilies and stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Step 4: Add the marinated chicken and cook for 5 minutes until no longer pink. Stir in 2 tablespoons water and the reserved cashews, then cook for 2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
- Step 5: Serve immediately over 1/2 cup cooked rice.







