Description
Often smothered in dark, sticky soy/oyster sauces in Western/Japanese Chinese restaurants. In authentic Cantonese cuisine, chicken breast is coated in egg white and delicately stir-fried with roasted cashews in a crystal-clear 'premium salt and chicken broth' glaze.
Restaurants serving Yao Guo Ji Ding (Cashew Chicken)
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We are researching restaurants that serve this dish.
On this site you can check dictionary details and, later, places to buy or eat related items.
The Recipe section below is a general reference, not a recipe from the listed shops.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Chicken breast
- Cashews(raw)
- Celery
- Bell pepper
- Egg white
- Chicken broth
- Salt
Instructions
- [Authentic Recipe & Differences]
- (Nut Prep) Fry raw cashews starting in low-temp oil until perfectly golden and crunchy inside. Drain well.
- (Meat Prep) Dice chicken breast to the exact size of the cashews. Massage gently with salt, wine, egg white, and starch to create a pure white coating.
- Dice celery and red bell pepper to match (AVOID the murky onion/green pepper mix of JP recipes).
- Flash-fry chicken in low-temp oil until just white, remove.
- Bloom scallion/ginger, blast the veg on high heat.
- Return chicken, pour in a 'clear salt glaze' made of [premium chicken broth, salt, a pinch of sugar, and starch slurry].
- Add the crispy cashews at the absolute last second. Toss for mere seconds to maintain their crunch.
Learn more Spice, substitutes, tips
Key spices
Sweet oil of cashews、Chicken broth umami
Substitutes at Japanese supermarkets
Japanese Cashew Chicken (flavor is completely different)
Pairing
Jasmine Tea / Fried Rice
Trivia
[Trivia] Severely mutated in the West as 'Cashew Chicken' smothered in thick, sweet brown sauce. Originally, it is an elegant Cantonese dish meant to showcase delicate frying techniques (Hua Chao) and natural flavors.
Eating tips & etiquette
[Unique Eating] Use a spoon to scoop the pure-white tender chicken, crisp celery, and crunchy roasted cashew all at once. Because the glaze is a delicate salt base, the natural sweetness and roasted aroma of the nut itself explodes.
Allergen
Chicken, Cashews (Tree nuts), Eggs, Wheat