Cashew Chicken

Prep Time:  1 hour

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 lbs. snow peas, carrots, asparagus, or green onion
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce (I love the Lee Kum Kee brand)
3/4 cup raw cashew, toasted
Steamed Jasmine rice

1.  Cook the cashews in a single layer on a baking sheet at 350 degrees until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes.  (Do not toast them too long, if they get too dark they don't taste very good.)

2.  In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until chicken is coated; season with the salt and pepper.

3.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat the 1 Tbsp of oil over medium-high heat.  Cook the chicken until browned, transfer to a plate.

4.  Add the remaining oil and vegetables to the skillet.  Cook for 2 - 4 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp tender.  Return the chicken to the pan.  Add vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.

5.  Add hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup water; cook for about 1 minute, remove from the heat, add the cashews, mix, and serve over hot steamed rice.

Serves 4-6

The bones of this recipe comes from a cashew chicken recipe from Everyday Foods.  I've tweaked it a bit, and my family really likes it.