Served with chicken in a Chinese stir-fry, cashews add a unique flavour and texture. There’s hundreds of different versions of this recipe online, but this is how I make it.

Chicken with Cashew Nuts is a really quick and easy midweek supper that can be prepared in about 10-15 minutes. I love spicy food so I add a chilli; if you don’t like them, just leave them out. You could also try it with broccoli or other greens, such as mangetout. I threw in some spinach and baby sweetcorn rather than add them to the compost bin.

This serves two.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, chopped into cubes
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 red or green pepper, chopped
• 50g toasted cashews
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 thin slice of ginger, chopped finely or minced
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• A dash of rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• Spring onions, to garnish

Instructions

• Heat the wok until it is smoking, then add the oil
• Cook the cashews in the oil until they are golden. Remove from the pan, dry with kitchen paper, and set aside
• Add garlic, ginger, and onions and cook for just a few seconds
• Now add the chicken and cook until begins to turn gold
• Throw in the vegetables and the optional chilli, cook for two minutes
• Add the soy sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar
• Lastly throw in the toasted cashews
• Serve with noodles or rice and garnish with spring onions

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