Chicken Cashew
Chicken cashew is made out of deep fried or stir fried chicken mixed together with cashews then served with thick oyster sauce. There are several versions of this dish but I’m pretty sure that most of you didn’t know that this is actually an American dish, Chinese-American to be precise.
David Leong who moved from China to US in 1940’s made the most popular version where chicken are deep fried; and he named it Springfield Cashew Chicken. David struggled to sell Chinese food in United States so he began creating dishes that would appeal to local residents until this dish was served first at Grove Supper Club in Springfield, Missouri in 1963. Obviously, that was where he named his dish for. It became really popular that made him open his own restaurant named Leong’s Tea House in 1963. It was in business for more than 30 years until it closed its doors in 1997. But even though Leong is out of business the legacy continues as there are more than 70 restaurants in Missouri that still serves his dish.
- 500g chicken breast, sliced
- 1 cup cashew nuts
- 2 pcs green capsicum, sliced into squares
- ½ thumb sized ginger, sliced thinly
- 1 onion, sliced
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
- peanut oil
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup Chinese cooking wine
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Marinate chicken in cornstarch, 1 tbsp cooking wine and cornstarch for at least 30 minutes.
- Mix together sauce ingredients then set aside.
- In a wok add oil then stir fry chicken in high heat until cooked, remove from wok then set aside.
- In the same wok add oil then sauté ginger and onions for 1 minute.
- Add capsicum and stir fry for another minute.
- Add the chicken back, cashew and the sauce, mix well to coat the chicken pieces evenly. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Like the rich sauce.
You always have such great recipes Raymund.
🙂 Mandy
Thank you, thank you! Just had the thought a couple days ago munching on Cashew Chicken at our favorite local Chinese restaurant, that I wanted to make it at home–and here it is!
The chicken looks scrumptious! I really enjoyed the history lesson too!
very good and had to laugh that an american invented it i have always thought that an american must have invented pizza too!! c
What a great food story!
Dear Raymund
This is one of the classics and I always find myself picking out the cashew and washing it down with a beer.
Ummm… This is absolute Yum!!
I loved reading this post.
This is something I don’t get to eat after married to a Chinese (Taiwanese American). It’s just not “Chinese food” enough? or whatever the reason is. LOL. Looking delicious though. 😉
I’m telling you my son would be in heaven eating at your dinner table every night. This is one of his favorite dishes. 🙂
Chicken cashew is such a popular dish in the US yet many of my Chinese friends have no idea what it is. Now I know the answer – because it was invented in the US. I actually personally like this dish and make it from time to time. Thanks for sharing it.
I have always loved this dish at restaurants, and never knew it was American. No matter what its background is, yours looks delicious! 🙂