Name: Cashew Chicken and Asparagus
Total time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar; 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce; 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided; 2 Tbsp. sugar; 2 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. cornstarch; 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil; 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise, sliced against the grain into ½"-thick strips (about the size of french fries); 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided; ⅔ cup roasted cashews, preferably unsalted; 2 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed, tips reserved, sliced on a diagonal into ¾"-long pieces; 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped; 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped; Kosher salt (optional); Steamed white rice (for serving; optional)

Chicken breast chopped asparagus and cashews in a sauce on a serving platter and served with rice.

Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Sometimes it feels like we endure winter merely for the impending promise of asparagus. Good local asparagus is a spring delight, something easy to forget when some supermarkets are populated with the stalks in the dead of winter. Asparagus brings the full strength of its snappy, fresh, intensely green flavor to this cashew chicken, the crunch of the vegetable echoed in the crunch of the nuts. Have all of your ingredients prepped and lined up next to the stove because the actual cooking goes by in the blink of an eye. Asparagus, especially when sliced, needs barely any cooking, so keep things hot and moving fast.

Recipe information

Total Time
25 minutes
Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar

2 Tbsp. oyster sauce

3 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise, sliced against the grain into ½"-thick strips (about the size of french fries)

4 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

⅔ cup roasted cashews, preferably unsalted

2 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed, tips reserved, sliced on a diagonal into ¾"-long pieces

1 bunch scallions, finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Kosher salt (optional)

Steamed white rice (for serving; optional)

Preparation

Step 1
Whisk ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp. oyster sauce, 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 2 tsp. cornstarch, 2 tsp. sesame oil, and ⅓ cup cool water in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved; set sauce aside.
Step 2
Toss 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved crosswise, sliced against the grain into ½"-thick strips (about the size of french fries), with remaining 1 Tbsp. cornstarch and 1 Tbsp. soy sauce in a medium bowl until chicken is coated (your hands work best here). Set aside.
Step 3
Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a wok or large stainless-steel skillet over medium. Add ⅔ cup roasted cashews, preferably unsalted, and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large plate. (Oil left in pan will be a light brown.)
Step 4
Increase heat to high. Add 2 bunches asparagus, woody ends trimmed, tips reserved, sliced on a diagonal into ¾"-long pieces, and cook, tossing occasionally, until bright green and charred in spots, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to plate with cashews.
Step 5
Add remaining 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil to pan, then add reserved chicken and arrange in a single layer. Cook undisturbed until chicken is golden brown underneath, about 2 minutes. Add 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped, and 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped, and cook, stirring often, until meat is cooked through and no longer pink and garlic is fragrant, 1–2 minutes.
Step 6
Whisk reserved sauce just to reincorporate any cornstarch that has settled at the bottom of the bowl. Add to stir-fry and cook, stirring often, until thickened and ingredients are coated, about 1 minute. Add cashews and asparagus and stir a few times to coat in sauce. Remove stir-fry from heat; taste and season with kosher salt if needed. Serve stir-fry with steamed white rice if desired.