American Chinese Recipe
Cashew Chicken or Shrimp
Cashew chicken and cashew shrimp are mild stir-fries built around toasted cashews, vegetables, and a light brown sauce.
Recipe at a glance
| Purpose | High-frequency Chinese restaurant menu dish |
| Cuisine or format | American Chinese |
| Menu variation rule | Protein may be adjusted without creating a separate recipe family. |
Ingredients
- 12 oz chicken, shrimp, tofu, or another protein
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews
- 1 cup celery or zucchini
- 1/2 cup bell pepper
- 1/2 cup onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster or mushroom sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch slurry
Method
- Prepare protein and vegetables before cooking.
- Stir-fry protein until nearly cooked.
- Add garlic and vegetables.
- Add soy sauce, oyster or mushroom sauce, sugar, and a splash of water.
- Return protein if removed.
- Thicken lightly.
- Fold in cashews at the end so they stay crisp.
Variations and substitutions
- For chicken, beef, shrimp, pork, tofu, or mixed seafood variants, keep the same sauce logic and adjust the cooking time for the protein.
- For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, broth, wrappers, cooking wine, and shared wok or fryer use.
- For takeout-style dishes, sauce texture matters: the sauce should coat the food rather than become a thin soup.