Stir Fried Asparagus, Chicken and Cashew Nuts
This easy, but excellent dish was inspired by the cashew and asparagus side-dish I have recently seen at Shu Han’s Mummy, I can cook!. She has chosen my beloved vegetable and my favourite nuts, preparing them in one of the most frequent cooking methods I use, so when I saw her post I realised once more how enriching are my regular peeks at my blogging friends’ adventures… Needless to say, I instantly bookmarked the recipe and waited only for my following visit to farmers market.
Since I needed a quick one-bowl lunch, I have transformed Shu Han’s side-dish into a main course, adding chicken breast pieces I often fry with cashew nuts and serving it in a bowl, on top of steamed rice. I have also slightly changed the sauce ingredients, still binding it with corn starch. Crisp asparagus, roast crunchy cashew nuts and delicate chicken pieces seasoned with a light, slightly sweet sauce created a very interesting, complex combination of flavours. I am really glad to have a new, excellent recipe on my list of asparagus dishes. Thank you, Shu Han, for this brilliant idea! (If you want to see Shu Han’s original version, click here.)
If you look for some asparagus cooking ideas, here are some suggestions:
-Tama Konnyaku and Asparagus Skewers
-Asparagus Teriyaki Pork Rolls
Preparation: 20 minutes
Ingredients (serves one):
1/2 chicken breast
7 thin green asparagus spears
10 cashew nuts
oil
salt, pepper
Sauce:
1 tablespoon soy sauce (or more if using low-sodium sauce)
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon sake
1 teaspoon syrup or sugar (I used agave syrup)
1 teaspoon corn starch
Cut up the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces and season it slightly with salt.
Cut up the asparagus spears into bite-sized pieces too.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a glass or small bowl.
Heat a small amount of oil in a pan or wok. Roast the cashew nuts until slightly golden. Put them aside.
Add more oil and stir fry the chicken pieces for about five minutes, add the asparagus spurs and stir fry for about 5-7 minutes (or more, until the chicken is well cooked).
Add the cashew nuts, the sauce and heat, constantly stirring, for about one minute until the sauce thickens.
Sprinkle with ground pepper.
Serve with rice.
Sissi, I`m so hungry now looking at those lovely asparagus and cashew nuts! Can I come over to your how now 😀 I always feel intrigued when I see people incorporate cashew nuts in their dishes. Your dish sure looks so tasty and I`ll remember about this recipe when I have cashew nuts in hand.
Hi, Arudhi. Thank you for the compliments! So nice to see you here.
I had some green asparagus stir-fry for the lunch too…but yours with cashew nuts and chicken looks way delicious and better!
Thank you so much, Angie.
I really love the addition fo cashews into the dish and yes, now is really the time to eat as much asparagus as possible when they are at their best!
I only discovered Shu Han’s blog and love it! Find it quite cool that she manages a farmer’s market on the weekends
hello sylvia! thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed it (:
Thank you so much, Sylvia. Isn’t Shu Han’s blog amazing?
Hi Sissi! It must be asparagus season at your area, I am really enjoying these recipe! I’ve never thought about skewer, or combine them with cashew, though it makes perfect sense in my mind now I’ve seen your post.
I’ve stumbled across Shu Han’s blog before, just saw she has a FB page set up, thank you for the link back to her site!
Thank you so much, Jeno. Yes, it’s asparagus season here (I suppose it’s already over in Texas…).
What a beautiful combination of ingredients! And a pretty bowl!
Thank you, Tessa. (I have bought this bowl in a Japanese grocery shop and unfortunately it was the last one they had… Have never seen it since, so I take good care of it because I really like it!).
When they say you eat with your eyes first, they must have been thinking of this dish. I just love how fresh the colours are, and the cashews are a wonderful crunchy and creamy addition. The flavours sound amazing too. Very nicely done.
Thank you so much, Eva. I love cashews in most stir-fries (unless I put roasted sesame seeds).
Mmm… I’m loving all the fresh, seasonal asparagus I’m coming across these days. It’s hard to beat the simplicity of a stir-fry and this one looks so yummy with its soy sauce dressing and cashews for texture and flavour. Lovely idea Sissi and thanks for including the links to other asparagus recipes… yum!
Thank you so much, Kelly. I sometimes tend to overload my stir-fries with leftover vegetables (I can put as much as four or five) and then I never post them because they look like “trash” food 😉 In this one I somehow managed to stick to just asparagus.
haha, I know what you mean! My salads are always overflowing with ‘stuff’ (yum) but it doesn’t make for a good photo. Simple is best when photographing for sure ;-).
Sounds super, Siss!
Thank you, Liz.
Oh this is totally delicious and is my favorite, Sissi! Haven’t cooked it for a while though! Thanks for reminding me about this awesome dish!
Thank you, Tina.
I made a dish similar to this recently. However I usually add the cashews to my beef and broccoli. This dish mixes the best of both dishes into one — which makes it sure to be a winner. I’ll have to try out your version next time Sissi. I like it because it works as a weeknight dish as it is not complicated to make.
Thank you, Barb. It is a very quick dish indeed. I add cashews to most stir-fries (or sesame seeds, but most of the time there has to be a nutty crunch).
This dish looks like my favourite dinner – sub some soya sauce soaked tofu in for chicken and I could live on it 😀
Awesome!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you, Choc Chip Uru. Tofu sounds like a great idea!
Oh that looks ace sissi! you’ve really transformed my little side dish into a yummy full main on its own (:
Thank you, Shu Han. I’m happy you like it, but the only thing I did was to add some meat 😉 You were the one who had this excellent asparagus and cashew nuts combination idea. Thank you again!
you made some nice tweaks to the sauce too, love the sake in it!
Thank you, Shu Han. I’m flattered 🙂
Sissy-thank you for your kind comment re: my guest post on Pinkg’s blog.
Your asparagus stir-fry is healthy, and delicious!
You have a lovely blog, and would like to come back and visit. I’m inviting you to visit mine, and follow, as well!
elisabeth
http://foodandthriftfinds.blogspot.com
Thank you, Elisabeth, for this kind comment and the compliments. I am hopping to see your blog.
This sounds quite nice actually, I like the simplicity of the sauce as well as the main ingredients. 🙂
Thank you, Martyna.
This is the type of food I like to make. Quick but yet so delicious, and healthful. Thank you for the recipe and other recipes you have on asparagus.
Thank you so much, Ray.
Hi Sissi! I haven’t put nuts in my savory dishes at home but I do love eating them at mostly Chinese restaurants. Love how easy this dish is and it goes well perfectly with the rice and miso soup… my weeknight dinner is like that. =D
Thank you, Nami. It’s a perfect week dinner indeed. (And it was great with Japanese rice 😉 ).
Love the way you took a side dish and turned it into a meal and still keeping it simple! Great recipe from the both of you!
Thank you, MJ.
A perfect combination! Very tasty and healthy. I could eat that on a daily basis.
Cheers,
Rosa
Thank you, Rosa.
This looks really yummy and quick. I love asparagus and cashews.
Thank you, I love both and now I know they are perfect together.
Hi Sissi, this looks delish – I remember well Shuhan’s post and you’ve really made a great main out of it. I adore cashew nuts in cooking, though I never seem to be able to get them like they are in Chinese restaurants… need to work on that!
As you know, I’m the weirdo who doesn’t like chicken (actually, as time goes by I like it less… I thought I’d start enjoying it again but apparently not 🙁 ) – I think some beef might work excellently here, or maybe even shrimps? The sauce sounds delicious!
Thank you, Charles. I remember you don’t like chicken, but then many men (at least in France and strangely not women…) I know don’t care for it either saying it doesn’t have much taste, is bland, not real meat etc.. so I’m not really surprised. I have always been a huge chicken fan and I have chicken practically every other day (sometimes even 5 days a week, I suppose because chicken has such a delicate flavour and it’s difficult to get bored because it absorbs easily spices and sauces), so I always experiment with chicken (or pork sometimes too), but I’m sure beef would be nice and maybe shrimps too. If you experiment with either, please let me know!