Juicy chicken, crunchy spiced cashews, broccoli and red pepper, all tossed in a sticky honey-soy sauce with a gentle kick of chilli. This Sticky Honey Cashew Chicken & Broccoli is better than a takeaway and ready in about 30 minutes.
Toasting the cashews with a pinch of cayenne gives them extra crunch and flavour, and a quick steam keeps the broccoli bright green. Perfect for busy weeknights with a bowl of steamed rice.
Sticky Honey Cashew Chicken & Broccoli
Tender chicken, spiced toasted cashews, broccoli and red pepper tossed in a sticky honey-soy sauce with a little chilli. Serve with steamed rice.
For the Chicken
- 500g boneless chicken fillet, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon white or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- ¼ cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
For the Cashews
- ⅔ cup raw or unsalted roasted cashews
- 1 teaspoon oil
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
For the Stir Fry
- 1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets (about 4 cups)
- 1½ tablespoons oil
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated or minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon chilli garlic sauce
- 1 bunch spring onions (about 6), thinly sliced (optional)
- Cooked rice, to serve
Method
- Marinate the Chicken: In a medium bowl, mix the chicken with the cornflour, soy sauce, sugar and rice vinegar. Leave it to sit while you prepare everything else.
- Mix the Sauce: Stir all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Toast the Cashews: Put a large pan or wok over medium heat. Toast the cashews, tossing constantly, for about 3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Add the oil and cayenne, toss to coat, then move them to a small plate.
- Steam the Broccoli: Pour ½ cup water into the same pan and bring it to the boil. Add the broccoli, cover and cook for about 2 minutes until just tender. Move to a plate.
- Cook the Chicken: Turn the heat to high and add 1½ tablespoons oil. When the oil is shimmering, spread the chicken out in a single layer. Leave it undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir-fry for another 1–2 minutes until lightly browned.
- Add the Veg: Lower the heat to medium and push the chicken to one side of the pan. Add the onion, red pepper, garlic, ginger and chilli garlic sauce. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the onion has softened.
- Bring It Together: Add the broccoli, cashews and sauce, and toss everything to coat. Let the sauce thicken slightly for 1–2 minutes.
- Serve: Move everything straight to a large platter or bowl, scatter over the spring onions if using, and serve straight away with rice.
Tips and Variations
- Give the sauce a quick stir just before pouring it in, as the cornflour settles to the bottom.
- Don’t crowd the pan when cooking the chicken. If your pan is small, cook it in two batches so it browns rather than steams.
- Chicken thigh fillets work well too and stay extra juicy.
- For more heat, add extra chilli flakes or a little more chilli garlic sauce.
- Swap the broccoli for green beans, mangetout or baby corn.
- Lovely with plain basmati rice, egg fried rice or noodles, and some griddled asparagus on the side.
Storage
Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat until piping hot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. The cashews will soften a little on standing.
Allergy information: Contains nuts (cashews), soy and wheat (in soy sauce).
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