Spicy Cashew Chicken

I found this recipe from Mommachelle a while ago but just got around to trying it out tonight. James and I liked it, Char liked the cashews, and Cabey thought it was fun finger food. Mason, on the other hand, said that it was a little gross. (But seeing as he has become pretty picky, that doesn't mean all that much.) At any rate, we will certainly eat this dish again, especially since it was incredibly easy! I even messed up and cooked the chicken with the cornstarch instead of adding it with the sauce at the end and it still was great! Seriously, a quick and easy meal!

Here is the original recipe (with my two cents) and directions from Mommachelle's blog:

Cashew Chicken (with a kick)
2 chicken breasts  cubed
1 tbsp cooking sherry* (I didn't use this. The author said that she didn't need it so I went without.)
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce (I used about 4)
¼ cup oil
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes (I used about 3/4 tsp since I have little picky eaters)
3 green onions, sliced diagonally
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tsp of jarred minced garlic)1/2 cup cashews, unsalted
toasted sesame seeds (I didn't use these)
lightly or unsalted cashews. (I could only find the regular salted cashews so I used nearly a whole smallish can of them)
sauce:
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
4 tsp sugar
2 tsp white vinegar

Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce with the cooking sherry* in medium sized bowl. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, put chicken pieces in soy/sherry mixture. Let sit while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a small bowl, whisk 4 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch, 4 tsp sugar, and 2 tsp vinegar. Set aside. Slice the green onions, and measure out the red pepper flakes and minced garlic. 

Drain chicken in strainer to get the marinade off as much a possible. Heat oil in a wok over high heat.  Add red pepper flakes to oil,stir a couple times. Add chicken all at once, let sit for a minute or two till golden,then turn chicken. Add garlic to chicken. Cook chicken till golden on all sides and cooked through. drain oil if there is still an excessive amount. Add cashews. Move wok off hot stove and immediately pour in sauce while constantly turning chicken over to cover everything in sauce. Sauce should thicken quite a bit, if you want it thicker put it back on medium heat for about 5-10 seconds, and stir, stir, stir. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and add sliced green onions. Serve over Rice. ENJOY!