Five-Spice Chicken Stir-Fry with Cashews and Peppers
This quick and flavorful stir-fry features tender chicken breast coated in a fragrant five-spice marinade, then tossed with mushrooms, red bell pepper, and crunchy cashews.
- Prep30 min
- Cook8 min
- Total38 min
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings4
Inspired by the vibrant flavors of Asian cuisine, this dish brings together the warmth of five-spice powder with the freshness of vegetables and the nutty crunch of cashews. It's a perfect weeknight dinner that comes together in under 40 minutes.
The key to this stir-fry is the quick cooking over high heat, which keeps the chicken juicy and the vegetables crisp. Serve it over steamed rice or noodles for a complete meal that's sure to impress.
Ingredients
Servings
For the Marinade
For the Stir-Fry
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sherry, five-spice powder, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Add the chicken breasts to the marinade and turn to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add one slice of ginger and let it sizzle for 2-3 minutes until browned; then remove and discard the ginger, leaving the flavored oil in the pan.
- Add the marinated chicken to the hot oil and stir-fry for 5-6 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate and wipe the pan clean.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Add the second ginger slice, brown it, and remove as before.
- Add the chopped onion and stir-fry for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the paprika and continue cooking for another minute until the onion begins to soften.
- Push the onion to one side of the pan. Add the sliced mushrooms to the center and stir-fry, adding a splash of rice wine, water, or broth as needed to keep them from drying out.
- Stir in the cashews and cook for about a minute, then add the red bell pepper strips. Stir-fry everything together for another minute (total vegetable stir-fry time should be 2-3 minutes).
- Return the cooked chicken to the pan. Stir in the dark soy sauce and sugar, and cook for another minute to heat through.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Serve hot.
💡 Tips
- For extra heat, add a pinch of chili flakes with the paprika.
- If you don't have dry sherry, use a splash of apple juice or broth.
- Serve over steamed jasmine rice or noodles for a complete meal.
Inspired by a recipe from The Spruce Eats