Recipe & Giveaway: Curried Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

by Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

July 19, 2012 • 2 comments

Photo: Steve Lagato

Orange peel shrimp. Honey chicken. Sticky sweet eggplant. While the names of these Chinese dishes lure me in at first glance, I second guess ordering them when I think about the deep fryers used and heaps of added sugar.

This version greatly reduces the refined sugar and the flavor still pops. The recipe was created by Marlene Koch, RD, for her New York Times bestselling cookbook Eat More of What You Love: Over 200 Brand New Recipes Low in Sugar, Fat, and Calories. Marlene is a culinary nutritionist who understands that food should taste good first and then be nutritionally balanced. As her friend and colleague, I was honored to help her develop a couple of the other chicken recipes in her book – the simple, yet delicious, Cheesecake Factory-Style Chicken Madeira and Chicken Cordon Bleu.

You’ll especially appreciate how this dish cooks on your stovetop during the dog days of summer. The sauce is kissed with curry and accentuated by cashews. Feel free to sprinkle on a few more cashews if you like. I recommend using roasted cashews, which boast more flavor than raw, and look for lightly salted nuts. Serve with brown rice and reduced sodium soy sauce or spritz with liquid amino acids for added Asian-inspired seasoning.

Book Giveaway!

Marlene was gracious to provide me with an additional copy of her book to give away to one lucky reader. One of you is in for a real treat! To enter, tell me which of your favorite Asian dishes have you made healthier? What changes did you make? Is yours as tasty as the original?

Enter by Friday, August 10, 2012 at midnight (Pacific) to win. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Curried Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

1 pound (455 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed slightly larger than 1 inch (2.5 cm)

2 teaspoons curry powder, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice

6 tablespoons (120 g) low-sugar apricot preserves

3 teaspoons (15 ml) canola oil, divided

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (15-ounce) bag fresh sugar snap peas (or 4 cups, 300 g)

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into strips

1/2 medium red onion, cut into strips

1/4 cup (34 g) chopped cashews

Coat the chicken with 1 teaspoon curry powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Mix together the remaining 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, preserves, and 3/4 cup (175 ml) water in a small bowl and set aside.

Add 2 teaspoons oil to a large non-stick skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until browned and almost cooked through. Remove the chicken, cover, and set aside.

Add the remaining teaspoon of oil and the garlic to the skillet. Add the snap peas, carrots, and red onions and stir fry for one minute. Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water, cover, and steam for 3 minutes. Return the chicken and sauce to the skillet, stir, and heat briefly while tossing the chicken and vegetables with the sauce. Transfer the curried chicken to a serving dish, sprinkle with cashews, and serve.

Marlene Says: Studies show that people who eat nuts at least twice a week are less likely to be overweight. The key to enjoying nuts is healthy moderation, which means 1 ounce (or about 1/4 cup) as a snack serving.

Makes 4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 310 calories, 11 g total fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 360 mg sodium, 70 mg cholesterol, 25 g total carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 29 g protein

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Curried Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

By Michelle Dudash, Chef and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Published: July 19, 2012

• Yield: 1 1/2 cups each (4 Servings)

Photo: Steve Lagato

Orange peel shrimp. Honey chicken. Sticky …

Ingredients

• 1 pound (455 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed slightly larger than 1 inch (2.5 cm)
• 2 teaspoons curry powder divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt divided
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons (120 g) low-sugar apricot preserves
• 3 teaspoons (15 ml) canola oil divided
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 bag (15 ounces) sugar snap peas (about 4 cups, or 300 g)
• 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into strips
• 1/2 medium red onion peeled and cut into strips
• 1/4 cup (34 g) cashews chopped

Instructions

1. Coat the chicken with 1 teaspoon curry powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
   
2. Mix together the remaining 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, preserves, and ¾ cup (175 ml) water in a small bowl and set aside.
   
3. Add 2 teaspoons oil to a large non-stick skillet and place over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until browned and almost cooked through. Remove the chicken, cover and set aside.
   
4. Add the remaining teaspoon of oil and the garlic to the skillet. Add the snap peas, carrots, and red onions, and stir fry for one minute. Add ¼ cup (60ml) of water, cover, and steam for 3 minutes. Return the chicken and sauce to the skillet, stir, and heat briefly while tossing the chicken and vegetables with the sauce. Transfer the curried chicken to a serving dish, sprinkle with cashews, and serve.
   

• Cuisine: Chinese
• Course: Entrée
• Skill Level: Moderate