Stir fry is an easy way to incorporate a lot of vegetables with protein and whole grains in a filling meal. This version reminds me of dishes I ate in China – delicious flavors, and not oily. Some unusual ingredients may make you wary (celery? jicama?), but it all works.
Recipe adapted from Shao Z.’s Cashew Chicken Ding with Jicama, Celery, and Red Bell Pepper on Serious Eats.
For the chicken:
¾ pound chicken breast, cut into ¾-inch pieces
8 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil, divided
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (can substitute dry sherry)
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
¾ teaspoon cornstarch
For the sauce:
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 medium garlic clove, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
For the stir fry:
6 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, stemmed and caps cut into ¾-inch dice
½ small jicama, peeled and cut into ¾-inch dice (about 1 cup)
½ cup (¾-inch) diced celery from 1 to 2 celery sticks
1 medium zucchini, cut into ¾-inch dice (about 1 cup)
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ¾-inch dice (about ½ cup)
1 cup toasted cashew nuts, divided
Cooked rice or other grain for serving (white/brown rice, quinoa, or barley would all be good choices)
In a medium bowl, combine cubed chicken with 2 teaspoons oil, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, pepper, sugar, salt, and cornstarch and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce and mix well.
To stir-fry, remove chicken from refrigerator 5 minutes before cooking. In a wok or large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over high heat until smoking. Add chicken and spread it out with a spatula so that all pieces are in contact with the wok. Cook, without moving, until chicken is slightly browned on bottom, about 1 minute. Continue to cook while stirring regularly until chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Add another 2 teaspoons of oil to the wok and heat over high heat until smoking. Add mushrooms and stir-fry until mushrooms release liquid, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Continue to stir-fry until the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
Add 2 more teaspoons oil to the wok and heat over high heat until smoking. Add jicama, celery, and zucchini and cook, stirring, until jicama has browned slightly, about 3 minutes.
Add red bell pepper, season with salt and cook until bell pepper is slightly tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms back to wok and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Return chicken to the wok and stir well. Stir sauce, then pour into wok. Continue stirring and cooking until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute.
Turn the burner off. Add ¾ cup of toasted cashews, stir, then transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle remaining cashews on top and serve immediately with rice on the side.