Cashew Chicken over Garlic Noodles

Rich, thick and filled with flavor...


And yes, yet another use for one of those beautiful, sexy rotisserie Chickens!  Maybe sexy is going too far, but when you can't get sexy, I will settle for cheap.  You all remember, raw whole chickens - $10.  Fully cooked and seasoned rotisserie chickens - $6.  What's a fella to do???


Here's what a fella does... He scours the world wide web for the recipes of his fellow bloggers to come up with new uses for the birds.  Rarely disappointed and often rewarded with an incredible meal... like this!

First up, the noodles... Killer noodles!  People with really great memories may recall seeing these on my blog before.  GARLIC NOODLES ala CULINARY DELIGHTS  is a recipe I made for Taste and Create back in February. I said it was incredible then, and I am saying it again... INCREDIBLE!  Thanks again Thanks again to Marthe from the blog, CULINARY DELIGHTS for the original recipe!


And now the chicken... Not only a great use for the rotisserie chicken, but an excuse to buy another big tub of cashews (only needed 1/2 a cup, but this way I could eat cashews for breakfast (remember, i have no self control)).  This recipe came from Melanie of the SISTER's CAFE.  The idea of the Sister's Cafe makes me all cuddly warm whenever I look in on their blog.  One family, one blog, keeping the recipes of the family (both old grandmama recipes saved for posterity and occasionally the new contributions of in-laws posted to further family unity).  Their site is always worth a look.  A rotating group of 6 make the contribution to the blog, but this day, Melanie was king... ummm, queen.


Here is her original recipe as posted...

Cashew Chicken

submitted by Melanie of the SISTER's CAFE

4 chicken breast halves, cut into pieces
1 tsp sugar
4 Tb cornstarch, divided
½ tsp salt
¼ c. soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 Tb oil
2 c. hot chicken broth
2 tsp lemon juice
½ c. cashews
cooked rice

Combine sugar, 2 Tb cornstarch, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Dredge chicken pieces in this mixture. Drain and save dredge; then stir fry chicken in hot oil in frying pan or wok until chicken is lightly brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from oil and drain excess oil from the pan. Add remaining cornstarch and the dredge drained from the chicken. Blend well, then add chicken stock to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened. Add lemon juice; add chicken pieces and reheat. Do not boil. Taste to correct seasonings. Add cashews. Serve over hot rice. Makes 4-5 servings. You can stir fry some vegetables and add them to the mixture at the end.

My inevitable changes...


Well, I was using an all ready cooked bird, so I skipped cooking the chicken as directed.  I did add the soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce and sugar to the liquid once I started cooking.  I skipped the salt because I always skip the salt.  Plus, the cashews were all ready salted, so there was plenty of salt in the mix.


Everything came together terrific.  The cornstarch did thicken the sauce up.  the lemon added a little something subtle and extra.

I plated with the noodles, and a few snow peas I sautéed in a little oil with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.


Thanks Melanie!
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