Cashew Chicken


Was POINTS® value of | 13
Now POINTS® value of |  8
Servings | 4
Preparation Time | 25 min
Cooking Time | 12 min
Level of Difficulty | Moderate

main meals | This Chinese restaurant staple gets a lot of its sky-high fat content from oil. We lightened it significantly but kept all its flavor and great crunch.



2 tsp peanut oil
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 pound chicken breast, uncooked, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 medium stalk celery, chopped
8 oz canned bamboo shoots, drained
8 oz canned water chestnuts, sliced, drained
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cup cooked white rice, kept hot
1 3/4 oz dry-roasted cashews, chopped (about 6 Tbsp)

Instructions


1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until browned on all sides, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes.
2. Add 1 cup of broth, soy sauce, celery, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts to chicken and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
3. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/2 cup of broth. Add cornstarch mixture to skillet and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
4. To serve, divide rice among 4 shallow dishes. Spoon chicken mixture onto rice and sprinkle with cashews. Yields about 1 cup of chicken, 1/2 cup of rice and 1 1/2 tablespoons of cashews per serving.



Notes

For a flavor boost, add 2 cups of chopped fresh baby bok choy in place of the bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. The tender greens will cook with the chicken in 5 minutes.
Chef Tips

We renovated Cashew Chicken by:

* Reducing the amount of oil used to sauté the chicken.
* Sprinkling a small amount of cashews on top of the dish instead of throughout. You can also chop the nuts and mix them into the dish so you get cashew flavor in every bite.
* Using reduced-sodium chicken broth and soy sauce in lieu of their regular varieties.