Szechuan Chicken is a delicious, easy to make stir-fry with chicken, bell peppers, green onions and nuts cooked in an Asian-inspired sauce.
Slice chicken across the width of the breast, using a sharp knife almost parallel to the surface (angled at a slant). Cut each chicken breast into 1/4" slices; put slices in a medium bowl; set aside.
Make sauce: In separate bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, cornstarch, ginger, sugar, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder. Stir until smooth (no lumps). Pour sauce over chicken; toss until slices are coated with sauce. Set chicken aside.
Slice green onions (bulb and stalk) into 2" pieces. Remove stem/seeds from bell peppers, then cut into "bite-sized" pieces.
Heat ONE Tablespoon oil on medium-High heat in a large (10"-12") skillet. Once oil is hot, but not smoking, add green onions/bell peppers. Cook, stirring often until veggies are "crisp-tender" (about 2 minutes). Transfer veggies from skillet to a bowl, using slotted spoon (so excess oil can drip back into skillet).
Add TWO Tablespoons of oil to skillet and heat on Medium heat. Add cashews (or dry roasted peanuts) to hot oil. Cook (stirring frequently) only until nuts are lightly browned. Transfer nuts to bowl of cooked veggies using slotted spoon.
Heat remaining oil in skillet on high heat until HOT but not smoking. Add chicken mixture and cook, stirring frequently. Continue to cook chicken for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through and no longer pink in color. Quickly add reserved veggies and nuts (plus any juices) back into the skillet; stir to combine. Cook on medium heat 2-3 minutes or until all ingredients are heated through. Once fully heated, the dish is ready to serve!
We enjoy serving Szechuan chicken on top of a bed of steamed rice! The bed of rice is optional, but I recommend it. Transfer Szechuan chicken to individual plates, then lightly sprinkle each portion with sesame seeds, if desired, Serve immediately, and enjoy
NOTE: Caloric calculation does NOT include rice or noodles that may be served with the chicken.
Szechuan Chicken https://www.thegratefulgirlcooks.com/szechuan-chicken/