Sous Vide Chicken with Cashew Nuts

Chicken with cashew nuts us a firm Chinese takeaway favorite. It’s liked by even the fussiest of eaters because the flavors are muted - and what’s not to like about chicken, or cashew nuts? This recipe results in extra tender sous vide chicken. If you want to add an extra punch of flavor, just add dried chiles.

Author

Christina Wylie

Christina Wylie is an award-winning writer, author, editor, food stylist, recipe creator, entrepreneur and radio host whose work has been featured in The Times & The Sunday Times, Time Out (Melbourne, Sydney, Hong Kong and Dubai), Traveler’s Digest, Fah Thai Magazine, Broadsheet, Wining & Dining and many other internationally renowned publications. In 2013, after almost a decade of working as an international journalist, Christina founded the online lifestyle magazine The GAB Magazine, for which she now leads a team of 60 writers based all across Australia. She then founded Samui Life Magazine in 2016. After working as a recipe creator for Anova Culinary for over a year, she signed a cookbook contract with the American-based, international publishing company Quarto. Her cookbook, titled The Sous Vide Kitchen: Techniques, Ideas, and More Than 100 Recipes to Cook at Home, was published worldwide in 2017. She wrote, styled, and photographed everything that you see within that book. In 2017 she opened her first restaurant, Bootlegger, in Koh Samui, Thailand. She is currently in the initial stages of launching Bootlegger 2 in Phuket in 2018, and is looking to open Bootlegger 3 in Bangkok in 2019. She is currently working towards stepping into the world of food and travel presenting. As an entrepreneur herself, Christina co-founded the charity initiative Project Gen Z in 2015 to teach orphaned Cambodian children entrepreneurial skills. A British expat born and raised in Hong Kong, Christina has worked across the globe, and has lived in Thailand, London, Hong Kong, Australia and South Africa over the years.

Prep Time: 00:30

Recipe Time: 02:00

Temperature : 149F / 65C

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 4 scallions, sliced into 2-inch long pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, sliced into thick matchsticks, about 1/2 cup
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped dried Thai chiles (optional)
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Directions

1. Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 149ºF (65ºC). Heat oven to 350ºF.
2. Combine chicken with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag. Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting.
3. Place the bag in the water bath and set the timer for 2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, place the cashews on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
5. About 10 minutes before the chicken is finished, heat the remaining tablespoon vegetable in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the scallions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
6. Add the carrots and chiles (if using) and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Add the hoisin, rice vinegar, water, and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Finishing Steps

1. When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the chicken from the bag and slice into bite-sized pieces.
2. Add the sliced chicken, toasted cashews, and a drizzle of sesame oil to the sauce mixture. Stir to combine. Transfer to serving plates and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds. Serve.