Chicken with Mushrooms and Cashews

I used to be vegetarian, however after many years, I started to eat chicken and other poultry.

Now I have reverted to also eating meat occasionally and I also eat and cook with bacon, as this is one of my favourite foods.

I tend to have a vegetarian meal at least once a week still and seem to make a lot of chicken dishes, as chicken is so versatile.

This recipe is one that I had most of the ingredients in the house and the only thing I had to buy were the bean sprouts, which I always buy fresh.

I often keep frozen chicken in the freezer for those times when I do not know what to make for dinner, and as chicken is so very versatile, it is easy to defrost and make all in the one day.

For this recipe I have used chicken breasts, which you need to make sure you do not over cook as they become very dry if you over cook them.  So important - only cook chicken strips for a few minutes if you want them to be melt in your mouth fabulous!

I also always have cashews in my fridge (if I don't get at them at night!), and I often buy "pieces" instead of whole cashews as they are cheaper.

I have used several different types of mushrooms in this recipe, however if you just want ordinary ones, I think that would also work out.  I found a packet of dried mixed mushrooms in my pantry and wanted to use them up.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients
Mixed mushrooms
1½ tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dry sherry
½ tsp sugar
About 275 g chicken breasts, cut into small strips
1½ tbsp oil
½ cup cashews
1 - 2 onions
About 120 g mushrooms, sliced
1 small garlic clove, crushed
¼ cup bean spouts
¼ cup chicken broth
Broccolini - optional

Instructions
If using dried mushrooms, put them in boiling water for about 20 minutes.  Remove them and squeeze them dry.  Discard the stems, and slice if they are large ones.

Mix the soy sauce, sherry and sugar together, and then add the chicken strips, and toss to coat them.

Heat about 1 tbsp oil in a wok over a medium heat.  Add the cashews and stir fry them until they are lightly browned.  Take care as cashews will burn easily if left unattended.

Take them out of the pan and put them on some paper towels to drain them.

Turn the heat up to high.  Add the onions, mushrooms and garlic.

Stir fry these until the mushrooms are tender - this will take only about 2 or 3 minutes.  Remove them, and put them on a plate.

Add the remaining oil to the wok and heat over a high heat.  Add the chicken and stir fry until it is just cooked - do not overcook - this will only take about 2 minutes depending on how thin or thick you have cut your strips.

Put the vegetables and cashews back into the wok.  Add the sliced mixed mushrooms, bean sprouts, boccolini, if using, and the chicken broth.

Cook for a minute or two.  If there is a lot of liquid left, mix a teaspoon of corn flour with a bit of water, and add this to the meal, stirring, and this will thicken the natural sauce.  However I did not need to add this, as I did not have a lot of liquid.

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