Chicken, Cashew & Vegetable Stir-Fry with Oyster-Honey Noodles

This chicken and cashew stir-fry is one of our favourite quick dinners. The flavour balances sweet and salty — oyster sauce brings depth while honey adds that gentle sweetness. It’s a flexible mid-week meal: use whatever vegetables you have on hand and adjust the sauce to suit your taste.

In the photo I left out the cashews because the little one was eating from the pan, but normally I include a generous handful of unsalted cashews for crunch and texture.

I don’t fuss over precise measurements for the sauce. Start with about a tablespoon or two of oyster sauce and the same of honey, mix, taste and add more until the balance suits you. If you prefer a sweeter finish, add a touch more honey. If you like a looser, saucier stir-fry, increase both sauces a little.

If you toss rice noodles through the stir-fry, they soak up the sauce and become very flavoursome. The photo shows Hokkien-style noodles, but rice noodles or any thin noodle will work well.

Common vegetables I use are listed below, but feel free to swap in mushrooms, snow peas or any seasonal produce from your crisper.

Yield: 4 serves

Chicken and Cashew Stir Fry

An easy, adaptable mid-week meal. Use seasonal vegetables and adjust the sauce to your preference for sweetness and saltiness.

Prep Time
10 minutes

Cook Time
20 minutes

Total Time
30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp canola or rice bran oil for frying
• 1 chicken breast, thinly sliced against the grain (use 2 if small)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 capsicum (bell pepper), sliced
• 1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
• 100g snow peas, trimmed and halved
• 100g mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup unsalted cashews
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 cup honey (adjust to taste)
• 200g dry rice noodles to serve

Instructions

1. Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions and set aside.
2. Heat a wok or large frying pan over high heat, add the oil and stir-fry the chicken in batches until just cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside.
3. Lower the heat slightly, add the onion and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until it softens. Add the capsicum and garlic and stir-fry for another minute.
4. Add the remaining vegetables and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add oyster sauce and honey, stir, taste and adjust the balance of sweet and salty to your preference. Cook until the vegetables reach your desired tenderness.
5. Return the chicken to the pan, add the cashews and heat through gently—avoid boiling so the meat stays tender.
6. Toss the cooked rice noodles through the stir-fry until everything is combined and warmed through. Serve immediately.

Notes

Chop all ingredients before you start; this dish cooks quickly. Cutting the chicken thinly against the grain keeps it tender. Cook the meat briefly on high heat and in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. When you return the chicken to the wok, warm it through rather than boiling to retain tenderness.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 484Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 626mgCarbohydrates: 75gFiber: 5gSugar: 22gProtein: 18g

Nutritional information is provided as an estimate and can vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Use your preferred nutrition calculator for precise values based on what you use.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment or share a photo if you try this at home.