Recipe Thursday: Mandarin Cashew Chicken

Asian food is in my top three favorite categories of food. Sushi and stir fry to me are some of the most amazing dishes. And egg rolls. Do not forget about the egg rolls.

This recipe came from my sweet and cool friend, Erica, who happened to marry my cool and sweet friend, Calvin. You may remember them from the Saturday Episode about the things I love that raise money for good causes. In case you need a reminder, here's the link to their blog about their Ethiopian adoption story and to their website to help the girls in an orphanage in Uganda.

Erica sent me this recipe a while back and I've been using it ever since, with just a few changes for me and Ethan (like extra mandarins and more sauce).

Erica's Mandarin Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:
1 package chicken breasts, cut into 1 in pieces
1 large jar/can mandarin oranges, no sugar added (but not with artificial sweeteners), drained with 4 Tbsp   
   reserved
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1 head bok choy, washed and torn into small pieces (or red cabbage)
1/2 cup lower sodium chicken broth
4 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup chopped green onions
brown rice (about 2 cups dry, then cooked)

Instructions:
1. Start rice in rice cooker. You may need to start it earlier, depending on how long it takes your rice cooker to finish that much rice.
2. Cook chicken in about 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet or pot on a high heat to get that browned outside. I use my Le Creuset, but I'm spoiled with such a sweet sister and brother in law that gave that to me as a graduation gift.
3. While chicken is cooking, stir together chicken broth, soy sauce, reserved juice from mandarins, and cashews. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
4. When chicken is cooked, pour in the sauce (yum) and cook for about 2 minutes or until good and bubbly.
5. Add mandarins and green onions and stir. Cook for about 1-2 minutes.
6. Add bok choy (or cabbage), stir, and cook for about 1-2 minutes more.
7. Serve over brown rice with some fresh cut fruit (fresh pineapple is extra delicious with it).

And there you have it! A healthy, delicious dinner.

Let me know if you try this! I'd like to know how it turns out. Do you share recipes with your friends?

Happy Thursday!