Cashew Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice

I stepped out of my comfort zone on this dish. I am not well versed in curry, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to learn more about it and try new flavor profiles! I may have went a bit conservative on the curry….we live, learn and make adjustments for next time! This meal was fast and easy to cook up for a fast lunch this past Saturday. I usually start using all of our backup ingredients toward the end of the month, because it’s good to use what you have on hand. I always have chicken, rice, cashews and cilantro on hand. I thawed some chicken tenders that I froze a couple of weeks ago and trimmed and coated them in a bit of curry powder, salt and white pepper. Made some easy cilantro lime rice and served up a delicious summery meal!

This dish requires coconut milk and that really helps to cool off the curry powder and tie in that great summer flavor. The lime and coconut in this dish (in my opinion) are the stars and make for a fresh tasting and easy dish. Now, I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did!

CASHEW CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO LIME RICE

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb chicken tenders, cubed
• 3 tsp curry powder (more or less depending on your taste)
• 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp ginger, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (13.5 oz) unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/2 cup cashews, roasted
• (For rice) 1 cup rice, rinsed
• (For rice) 2 Tbsp lime juice, plus two halves of a pulped lime
• (For rice) 1/2 tsp salt
• (For rice) 6 Tbsp cilantro, chopped

Directions:

• Cook rice according to your preference. I use my instant pot and follow directions for the rice cooking feature. I add the lime juice, lime halves and cilantro before cooking. Once rice is done discard lime halves.
• Coat a sauté pan with olive and sesame oil; bring up to med-high heat.
• Coat chicken in curry powder, salt and pepper. Add to hot pan and cook until chicken for about 4 minutes or until browned.
• Add garlic and ginger to pan; cook until fragrant (about 2 to 3 minutes).
• Add coconut milk and allow to simmer for 7 minutes to thicken.
• Plate to your preference and top with toasted cashews.
• Enjoy!