Chinese Cashew Chicken with Jaca

Chinese Cashew Chicken with Jaca

This is the saucy, takeout-style cashew chicken you crave on a Friday night — golden, cornstarch-crisped chicken tossed in a glossy garlic-soy-hoisin sauce with whole roasted cashews for that signature buttery crunch. It comes together in one pan in about half an hour and tastes every bit as good as delivery without the grease. Our version swaps the brown sugar for Jaca (100% pure allulose) at double the amount — 2 tablespoons of Jaca in place of 1 tablespoon of brown sugar — so you keep the sweet-savory balance and that lacquered glaze without the sugar load. This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version.

Prep time: 10 minutes  |  Cook time: 20 minutes  |  Servings: 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce (low-sodium recommended)
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons Jaca (allulose) — replaces 1 tablespoon brown sugar at 2x
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 cup whole unsalted roasted cashews

Instructions:

- Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and season all over with salt and pepper.

- Place the chicken in a large ziplock bag with the cornstarch, seal, and shake until every piece is evenly coated — this gives you the crisp, takeout-style exterior.

- Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not cook it all the way through — it finishes in the sauce.

- While the chicken browns, whisk together the soy sauce, chicken broth, minced garlic, Jaca, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl until smooth.

- Pour the sauce into the pan with the chicken and add the cashews. Toss and simmer, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze. Allulose browns a bit faster than sugar, so keep it moving.

- Remove from the heat and serve immediately over steamed rice, with extra vegetables on the side if you like.

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