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Cashew Chicken

Kickin' Cashew Chicken

naturalnoshing
I had a girls night a couple weeks ago with a new girl friend in Helena. I love a good excuse to try a new recipe and get together in the kitchen!
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
  • 6 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup cashews (I bought raw and toasted them but already roasted is fine too)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp garam masala
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp chili powder (I used mild)
  • 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
  • 2 Tbsp plain yogurt (I used Greek)
  • 1 serrano chili pepper, deseeded and deveined (omit for mild dish)
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil (grapeseed, canola, ghee or butter can be used)
  • 3/4 to 1 lb chicken breast, cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh mushroom slices
  • 1 small red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 handfuls of fresh spinach (about 3 cups)
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cup water
  • For serving: cooked rice, quinoa, millet etc (I used brown rice)

Instructions
 

  • In a food processor, process the onion pieces for about 1 minute or until a smooth puree forms. Add the next 9 ingredients (paste through serrano) to the onion mixture and process for another 1-2 minutes. If you want a chunkier sauce, pulse until desired texture is reached.
  •  In a heavy pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Pour the spice mixture from the food processor into the pan and saute for 2 minutes. The lightly cooked spices will start to give off a nice aroma.3. Add the cubed chicken breast, veggies, half of the cilantro, and the golden raisins. Stir-fry for another minute or so.
  • Add the water and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice and garnish with remaining cilantro and/or cashew pieces. Enjoy!

Notes

If you’re hesitant about the cilantro and/or the quantity of spice, reduce the amounts to your liking. The sauce without the serrano is not all that spicy, omit pepper for a milder version. There are lots of flavorful spices, but it’s not firey-hot-get-me-a-glass-of-water spicy.