Spicy Chicken & Cashews

So for all of you that have been to the Cheesecake factory, you know how delicious it is. It is probably one of the only restuarants that I absolutely refuse to look at the nutritional info. It would seriously ruin every ounce of enjoyment each succulent bite of their food gives me. So, when I go there, I just try to eat in moderation and save some leftovers. And maybe go for an extra run or 10. In my humble opinion, their spicy chicken and cashews is one of their best dishes. It is spicy, savory, and to say the least, filling. I am sure it is also loaded with salt and fat. So I set out to make my own healthier version of the dish with a little kicked up spice (Travis loves loves loves spicy food). By the time I was done eating, my nose was running and I'm pretty sure I broke a sweat. Oh the things we do for love.

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tbl sp extra virgin olive oil
2 tblsp fresh chopped garlic
1 finely chopped jalapeno chile pepper
1/4 cup marinated hot peppers
1/4 cup chopped green onion
pinch of salt
fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
1 tbl sp brown sugar
1/2 cup cashews
4 cups cooked brown rice




My recipe began with the marinating of the chicken. I took 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts and pounded them out until they were tender and thin. Then i sliced them into bite size pieces and threw them in a tupperware container. Next I added just a DASH of salt and a generous helping of fresh cracked pepper. Then came the soy sauce, olive oil, peppers, brown sugar and green onion. I mixed it up well and let it chill for about a half hour. You could leave it longer, I am sure overnight marinating would only enhance the flavor more.

Once I took the chicken out, I had a pan warmed up with a dash of olive oil and a bit more soy sauce. I sauteed the chicken on medium heat so that it would cook slowly and still be tender. Meanwhile, I cooked 4 cups of brown rice to serve as a nice bed for the yummy chicken. Also, the cashews toasted in the toaster oven until a nice golden brown. Once they were done I tossed them in with the chicken and added just a tad of olive oil and pepper to the rice.

This definitely served as a healthier alternative to the Cheesecake Factory dish. The chicken wasn't fried, I used less sodium, and obviously smaller portions. Most importantly, it was spicy, crunchy, and tasty tasty tasty! Enjoy :)