Almond or Cashew Chicken

This is as good as any almond chicken you will find at a Chinese Restaurant.  There is a lot of chopping with this recipe, I've prepped the veggies the day before to make the process faster.  I was lucky enough to get this recipe form Audrey Luke in Napa.  Love this lady!  She has so many talents and shares them often.   

2 whole chicken breasts (4 halves), cubed

3 T oil 

1 8 oz. can bamboo shoots

1 8 oz., can sliced water chestnuts

1/2 lb. snow peas

1/4 lb. sliced mushrooms

1 yellow onion sliced thin

6 stalks celery cut julienne

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups chicken stock

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

2 Tablespoons water

1/4 cup raw almonds or cashews

Marinade

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp soy sauce

1 Tablespoon oyster sauce

3 thin slices fresh ginger root

dash pepper

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

2 green onions slivered

Mix the marinade ingredients, pour over the cubed chicken and marinade at least 1 hour.

In a large pre heated skillet or wok add 1 tsp oil adding bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.  Remove from the pan and set aside.   Add another 1 tsp oil to pan and fry the mushrooms, celery, onion and snow peas adding the salt and sugar.   Stir a few minutes until vegetables are slightly cooked, do not overcook.   Remove and set aside.

Add another 2 teaspoons of oil and stir in the marinated chicken cooking for 3 minutes until brown.   Add the chicken stock and cook for another 10 minutes.  Add in precooked vegetables and nuts; bring to boil add in the dissolved cornstarch and cook until thick.

Serve on platter with white rice, garnish with more slivered green onions.