A few weeks ago, I went a little cashew dip crazy. (See “A Tale of Two Dips.”) I made a chipotle cashew dip that was a HUGE hit, and turmeric cashew dip that was more like a paste and not at all chip-worthy. But I needed to use it somehow.
Enter the boring yet versatile chicken breast.
The chicken breast is the best friend you can always count on. While you’re off trying to be friends with the cool kids (short rib, sous vide steak), only to find the cool kids are jerks anyway, the chicken breast will be right where you left it, waiting with open arms. It just needs a little creative seasoning. (At least some salt and pepper, right?)
I tried spreading the dip/paste/wtfisthis on the chicken and baked it in the oven. Surprisingly, it turned out alright. I’m not saying I’ll go out of my way to make this lab experiment again, but I definitely made lemonade out of lemons with this one.
Bonus: I added a side of asparagus and lemon-ginger spinach for a huge pop of green on my plate. Will be making the spinach again, fo sho. Check out the recipe from The Kitchn.
Turmeric Cashew Chicken | Serves 2-3
Ingredients
1 cup cashews
2 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. turmeric
1 tsp. ground ginger
Dash of garlic powder
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Make the paste by blending cashews, lemon juice, water, turmeric, ground ginger and garlic powder. Blend until a spreadable consistency.
Spread the paste on the chicken breasts, coating each side evenly.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
Optional: Roast asparagus in the oven simultaneously. Cook lemon-ginger greens on the stovetop.
Notes
This recipe is designed for 2-3 servings, but you’ll probably have extra paste left over. The paste should keep well in the refrigerator for a week or so, or you can always coat more chicken breasts. I’m not cooking for many, so this is what worked for me.
Any other ideas for using this turmeric cashew paste? I want to hear ’em!
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