Authentic Chinese Almond Chicken Recipe That Wows Everyone

Chinese almond chicken recipe is a dish that effortlessly balances satisfying textures with a rich, savory depth that feels both comforting and exciting.

Popular across countless home kitchens, it carries a certain warmth that makes it perfect for any occasion, casual or celebratory.

Rooted in classic Chinese-American cooking traditions, it has earned a loyal following for good reason.

Satisfying enough to impress yet approachable enough for a relaxed weeknight dinner, it fits naturally into any meal plan you have in mind.

Simple to love and easy to appreciate, it speaks to anyone who enjoys bold, well-rounded flavors on the plate.

What Makes Chinese Almond Chicken a Smart Choice

• Balanced Flavors: The combination of nutty almonds, fresh vegetables, and savory sauce creates a dish where each component brings something different to your plate.
• Restaurant Quality At Home: You can make this Chinese takeout favorite in your own kitchen without any complicated techniques or special equipment beyond a wok or large pan.
• Quick Weeknight Dinner: Once your chicken marinates, the actual cooking happens fast, so you can have dinner ready without spending hours in the kitchen.
• Flexible Serving Options: You get to choose how you serve this; over rice, with noodles, or wrapped in lettuce; depending on what your family prefers that night.

What Ingredients Need Preparing Before Chinese Almond Chicken

• 3 tablespoons Soy Sauce: Seasons your chicken and forms the base of your marinade.
• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch: Helps thicken your marinade and coat the chicken pieces.
• 2 garlic cloves, minced: Fresh garlic adds a sharp, aromatic flavor to your chicken.
• 1 teaspoon Ginger, minced or grated: Ginger brings a warm, slightly spicy note that balances the soy sauce.
• 1 Chicken Breast, cut into small cubes: Protein cooks quickly in small pieces and absorbs the marinade flavors well in 15 to 20 minutes.

• 1 teaspoon Cornstarch: Thickens your sauce as it heats.
• 1/4 cup Chicken Broth: Broth creates the liquid base for your sauce.
• 1/4 cup Sherry Wine or White Wine: The wine adds depth and a subtle sweetness to balance your savory elements.
• 2 teaspoons Granulated Sugar: A touch of sugar rounds out the flavors in your sauce.

• 4 ounces Almonds, slivered or halved: Almonds add crunch and nutty richness when toasted until golden brown for about 4 to 5 minutes.
• 3 tablespoons Oil, divided: Use your oil in separate batches to toast the almonds, cook the vegetables, and fry the chicken.
• 4 ounces Snow Peas, sliced: Vegetables stay crisp and add color to your finished dish.
• 5 ounces Water Chestnuts or Bamboo Shoots, drained and sliced: Chosen vegetable contributes a subtle crunch that contrasts nicely with the tender chicken.

Chinese Almond Chicken Handy Tools to Have

• Large Bowl: You need this for whisking together the soy sauce and cornstarch, then marinating your chicken cubes for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Whisk: This helps you dissolve the soy sauce and cornstarch together smoothly before adding your garlic and ginger.
• Large Wok Or Frying Pan: Your main cooking vessel where you toast the almonds, cook the vegetables, and stir-fry the chicken with sauce.
• Measuring Spoons: You use these to portion out the exact amounts of oil, soy sauce, and other liquid ingredients as the recipe calls for them.
• Cutting Board And Knife: These let you prepare your chicken breast cubes, garlic, ginger, water chestnuts, and snow peas before cooking.
• Small Bowl: Keep a separate one handy for mixing your cornstarch, chicken broth, sherry, and sugar into a smooth sauce.
• Wooden Spoon Or Spatula: This tool works best for stirring and tossing your ingredients in the wok without scratching it, especially when the sauce begins to thicken.
• Measuring Cups: You need these for measuring your chicken broth and other liquid ingredients accurately.

Preparation Flow For Chinese Almond Chicken

Chinese Almond Chicken Tips For Rich Flavor

• Toast Almonds First: Remove almonds from the wok as soon as they turn golden and fragrant, since they continue cooking even after you take them off heat and can burn quickly.
• Don’t Skip The Marinade: Letting chicken sit in the soy and cornstarch mixture for 15 to 20 minutes helps the meat absorb flavor and cook more evenly when you sear it.
• Keep Your Vegetables Crisp: Fry water chestnuts and snow peas for just 30 seconds so they stay crunchy rather than turning mushy, which makes a real difference in texture.
• Prep Everything Before Cooking: Have your almonds toasted, vegetables ready, and sauce mixed in a separate bowl before you start cooking chicken, since the cooking happens fast and you won’t have time to gather ingredients.
• Watch The Sauce Consistency: Stir constantly once you add the sauce to the wok so it thickens evenly and coats the chicken and vegetables without lumps forming.

Variations for Chinese Almond Chicken

• Cashew Chicken: Replace the almonds with roasted cashews in the same amount, toasting them for the same 4 to 5 minutes until golden, then follow the rest of the recipe as written for a creamier, buttery flavor your family will recognize from takeout.
• Gluten-Free Version: Swap the regular soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos and use cornstarch as your thickener (which it already is), so your chicken comes together safely for anyone avoiding gluten at your table.
• Peanut Chicken With Extra Vegetables: Use roasted peanuts instead of almonds and add diced bell peppers and carrots alongside your water chestnuts and snow peas, giving you more color and texture in each bite.
• Lighter Ginger Almond Chicken: Reduce the oil to 1 tablespoon total instead of 3, use low-sodium broth, and increase your ginger to 2 tablespoons so the dish stays bright and fresh without feeling heavy on your plate.

How To Serve Chinese Almond Chicken for a Balanced Plate

• Serve Over Rice Or Noodles: This dish pairs best when spooned over steamed rice or crispy chow mein noodles, which soak up the silky sauce and balance the crunch from the almonds.
• Pair With A Light Green Salad: Fresh lettuce on the side cuts through the richness of the sauce and gives your meal a crisp, clean contrast that feels satisfying.
• Make It A Weeknight Dinner For Four: The recipe serves about four people comfortably, making it perfect when you’re cooking for your family or a couple of friends without spending hours in the kitchen.
• Add Extra Veggies If You Like: Beyond the water chestnuts and snow peas, toss in some bell peppers or broccoli during the final stir-fry step if that sounds good to your taste.

Smart Ways To Store Chinese Almond Chicken

• Store your marinated chicken in an airtight container on the lowest shelf of your refrigerator for up to 24 hours before cooking, keeping it separate from other ingredients so raw poultry stays safely away from your ready-to-eat foods.
• Keep your toasted almonds in a sealed container at room temperature for several days, though transferring them to the fridge extends their crispness if your kitchen runs warm or humid.
• Your finished dish keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days when stored in a covered container, and reheats beautifully in a wok or skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth to restore the sauce’s silky texture.
• Transfer any leftover sauce mixture to a small jar in your fridge for up to a week, making it convenient to prepare this dish again without whisking everything together from scratch.

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Chinese Almond Chicken Recipe

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4.8 from 15 reviews

• Total Time: 28 minutes
• Yield: 2 1x

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Description

Chinese almond chicken unites tender chicken pieces with crispy roasted almonds in a savory sauce that mixes smoothly faster than you’d think. Your dinner table gets a restaurant-quality dish when you combine soy sauce, ginger, and garlic with simple pantry ingredients that make this go-to recipe something you reach for again and again.

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Ingredients

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Chicken and Marinade:

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ginger, minced or grated
• 1 chicken breast, cut into small cubes

Sauce:

• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup sherry wine or white wine
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Stir-Fry Mix-ins:

• 4 ounces almonds, slivered or halved
• 3 tablespoons oil, divided
• 4 ounces snow peas, sliced
• 5 ounces water chestnuts or bamboo shoots, drained and sliced

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Instructions

1. Combine 3 tablespoons soy sauce with 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a large bowl, stirring until the cornstarch dissolves completely.
2. Mix your minced 2 garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon grated ginger into the soy mixture.
3. Add your cubed chicken breast to the bowl and let it marinate at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/4 cup chicken broth, 1/4 cup sherry wine, and 2 teaspoons sugar, then set this sauce mixture aside.
5. Heat your wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat for about 1 minute until hot.
6. Add 4 ounces of slivered almonds to the dry wok and toast them for 4 to 5 minutes at medium-high heat, stirring frequently until they turn golden and fragrant, then transfer to a clean plate.
7. Pour 1 tablespoon oil into your wok and heat it for 30 seconds over medium-high heat.
8. Add 5 ounces of drained and sliced water chestnuts and 4 ounces of sliced snow peas to the hot oil, cooking them for 30 seconds at medium-high heat while stirring, then remove to a plate.
9. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to your wok and heat for 30 seconds over medium-high heat.
10. Add your marinated chicken to the hot oil and cook for 2 minutes at medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the pieces turn white and firm throughout.
11. Return the almonds and vegetables to your wok, pour in the sauce mixture, and stir everything together over medium-high heat for about 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats all the ingredients.
12. Transfer your dish to a serving plate and serve it alongside rice, noodles, or lettuce.

Notes

• Toast your almonds in a dry pan first to bring out their flavor, and watch them closely since they go from golden to burnt quickly.
• Marinate the chicken for the full 15 to 20 minutes so it absorbs the soy and garlic flavors throughout, not just on the surface.
• Keep all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking, since the wok moves fast and there’s no time to chop once things heat up.
• If you’re cooking for a gluten-free diet, swap regular soy sauce for tamari or coconut aminos to keep the same savory depth.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 8 minutes
• Category: More Fried Chicken
• Method: Frying
• Cuisine: Chinese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2
• Calories: 540 kcal
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 1100 mg
• Fat: 38 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 33 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 22 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 36 g
• Cholesterol: 75 mg