Sesame Cashew Chicken Soup

All the flavors of Cashew Chicken, but in a soup. This is a dense soup - if you prefer more broth, you may want to add an additional can of chicken broth and increase water to 5 1/2 C. Adjusted from Cashew Chicken Cashew Chicken.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 1 large pot of soup

Ingredients

• Broth

• 1⁄4 cup ketchup
• 4  teaspoons soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3  tablespoons sugar
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons  sesame oil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 (14 ounce) cans low sodium chicken broth
• 3 3⁄4 cups water
• 1⁄2 cup  uncooked rice or 1 1⁄2 cups cooked rice
• 2  carrots, sliced or chopped
• 2  cups snow peas, in 1-2-inch pieces
• 1 -2  cup  vegetables, chopped (like summer squash, zucchini, green peppers, potatoes, etc)
• 1 1⁄2 cups cashews, chopped

• Chicken

• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  whole chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 2  tablespoons  fresh gingerroot, grated or minced
• 1  clove garlic, minced
• 1⁄2 onion, chopped

Directions

1. Combine ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, 3T sugar, sesame oil, cayenne pepper, chicken broth, water, and rice in a large pot and bring to a boil, reduce to simmering.
2. While the rice is cooking, chop and prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Place the cornstarch, 1/2 tsp sugar, and salt in a 1 gallon ziplock bag or large bowl. Add the chicken and shake or stir until the chicken is thoroughly coated.
4. Place olive oil in a large preheated frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken, ginger, garlic, and onion, and stir fry until chicken is browned and onion is soft.
5. Empty chicken mixture into simmering broth. Add Carrots and any other "hard vegetables" (green peppers, potatoes, etc) and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Stir in pea pods and any softer vegetables (like summer squash) and cook another 5 minutes.
7. The broth will become slightly thick and glossy from the cornstarch.
8. Cashews may be stirred in just before serving or added to individual bowls as garnishment.