Where To Stop For The Original Missouri-Famous Cashew Chicken That Might Have Been A First Of Its Kind

Residents of Springfield, Missouri are so serious about cashew chicken that a trail has been developed for enthusiastic eaters looking to compare recipes. Locals are vocal about who is slinging the best version, but the original recipe is largely credited to Leong's. Chinese immigrant and World War II vet David Leong first started Leong's Tea House as a way to bring some of the flavors of home to his new community, and cashew chicken was the bridge between the two. You can still get his cashew chicken today at Leong's Asian Diner.

Leong was a cook in the Army and opened Leong's Tea House when he finished his service. When he first began business in the 1960s, a lack of Asian-owned restaurants meant Leong had to persevere through many challenges. Though the establishment closed in 1997, the family rebranded it in 2010 as Leong's Asian Diner, complete with a drive-thru, with Leong's son Wing Yee Leong serving as executive chef. Today, the cashew chicken dish is a staple at many Springfield restaurants and has made its way onto menus around the world. Leong freely shared his recipe, which has been adopted and modified by hundreds of cooks, but the Springfield style has captured audiences with its simplicity.

The recipe is known for a gravy-like cashew sauce, a distinguishing component of Springfield cashew chicken that separates it from other kinds of cashew chicken recipes. Instead of stir-fry chicken made in a wok, these chicken pieces are battered and deep fried. The traditional roux-enhanced chicken gravy is thickened with starch and flavored with oyster sauce, and plates are finished with cashews and scallions. Though Leong passed in 2020, his legend lives on through this dish. 

An order of cashew chicken at Leong's costs $15.75 and is served with rice. Though Leong's Asian Diner has cited over $800,000 in annual sales from the dish alone, it isn't just the cashew chicken that has customers pleased. "Best Chinese food in all of Missouri. Hands down, don't even try to argue with it. Do yourself a favor and go to Springfield and try it, be impressed," wrote a fan on Instagram. If you can't make it to Springfield, this could be a sign to try to perfect your own cashew chicken recipe at home.