Easy Cashew Chicken

Love the flavors of takeout Cashew Chicken, but hate the prices of takeout? Us too! This Easy Cashew Chicken uses minimal ingredients and just one skillet making cleanup as quick as making the dish itself. Salty, crunchy, and full of protein – this is a dish the whole family can get behind!

What does it taste like?

Cashew chicken recipes vary across the board. This cashew chicken is heavy on the tangy and salty front due to the amount of soy sauce or coconut aminos used. The chicken is tenderly cooked along side fresh vegetables and notes of garlic and ginger shine through. The crunch of the cashews are my favorite part of the whole dish and add amazing texture. While many other recipes you’ll find out there use hoisin sauce in the recipe, we’re keeping it simple with typical ingredients you’ll likely have in your pantry already.

The Secret of Cashews

Cashews are a powerhouse of a food. Full of protein, these tree nuts are also responsible for reducing heart disease, increasing red blood cells, and giving a boost of tryptophan which elevates your mood! This is a recipe you can get happy about eating! Cashews are a great addition to nearly any recipe that needs an extra crunch or a dairy-free taste of cheese!

Basic Ingredients for Chicken Cashew Stir Fry

Feel free to add vegetables or other Asian inspired flavors to your skillet. These are my very basic, kid-friendly, must-have ingredients.

• Chicken – breasts or thighs
• Vegetables – bell peppers and/or onions
• Seasonings – coconut aminos (or soy sauce), garlic, rice wine vinegar, ginger
• Cornstarch – for thickening
• Cashews

Best Vegetables to Use

Feel free to use any of these vegetables, or combination of them. Stir fry recipes like this are the perfect way to use up vegetables in your refrigerator that are about to go bad.

• Bell Peppers
• Onions
• Broccoli or Broccolini
• Bok Choy
• Water Chestnuts
• Snap Peas
• Snow Peas
• Carrots

How to make Cashew Chicken (with video!)

Start by chopping the vegetables you’re using. Most nights I keep it simple and use only a mixture of bell peppers. I use one green and one red just for visual interest. You could use two of the same color if that’s what you have.

Add avocado oil to a large 12-inch skillet or wok over medium high heat and start to sauté the vegetables, giving them about a 3 minute head start.

Now dice the chicken into about 1 inch cubes. Add the chicken to the skillet with the vegetables and sprinkle on about 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Toss everything to coat the chicken.

Once the chicken has cooked so that there is color on all sides add in the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sugar, coconut aminos (or soy sauce) and stir to coat. Allow this mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes before adding 2 teaspoons of cornstarch to thicken. If you have it on hand, add a teaspoon of sesame oil for extra flavor. But if you don’t have it, don’t go out of your way to get it.

Mix it all together and continue to simmer. Lastly add in the cashews, again stirring to coat. Allow everything to warm and the chicken to cook through. Use an instant read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature is 165F. Once finished, top with sesame seeds, scallions, or even basil for a pop of freshness. Serve as is or over a bed of rice or cauliflower rice. The end result should be a thick, sticky sauce you’d expect to find in your favorite takeout dish.

Make Ahead and Storage

You can easily make this recipe ahead of time and enjoy throughout the week. Simply store in an air tight container within the refrigerator. Feel free to also use the sauce as a marinade for the chicken and marinate the night before.