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This cashew chicken recipe isn’t as good as takeout; it’s better! It’s light, fresh, and delicious, bursting with your favorite Asian flavors, and it only takes 30 minutes to make!
I don’t know about you, but I adore Chinese takeout. One of my favorite things to order when I get Asian takeout is cashew chicken. However, this rendition of cashew chicken has so much more flavor than what you get when you order takeout, and it’s substantially more nutritious, too. It’s loaded with lean chicken and tons of veggies, and you’ll need less than half an hour to make it! If you’re in the mood to explore more delicious options, my hunan chicken recipe is another fantastic choice that is a mix of flavors and textures, perfect for those who love a bit of heat!
Why We Love This Cashew Chicken Recipe
- More Flavorful: Tastes better than takeout.
- Nutrient-Rich: Packed with lean chicken and veggies.
- Quick and Easy: Ready in under 30 minutes.
- Versatile: Perfect for weekdays or special occasions.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, and cubed.
- Salt & Pepper are used for seasoning the chicken.
- Red pepper flakes will add a spicy kick to the dish.
- Olive oil is used for stir frying.
- Sesame oil adds a nutty flavor to the cashew chicken sauce.
- Oyster sauce enhances the taste of the sauce.
- Soy sauce and I suggest using low-sodium soy sauce for cashew chicken.
- Chicken broth, again use low-sodium chicken broth if possible.
- Cornstarch helps thicken the sauce.
- Garlic
- Rice vinegar adds tanginess to the sauce.
- Green & Red Bell Peppers add color, texture, and flavor.
- Onion: I use a yellow onion for this recipe, but a white or red onion will work, too.
- Cashews: You want to use unsalted roasted cashews for this chicken dish.
- Green onion for garnish.
How to Make Cashew Chicken
- Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and chili flakes.
- Preheat a wok over high heat, then add olive oil.
- Add the chicken to the wok and stir fry until it is browned and cooked, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Make the sauce, and in a mixing bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and garlic.
- Add the veggies to the wok and cook for 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- Pour the sauce into the wok and cook for 3 minutes or until it thickens.
- Add the cashews and the green onions, and toss until the ingredients are well combined. Then, remove from the heat and serve.
Tips for Success
- Chicken breasts are recommended, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a suitable substitute.
- Cut the veggies and the chicken pieces to consistent sizes so everything will cook at the same speed.
- It’s important to brown the chicken because browning the meat is how you get the most flavor.
- Don’t have a wok? A large skillet is an effective alternative for preparing this dish.
- Make it gluten-free and replace the soy sauce with Tamari.
- To make this dish vegetarian-friendly, use tofu or another substitute, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and replace oyster sauce with hoisin.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve cashew chicken over white rice, but sometimes I use brown rice, quinoa, or noodles. I also love to serve this dish with some tasty side dishes like my spicy Asian Cucumber Salad, this Asian Chicken Noodle Soup, our Asian Beef Skewers, or this delicious Spicy Thai Rice.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Leftover cashew chicken will last in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months. Just make sure to store it in an airtight container. Fully thaw the chicken before reheating it.
- You can reheat the leftovers over medium heat for about 5 minutes or in a microwave in 20-second intervals until heated all the way through.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- Mandarin Chicken
- Szechuan Chicken
- Moo Shu Chicken
- Chicken Bulgogi
- Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Nuggets
- Juicy Stove Top Chicken Thighs
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Cashew Chicken
This easy Cashew Chicken recipe is like your favorite Chinese takeout but way better! It’s packed with flavors, loaded with veggies and protein, and you’ll have it ready in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts,, cut into 1-inch cubes
- salt and fresh ground pepper,, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup organic low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic,, minced
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 green bell pepper,, seeded and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper,, seeded and chopped
- 1 onion,, sliced
- ½ cup unsalted roasted cashews
- green onion,, chopped
- cooked rice,, quinoa, brown rice, or noodles, for serving
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
- Preheat a wok over high heat.
- Heat the olive oil in the preheated pan.
- Add the chicken and stir-fry for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and starts to brown.
- In the meantime, whisk together the sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken stock, cornstarch, garlic and rice vinegar.
- Add the bell peppers and onion to the wok and cook for 3 minutes, or until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
- Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Add the cashews and green onions and toss everything together.
- Remove from heat.
- Serve over rice or noodles immediately.
Notes
- Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but if you want, you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
- Brown the chicken: It is important that you brown the chicken when cooking it. Browning the meat is how you get the most flavor. Cook the chicken in the wok until it is golden brown.
- Cut the veggies and the chicken pieces to equal sizes; that way, everything will cook at the same time. If your vegetables and chicken are all cut to different sizes, some pieces will be undercooked, and some will be overcooked.
- Replace the soy sauce with tamari to make a gluten-free version.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for 4 months.
- Reheat over medium heat on the stove for 5 minutes or in a microwave in 20-second increments until heated through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 963mg | Potassium: 766mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1113IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Did you make a recipe? Leave a rating
I made this today in a vegan version, with cube shaped TVP, also substituted most of the bell pepper with carrot and mushrooms since my kids don’t like cooked bell peppers.. sticked to the recipe otherwise and it was awsome! My 4yo rarely asks for seconds, but today he did.
That’s fantastic to hear! Your vegan adaptations sound delicious, and I’m so glad your 4-year-old enjoyed it enough to ask for seconds. Thanks for sharing your version of the recipe! 🙂
This recipe is awesome! Didn’t miss breading on the chicken or regular soy sauce. My husband absolutely loved it. Definitely a keeper
That’s wonderful to hear! I’m glad you both enjoyed it and that your husband loved it too. Thanks for sharing your feedback, and I’m glad it’s a keeper for you! 🙂
Is there a way to make a note to myself making an adjustment to the recipe? Not for the public but just for myself for the next time I make this? We enjoyed it with a minor tweaking.