Cashew chicken is a quick and easy chicken stir fry meal that you can whip up at home in under 30 minutes. Juicy and tender chicken and fresh vegetables are stir fried and smothered in a garlicky, sweet and savory Asian sauce with crunchy cashews. This Chinese restaurant takeout favorite is so much better, healthier, and faster than ordering takeout (and cheaper too!). Favorful homemade cashew chicken is perfect for busy weeknights when you are looking to make a quick dinner that's absolutely delicious.
Why You'll Love Cashew Chicken
- Better than takeout. You could fool anyone with this cashew chicken recipe because it's so good and tastes like you paid someone to cook it for you (and deliver it right to your door). It tastes absolutely delicious with ingredients that you know, it's faster than getting delivery, and it's cheaper. You might be tempted to never order takeaway again.
- Chicken and cashews are the perfect pair. Nuts are an amazing superfood, and we're quick to throw them in salads or smoothies, but we tend to shy away from nuts when cooking up proteins. Not today. The juicy and tender saucy chicken and crunchy cashews complement each other so well regarding both flavor and texture. You might start adding cashews to all your chicken stir fries!
- It's so quick easy to make. One of my favorite things about Chinese cuisine, and stir fries in particular, is that its so quick to make. You may spend some time prepping and chopping vegetables, but the entire process from prep to table takes less than 30 minutes! It's easy to prep, easy to make, easy to clean up after, and it's incredibly easy to enjoy. The best takeaway fakeaway ever!
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make this delicious and easy cashew chicken, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in the recipe card below):
- chicken - use boneless and skinless chicken breast or chicken thighs. I like using thighs in chicken stir fries because they are more tender.
- vegetable oil - feel free to use any vegetable oil that you have on hand. I typically use avocado oil.
- salt
- cornstarch - or substitute with all-purpose flour.
- bell peppers - I used green and red bell peppers. Feel free to use any colors that you like.
- roasted cashews
- green onions - optional, for garnish.
- white sesame seeds - optional, for garnish.
- sauce - made with soy sauce (or substitute with oyster sauce), rice vinegar (or mirin), chicken broth (or water), brown sugar (or honey), ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and cornstarch.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a large skillet.
How to Make the Best Cashew Chicken
- Prepare the chicken. Use a paper towel to pat dry the chicken completely dry. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Transfer the chicken to a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and cornstarch. Stir well to coat evenly.
- Cook chicken. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add chicken and sauté until golden brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken onto a plate.
- Sauté the vegetables. In the same skillet, add bell peppers and sauté over medium heat until tender, about 2-3 minutes
- Make the sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Add sauce. Stir in the sauce mixture and let it simmer over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until thickened to a desired consistency, stirring constantly.
- Add chicken and cashews. Add the cooked chicken and cashews and toss well to coat, about 1 minute. (Do not overcook the cashews, which will make them soggy).
- Serve. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds and serve immediately with a bowl of steamed rice or fried rice.
How to Cook Cashew Chicken in the Instant Pot
- Pat dry chicken breasts completely with a paper towel and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and cornstarch until smooth.
- Add chicken and sauce mixture in the instant pot. Seal the lid and turn the steam release knob to SEAL position. Pressure cook for 6 minutes. Once the time is up, quick release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position.
- Turn on sauté on high and stir in bell peppers. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tender and the sauce thickens to a desired consistency.
- Stir in cashews and toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve warm with a bowl of steamed rice.
Storing Instructions
- How to store: Keep any leftover cashew chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Allow it to cool before storing, or else the veggies and cashews may get soggy.
- How to reheat: Cashew chicken is best served fresh because that's when the cashews are crunchiest. Once stored and reheated, the cashews will get softer. To reheat leftover cashew chicken, place it on a pan over the stove. Stir fry the chicken and veggies on medium-low heat until warmed through. Cover the pan to speed up the cooking time. You can also reheat cold cashew chicken in the microwave. Heat the chicken in a microwave-safe dish covered in plastic wrap on a medium or low heat setting for about 3 minutes, until warmed through.
More Asian Chicken Recipes
- 60 Chinese Takeout Recipes at Home
- General Tso's Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Baked Sesame Chicken
- Mongolian Chicken
- Healthy Lemon Chicken
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Recipe
Cashew Chicken
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Description
Cashew chicken is a quick and easy chicken stir fry ready in under 30 minutes. It's flavorful, delicious, and so much better and faster than takeout.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup roasted cashews
- 2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped (optional, for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)
For the sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or mirin)
- ¼ cup chicken broth (or water)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar (or honey)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Use a paper towel to pat dry the chicken completely dry. Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.
- Transfer cubed chicken to a mixing bowl, along with 1 tablespoon oil, salt, and cornstarch. Stir well to coat evenly.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the hot oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Add chicken and sauté until golden brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken onto a plate.
- In the same skillet, add bell peppers and sauté over medium heat until tender, about 2-3 minutes
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Stir in the sauce mixture and let it simmer over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until thickened to a desired consistency, stirring constantly.
- Add the cooked chicken and cashews and toss well to coat, about 1 minute. (Do not overcook the cashews, which will make them soggy).
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds and serve immediately with a bowl of steamed rice or fried rice.
Notes
Instant pot instructions: Pat dry chicken breasts completely with a paper towel and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, chicken broth, sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and cornstarch until smooth. Add chicken and sauce mixture in the instant pot. Seal the lid and turn the steam release knob to SEAL position. Pressure cook for 6 minutes. Once the time is up, quick release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to the venting position. Turn on sauté on high and stir in bell peppers. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tender and the sauce thickens to a desired consistency. Stir in cashews and toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve warm with a bowl of steamed rice.
How to store: Keep any leftover cashew chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Allow it to cool before storing, or else the veggies and cashews may get soggy.
How to reheat: Cashew chicken is best served fresh because that's when the cashews are crunchiest. Once stored and reheated, the cashews will get softer. To reheat leftover cashew chicken, place it on a pan over the stove. Stir fry the chicken and veggies on medium-low heat until warmed through. Cover the pan to speed up the cooking time. You can also reheat cold cashew chicken in the microwave. Heat the chicken in a microwave-safe dish covered in plastic wrap on a medium or low heat setting for about 3 minutes, until warmed through
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Stir Fry
- Cuisine: Chinese
Sophie says
Doubled the recipe, reduced the soy sauce and salt by about half to reduce sodium intake. Added bokchoy and asparagus. It was delicious! The whole family loved it.