This cashew chicken is the most delicious take-out style dish! Loaded with crunchy stir fried veggies, chicken, cashews, and a savory, slightly sweet sauce, this recipe is going to make it onto your regular dinner rotation in no time.
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This recipe is…
This recipe is incredible, y’all! It’s stir fry on a whole new level and will absolutely become a family-favorite in no time. The veggies, chicken, and cashews combine with the tastiest sticky, sweet (with a little kick of spice from the red pepper flakes) sauce, then the whole thing is served over rice and topped with green onions. It’s way better than take-out and surprisingly easy to whip up!
If you’re looking for more take-out inspired dishes, we’ve got several! This black pepper chicken is unbelievably tasty, this crispy honey sesame chicken is better than any restaurant version you’ll find, and this orange chicken recipe is baked to perfection for a healthier spin on the original deep fried version.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s easy – as stir fries tend to be, this recipe is super easy. Besides the rice, of course, everything gets cooked in one pan for both easy cooking and clean-up!
- It’s even better than take-out – this recipe is so delicious and truly rivals your favorite take-out order.
- It’s family-friendly – not too spicy, deliciously sticky and slightly sweet, this stir fry recipe is very family-friendly!
Cashew Chicken Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the chicken, of course, ingredients for the sauce, cashews, and veggies. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and swaps) below.
- Coconut aminos – if you aren’t familiar with coconut aminos, you’re in for a treat. Coconut aminos come from the sap of the coconut plant and make for the yummiest, sweet, sticky sauce. We love using coconut aminos for our homemade teriyaki sauce and other Asian-inspired dishes. You can find coconut aminos in either the health aisle of the grocery store or, if it’s not there, on the international foods aisle by the sauces, near the soy sauce.
- Arrowroot – arrowroot thickens the sauce, but if have cornstarch on hand, that’ll work too.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Use a different cut of chicken – we used chicken thighs here, but you can absolutely use chicken breasts or chicken tenders, if you’d like.
How to Make Cashew Chicken
This stir fry recipe is incredibly easy to make and is mostly (besides the rice, if you’re making it) made in one pan! Follow along below.
Step 1: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut aminos, chicken broth, toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, ginger powder, red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce is slightly reduced in volume.
Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the arrowroot powder with 1 tablespoon of water to make a slurry, then whisk the slurry into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, stir, and cook for an additional minute, until thickened. Set aside.
Step 3: Preheat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and swirl around the pan. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, then add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until the chicken is slightly browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan.
Step 4: Add the bell pepper strips and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly browned. Add the broccoli florets and snow peas to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Step 5: Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the chicken, green onions, and toasted cashews. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is warmed through, then pour the stir-fry sauce over the chicken mixture and toads to coat.
Step 6: Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with white rice and enjoy!
How to Serve
Serve this cashew chicken atop a bed of fluffy white rice like we did or over rice noodles, lo mein noodles, or ramen noodles. Each of these options would be delicious!
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftover cashew chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To reheat the stir fry, simply pop a serving or two in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or reheat the cashew chicken in a skillet over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
While they may seem similar, Kung Pao chicken is far spicier than cashew chicken and is made with peanuts vs. cashews. Find our stellar Kung Pao chicken recipe here!
Though slightly different from recipe to recipe and restaurant to restaurant, our recipe includes coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, ginger powder, and red pepper flakes.
More Favorite Stir Fry Recipes
If you tried this Cashew Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Cashew Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1½ teaspoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1¼ teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 red bell peppers, sliced into thin strips
- 8 ounces broccoli florets
- 6 ounces snow peas
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1½ cups toasted cashews
- White rice, for serving, optional
- Sesame seeds, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut aminos, chicken broth, toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, ginger powder, red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce is slightly reduced in volume.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the arrowroot powder with 1 tablespoon of water to make a slurry, then whisk the slurry into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil, stir, and cook for an additional minute, until thickened. Set aside.
- Preheat a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and swirl around the pan. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, then add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until the chicken is slightly browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan.
- Add the bell pepper strips and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly browned.
- Add the broccoli florets and snow peas to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the chicken, green onions, and toasted cashews. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is warmed through, then pour the stir-fry sauce over the chicken mixture and toads to coat.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with white rice and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Use a different cut of chicken – we used chicken thighs here, but you can absolutely use chicken breasts or chicken tenders, if you’d like.
- Use cornstarch – cornstarch will work in place of the arrowroot, if that’s what you have on hand!
Nutrition
that is stirfry not Springfield cashew chicken look again
Delicious! I used asparagus instead of snow peas. Nice little kick to the dish! I will definitiley be adding this to the rotation!
Ooooo YUM! So so happy you enjoyed it, Jill!