Cashew Chicken Recipe
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This scrumptious Cashew Chicken recipe with juicy chicken and crunchy cashews tastes better than takeout and comes together quickly, making it perfect for busy weeknights!
Cashew chicken has always been one of my favorites for takeout, but my homemade recipe is SO much better! I realized some time ago that I was sensitive to preservatives and MSG, so I developed this recipe to make at home, and I’m glad I did! It tastes fresher and more delicious, my entire family enjoys it, and I’ve heard from many of you that you do too!
As I developed this cashew chicken recipe, I knew it had to be on the table quickly for busy weeknights, be more delicious than the restaurant version, and be easy to make. Mission accomplished!
Featured Comment
Jorie says, “I love cashew chicken, but soy triggers migraines. I love that I can make it at home using this recipe because I can use coconut aminos in place of soy. The flavor is phenomenal! My husband and I both love it, so I use this recipe frequently…Thank you for this delicious recipe!”
How to Make Cashew Chicken
You can have this chicken on the table in under 25 minutes, including prep time! Let’s talk about how you’ll make it.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
- Chicken – Cut breasts into pieces as directed.
- Cornstarch – Or you can use arrowroot powder. This is optional, but it makes the chicken even more delicious!
- Oil – Use olive oil, coconut oil or butter for frying.
- Soy sauce or Coconut Aminos – If you’re sensitive to soy, use Coconut Aminos. So delicious!
- Rice wine vinegar, Tomato paste, Honey, Garlic, and Ginger – All part of the tasty sauce
- Raw cashews – Use these instead of salted as they would make your dish too salty.
- Red pepper flakes, Black pepper
- Green onion – Optional, but just perfect to top off this dish.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Cut up the chicken. To make it, I start by cutting my boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1 1/2-inch pieces.
Coat and Cook the Chicken. Toss the chicken in cornstarch or arrowroot powder until it is well coated and set aside while you heat your oil of choice in your skillet. You can use coconut oil, butter, or olive oil. Then, add your chicken pieces to the heated skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Mix the sauce. While your chicken is cooking, stir together the sauce ingredients.
Add sauce to skillet. Pour the sauce into the skillet with the chicken.
Add the cashews. Then, stir in the raw cashews. Cook for just a few more minutes until the cashews are heated throughout, but still have a definite crunch.
Chop green onions. (If you are using them.) They add a little color and additional depth of flavor.
Top with green onions. Add the chopped onions to the top of the cashew chicken dish if you are using them. Yum!
Serve and enjoy! Enjoy this cashew chicken served with one of the following or your favorite noodles.
Featured Comment:
Tina says, “This is wonderful!! It cooks up quick and easy. I served it over rice noodles and it disappeared very quickly. I’ll be making it again very soon. Thanks for sharing it!!”
Storage Tips
To store: Once cooled, place in an airtight container or wrap well. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze: Allow to cool completely, then place in airtight, freezer-safe container(s). Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed throughout and serve.
Here’s my Cashew Chicken Recipe. I hope you love it!
Cashew Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup cornstarch, or arrowroot powder, optional
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or coconut oil or butter
- 1/2 cup soy sauce, or coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion, optional
Instructions
- Add chicken pieces and cornstarch or arrowroot powder, if using, to a medium bowl and toss gently with a fork to make sure chicken is well coated.
- Melt coconut oil or butter in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir together soy sauce or coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar, tomato paste, honey, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Pour sauce over chicken and stir in cashews until well combined. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken has cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.Stir in black pepper and green onions.
- Remove skillet from heat and serve over rice, zucchini noodles, broccoli and top with additional chopped green onions, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
I love cashew chicken, but soy triggers migraines. I love that I can make it at home using this recipe because I can use coconut aminos in place of soy. The flavor is phenomenal! My husband and I both love it, so I use this recipe frequently. Recently, I forgot to grab tomato paste at the store but has gochujang paste on hand so I used that instead. It added some heat, so I recommend that modification for anyone who likes spicy food. I enjoy it both ways. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Jorie, I’m so glad this cashew chicken recipe worked for you with the coconut aminos. I have family that cannot have soy and the coconut aminos have worked great in recipes for them.
So so good. Delicious- whole family loved it!
Thanks, Kathleen. I’m happy your family loved this chicken recipe.
This dish was pretty tasty. MOST DEFINITELY, however, stick to the raw cashews called for in the recipe. I used salted ones because it’s all I had and the dish was too salty between the soy sauce and salt from those cashews. My fault totally. Overall good flavored dish though, and pretty easy.
This is AMAZING. I just made it. It’s the kind of dish you just can’t stop eating!
I make this recipe almost weekly it seems. I didn’t have the tomato paste the first time I made it, so I used ketchup. Turned out great, and the next time I did use the tomato paste, I didn’t like it as well, so I use ketchup every time now. I also use Sesame Oil.
Thanks, Ashley. I haven’t tried making this with ketchup.
I tried this tonight and it was excellent! Will definitely make again. I did not have rice wine vinegar so I substituted sherry and it was worked great.
I’m so glad you liked this, Brenna, even with the substitution. Thanks.
This is a family favorite!
Thanks, Susan!
It seems like I make this every other week I have the recipe memorized. I recently served it over sautéed zucchini chunks instead of the usual green pepper and my husband really liked that too! Thanks for your weekly meal plan too, they come in handy when I’m out of ideas.
Debbie,
I haven’t tried this recipe over sautéed zucchini chunks but it sounds delicious. So happy you are finding the meal plans useful. I wanted it to make meal planning easier. Thanks!