Cashew Chicken Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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
This dish is yummy! We fixed some rice with it and it was a wonderful dinner.
This dish is yummy! We fixed some rice with it and had an enjoyable dinner. Will definitely make it again.
So glad you liked it Susan! Thanks so much!
I made this tonight and it was amazing!! Thank you!
I’m so happy you liked it Beth! My family loves it too! Thanks so much for letting me know how you liked it! xo
THIS WAS SOOOOO GOOD!!! I added onions, sweet peppers, broccoli and toasted sesame seeds. This will DEFINITELY be a staple recipe in our house. And it was so easy to make! Thank you!
This looks delicious and I will make this soon. I was wondering if you could use almond flour in place of the cornstarch to lower the carbs for diabetics.
Hi Debbie,
I haven’t made it with almond flour in place of the cornstarch, so I’m sorry I’m not able to tell you from personal experience. I have made it with arrowroot powder and it worked well. xo
I just made this tonight with the chicken for the rest of the household, and with tofu for me, and both came out fantastically. Left out the onions because none of us like them. Great recipe!
This looks wonderful! Where do you get raw cashews?
Thanks so much, Brenda. I find raw cashews at my local grocery store. They are generally in the same area as raw pecans, walnuts, etc. In one store, they are near the produce and deli and in another in the snack section. I hope you enjoy it!
I made this last night and it was wonderful! I used the coconut aminos, which I had never used before. What a great find. Thanks so much!
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Joy! xo
It certainly looks good.
Thanks so much, Carol. I hope you love it! xo
Sounds delicious! What is coconut aminos?
Thanks so much, Mary! Coconut aminos are a gluten-free, low-glycemic, and vegan alternative to soy sauce. They do not contain MSG and have less sodium than traditional soy sauce. They are made from the sap of coconut blossoms that has been aged with salt and other aminos added, from what I understand. They are becoming more widely available (even available in my small town grocery store), but I can always find them online at Amazon and Thrive Market.
Would like to know about freezing your recipes. It would be useful as I don’t eat what my friend does and would like to build up my freezer with my own ready-made meals
Hi Alexis,
I love making meals and freezing portions of them for using later! It definitely helps on those crazy busy days or when I am out of ideas of what to fix for supper! (It is also a major feature in my cookbook, so I’m so glad that this might be helpful for you, too!)
Generally speaking, I like to make an entire recipe for recipes and then portion it into smaller containers for freezing. For some recipes though, it is just as easy to double as it is to make it as written – lasagna, roasting chicken, etc. I let the cooked foods cool completely and then portion them into freezer containers, removing as much air as possible. For cooked foods, I use them within 3 months. If the dish has a topping (like a cracker topping or cheese), I hold off adding it to the dish headed to the freezer and then just add it right before baking.
I hope that helps, Alexis!!! xo