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This Cashew Chicken recipe makes a favorite quick and easy recipe perfect for busy weeknights! Ready and on the table faster than takeout!
Cashew chicken was always one dish I turned to when I saw it on the menu, but now that I realize I’m sensitive to MSG and preservatives, it is one of those recipes that I just knew I had to make at home so that my whole family could enjoy it.
As I remade the recipe, I was determined that it had to be one that I could make on the busiest of weeknights, that it tasted just as delicious (if not more so) than the restaurant version, and that it had to be easy! Mission accomplished!
Cashew Chicken Recipe
How to Make Better Than Takeout Cashew Chicken Recipe
To make it, I start by cutting my boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1 1/2-inch pieces. 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.
While you chicken is cooking, stir together the sauce for the cashew chicken. It includes soy sauce or coconut aminos, rice wine vinegar, tomato paste, honey, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes.
Pour it into the skillet along with the chicken.
And then add in your raw cashews. Stir them in and then cook for just a few more minutes until the cashews are heated throughout, but still have a definite crunch.
For a little color and additional depth of flavor, I like to also include green onions.
The really make it scrumptious, I think.
You can then serve with lo mein, cooked rice, zucchini noodles, or broccoli.
How to Freeze
- Cool. Once cooked, allow to cool completely.
- Place in Containers. Portion into an airtight, freezer-safe container(s), label, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw. Allow to thaw overnight.
- Reheat and Serve. Reheat in oven or microwave until warm 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 ½ inch pieces
- 1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder optional
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, butter, or olive oil
- 1/2 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 teaspoons grated fresh ginger or 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions 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.
Nutritional Information
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
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
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.
It certainly looks good.
Thanks so much, Carol. I hope you love it! xo
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
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 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 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
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!
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 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 have a two part question here. How many pounds of chicken ( I know it says 4 chicken breasts but I’m not sure if this means whole breasts or breasts halves)? Also, what is the size of the servings? I have to feed 5 adults which includes 3 men and 2 women.
Hi Lori,
I use 4 breasts that total about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds. I also serve this with sides, such as Lo Mein Noodles, Rice or Zucchini Noodles as well as broccoli. It should be enough for 5 adults with these sides. I hope this helps! Enjoy! Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!! I appreciate the reply.
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!!
I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it! My family loves this one too! Thanks! xo
My family will go crazy for this recipe. I am curious to see how this tastes over cauliflower rice! 🙂
I omitted the optional cornstarch and it was still excellent! Thank you for another great recipe. It reheated well for lunch the next day too.
Hi what is an alternative for rice wine vinegar ? Or can
I omit it ?
I had the same question actually, any help with that please?
YUM! This is such a great idea for lunch! I’ll definitely try it soon ♥
This is excellent. Easy, quick and tasty. Perfect for mid week dinner.
This was delicious!!! Â I added broccoli and mushrooms and served over brown rice. Yum! Â Very easy to make as well!
So glad you enjoyed it, Christine! Thanks! xo
I just made this tonight. Very yummy! I will keep this in rotation.
So happy you liked it, Beth! xo
No longer puzzling over what to cook since I’ve subscribed. I’ve been following your recipes as they’re quick, delicious and nutritious. What more could anyone want? My husband and I are enjoying imaginative and diverse meals. Thank you! Merle
I’m so thrilled with this, Merle! It makes me happy to know that you are your husband are enjoying the recipes! I love having you here – thank you so very much! xo
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!
This is a family favorite!
Thanks, Susan!
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.
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.
This is AMAZING. I just made it. It’s the kind of dish you just can’t stop eating!
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.