Cashew Chicken

Cashew Chicken is a take-out classic. This homemade version is fast, easy, and so much better! Tender chicken, tender crisp vegetables, and crunchy cashews coated in an addictive sauce!

Making homemade take-out really is just as fast as ordering it and once you’ve nailed a recipe you won’t want take-out again. Just keep a few Chinese staple ingredients in your pantry and you can make homemade take-out anytime!

Reasons to love this Cashew Chicken:

• It can be on your table in 20 minutes or less
• No hard to find ingredients- just a few Chinese staples
• It tastes so much better than take-out
• Homemade can also be a healthier alternative because you control how much oil, sodium, and sugar is in the recipe!

Ingredients:

CHICKEN: I am using chicken breast for this recipe but you may also use thighs.
BELL PEPPER: Use any color you like!
CASHEWS: For an extra boost of flavor you can toast the cashews before starting the recipe.

GINGER AND GARLIC: Found in almost every Chinese dish
GREEN ONION
WATER, SOY SAUCE, HONEY, CORNSTARCH, SESAME OIL, AND CHILI PASTE: All used for the delicious sauce to coat the chicken

How to make Cashew Chicken:

This is a really simple and fast dish. I strongly recommend making the sauce first so it’s ready when you need it. Also, prep all your ingredients before you get started.

SAUCE: Start by whisking together all the sauce ingredients and set aside.

CHICKEN: In a large skillet cook the chicken, bell pepper, ginger, and garlic over medium to medium high heat just until chicken is cooked through.

FINISHING THE DISH: Stir in the cashews, green onions, and the sauce. Cook until it just starts to thicken then remove from heat.

Other tasty dishes to try:

• Asian Chicken Salad
• Cilantro Lime Chicken
• Homemade Hamburger Helper
• Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza

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5 from 5 votes

Print

Cashew Chicken

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

20 mins

 

Cashew Chicken is a take-out classic. This homemade version is fast, easy, and so much better! Tender chicken, tender crisp vegetables, and crunchy cashews coated in an addictive sauce!

Course: Main

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: 30 minutes or less, easy chicken dinner, easy homemade take-out

Servings: 6

Calories: 406 kcal

Author: Malinda Linnebur

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds (680g) chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 large bell pepper, large dice
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup (125g) cashews
• 4 green onions, cut into ½" pieces

SAUCE:

• ¼ cup (60ml) water
• ¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chili paste (or more to your liking)

Instructions

1. Whisk together the sauce ingredients; set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Cook the chicken, pepper, ginger, and garlic until the chicken is no longer pink.

3. Stir in the cashews, green onion, and sauce. Cook just until the sauce starts to thicken then remove from heat.

Recipe Notes

1. STORAGE: Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended. 
2. This is a really simple and fast dish. I strongly recommend making the sauce first so it’s ready when you need it. Also, prep all your ingredients before you get started.
3. For an extra boost of flavor toast the cashews before starting the recipe. 

Nutrition Facts

Cashew Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 406 Calories from Fat 189

% Daily Value*

Fat 21g32%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 73mg24%

Sodium 468mg20%

Potassium 783mg22%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 32g64%

Vitamin A 217IU4%

Vitamin C 26mg32%

Calcium 33mg3%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the information shown is just an estimate.