• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Dinner at the Zoo

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food

Home » Asian Food » Cashew Chicken

Published: January 16, 2019 Last Modified: March 4, 2019 By Sara 38 Comments

Cashew Chicken

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Cashew Chicken Recipe | Cashew Chicken Stir Fry | Chicken Recipe #cashews #chicken #dinner #dinneratthezoo

This cashew chicken is chunks of crispy chicken and roasted cashews tossed in a sweet and savory sauce. Serve over rice for the perfect easy dinner option!

I always order cashew chicken from my favorite take out spot, and I think this homemade version tastes even better than the restaurant recipe. Serve with rice and vegetables for a complete meal.

Cashew Chicken Recipe | Cashew Chicken Stir Fry | Chicken Recipe #cashews #chicken #dinner #dinneratthezoo Cashew Chicken Recipe | Cashew Chicken Stir Fry | Chicken Recipe #cashews #chicken #dinner #dinneratthezoo

A pan of cashew chicken topped with sliced green onions.

I always order cashew chicken from my local restaurant, but this homemade version is even better than the take out kind! It’s got plenty of breaded chicken with crunchy cashews and the most delicious (and easy) sauce.

How do you make cashew chicken?

The first step in this recipe is to cook your chicken. The chicken is coated in cornstarch and pan fried until crisp. After the chicken is done, it’s tossed in a 5 minute sauce that contains ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Crispy chicken pieces in a skillet.

I add the cashews at the very end of the cooking process because I like for them to retain their crunch. If you prefer softer cashews, you can simmer them in the sauce for a few minutes before you add the chicken back to the pan.

Crispy chicken pieces in a pan with sauce and roasted cashews.

What sauce is in cashew chicken?

Cashew chicken comes in a few different varieties, the most common types being Chinese cashew chicken and Thai cashew chicken. The Chinese version of cashew chicken tends to include sauteed chicken which is tossed with vegetables and cashews in a brown sauce. This version veers more towards the Thai end of the cashew chicken spectrum with the breaded chicken pieces and sweet and savory sauce.

Cashew chicken served over steamed rice.

The one ingredient you may not have on hand for this recipe is the Thai sweet chili sauce. This is a reddish colored condiment sold in a glass bottle in the ethnic foods aisle of most grocery stores. It’s not particularly spicy but does add a ton of flavor to this dish.

Slow cooker cashew chicken

This cashew chicken can be made in the slow cooker if you’d prefer to go that route. Simply bread and saute your chicken, then toss it with the sauce ingredients in the slow cook and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.

A pan of cashew chicken with crispy chicken in a sweet and savory sauce.

Is cashew chicken healthy?

Cashew chicken is not the healthiest choice, because the chicken is cooked in oil and cashews tend to be higher in calories, although they do contain some health benefits. If you’re looking for a healthier version of cashew chicken, skip the breading and simply saute the chicken in a bit of oil, and reduce the amount of cashews by half.

I typically serve cashew chicken over steamed rice, but it’s also great with noodles, quinoa or zucchini noodles. No need to order take out when you can make your favorite restaurant dishes in the comfort of your own home!

More Asian food favorites

  • Chicken Lettuce Wraps
  • Sweet and Sour Chicken
  • Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
  • Firecracker Chicken
  • Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

Cashew Chicken Video


A pan of cashew chicken topped with sliced green onions.
Print Pin
4.96 from 23 votes

Cashew Chicken

This cashew chicken is chunks of crispy chicken and roasted cashews tossed in a sweet and savory sauce. Serve over rice for the perfect easy dinner option!
Course Main
Cuisine Asian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 496kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons cornstarch divided use
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup roasted cashews
  • 3 tablespoons sliced green onions

Instructions

  • Place the chicken in a bowl with 1/4 cup cornstarch and salt and pepper. Toss to coat chicken evenly.
  • Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add half of the chicken in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned.
  • Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and repeat the process with the remaining raw chicken pieces.
  • Remove all the chicken from the pan. Drain any excess oil, leaving 1 teaspoon of oil in the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, sweet chili sauce and brown sugar. Pour the sauce mixture into the pan.
  • Bring the sauce to a simmer. Place the cornstarch in a bowl with 2 tablespoons cold water and whisk to combine.
  • Pour the cornstarch into the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute or until sauce has just thickened.
  • Place the chicken and cashews in the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 429mg | Potassium: 720mg | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 4.4mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 2.1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Asian Food, Dinner

FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

    ​
    ​

    Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

    « Beef Barley Soup
    Italian Meatball Soup »

    Comments

    1. Joe says

      January 22, 2023 at 6:08 pm

      5 stars
      Hi, Sara.
      Fantastic recipe! Thank you.
      I used about a third less chicken, and found the sauce to be in perfect balance when served on brown rice.
      I never expected to use cornstarch as a breading. It works great!
      A word of caution – it gets salty very easily.
      This is a keeper. We love it.
      Again, THANK YOU.
      -Joe

      Reply
    2. Briana says

      January 3, 2022 at 4:27 pm

      We loved it. My boyfriend said he love the sauce. A slight kick to it. Not salty at all. Put it over pad Thai noodles and added broccoli. Could have double the sauce though

      Reply
    3. Kelly Collins-Cunningham says

      August 22, 2021 at 10:00 am

      4 stars
      This was great. Taste and consistency were wonderful and we had nothing left.

      Changes:
      I added some ground pork since I did not have enough chicken. The pork was nice and crispy and the contrast was a nice addition.

      Doubled the ginger and left out the catsup to accommodate my faux Whole 30 attempt. Next time I’ll double the sauce as it simmered away.

      Reply
    4. Deborah says

      June 2, 2021 at 8:04 am

      Do you think I could air fry the chicken instead of frying it Iin oil?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        June 2, 2021 at 4:26 pm

        I think it’s possible but I haven’t tried it this way myself!

        Reply
    5. Priya Lakshminarayan says

      March 30, 2021 at 8:02 pm

      Wow this looks so tempting and delicious! Love the flavors in here.

      Reply
    6. Alison says

      March 30, 2021 at 7:32 pm

      5 stars
      This cashew chicken is moist, super flavorful, and perfectly spiced. Way better than take out!!

      Reply
    7. Tara says

      March 30, 2021 at 7:01 pm

      5 stars
      Yum! Love cashews! This chicken looks so good with the cornstarch coating and paired with the sweet and savory sauce.

      Reply
    8. Yixin says

      March 30, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      5 stars
      This cashew chicken is so easy to make and absolutely delicious. Will definitely make it again!

      Reply
    9. Irina says

      March 30, 2021 at 4:25 pm

      5 stars
      I made this cashew chicken for our lunch today. Well, I am rating it five stars. This homemade version is the best: my family asks for more. 🙂

      Reply
    10. Mary says

      December 10, 2020 at 5:08 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious!! Thank you for creating such easy take out favorites that we can make at home!! 10/10 for this one.

      Reply
    11. Jill says

      March 7, 2020 at 5:56 pm

      5 stars
      This cashew chicken was absolutely delicious. I really liked that the sauce included ingredients I usually buy anyway, and no fish sauce. Thanks for a terrific recipe!

      Reply
    12. Christie Gagnon says

      March 7, 2020 at 5:13 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my word, this looks amazing! Can’t wait to try!!

      Reply
    13. Sally says

      March 7, 2020 at 5:03 pm

      5 stars
      YUM! I’m on a Chinese cooking binge, and this one will fit nicely into our rotation … looks so delicious and kid friendly … my boys will love it!

      Reply
    14. Cindy says

      March 7, 2020 at 4:09 pm

      5 stars
      I wish I could rate this higher than 5 stars. This was a delicious recipe. My family loved it!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More

    Winter Soups

    A bowl of Italian wedding soup with meatballs, carrots, spinach and pasta.

    Italian Wedding Soup

    A bowl of pumpkin soup topped with bacon and pumpkin seeds.

    Pumpkin Soup with Bacon

    This recipe for mexican meatball soup is loaded with seasoned beef meatballs, black beans and plenty of vegetables in a flavorful and spicy broth. Add your favorite toppings and you've got a complete meal in a bowl!

    Mexican Meatball Soup

    A bowl of cheeseburger soup

    Cheeseburger Soup

    Albondigas soup made with beef meatballs, vegetables and potatoes.

    Albondigas Soup

    This ham bone soup is loaded with beans and veggies and is the perfect way to use up leftover ham!

    Ham Bone Soup (Slow Cooker)

    More Posts from this Category

    Featured Recipes

    A serving bowl of cowboy caviar made with beans and veggies, and garnished with cilantro.

    Cowboy Caviar

    This honey garlic shrimp stir fry is an easy recipe that's ready in 20 minutes.

    Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry

    This recipe for greek chicken souvlaki is skewers of tender chicken breast marinated in lemon, garlic and herbs, then grilled to perfection and served with a creamy yogurt sauce. FosterFarmsOrganic AD

    Chicken Souvlaki

    This recipe for lemon pepper chicken with butter sauce is a simple recipe that's ready in just 20 minutes! The perfect dinner for a busy weeknight.

    Lemon Pepper Chicken

    FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

    Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

      ​
      ​

      Categories

      Sites I am featured In
      PRIVACY POLICY ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT © Sara Welch and Dinner at the Zoo® LLC, 2015-2022.
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • RSS
      • Twitter
      • About Me
      • Contact Me
      • All Recipes
      • Dinner
      • Appetizers
      • Dessert
      • One Pot Meals
      • Slow Cooker
      • Asian Food