This cashew chicken is the kind of weeknight dinner that makes you question why you ever ordered takeout in the first place. It's fast, packed with flavor, and comes together in one pan with a sauce made from simple pantry ingredients.
Between the soccer practices, gymnastics, piano lessons, and general weeknight chaos, I'm constantly looking for dinner ideas that are flavorful, filling, and realistic for a busy night. And this cashew chicken is one we come back to again and again.
The sauce is packed with flavor but comes together with simple pantry staples, everything cooks in one pan, and it's on the table in about 30 minutes. We usually serve it over rice, and both my kids and husband love it. It also reheats really well, which makes it great for meal prep or easy leftovers the next day. Hope you enjoy!
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Where did Cashew Chicken originate?
Cashew chicken is a Chinese American dish that became especially popular in the Midwest, particularly in Springfield, Missouri, where a chef named David Leong is often credited with creating the original version in the 1960s. While traditional Chinese cooking does use cashews in some stir fries, the saucy takeout-style cashew chicken many of us know today is very much an Americanized comfort food classic.
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Equipment
Fo this recipe you will need:
- Wok or large skillet: While you can you use any wok or large skillet we got an electric wok as a wedding present years ago and it makes cooking stir fries so easy!
- Cutting board and knife
- Mixing bowl or mason jar: To mix the sauce together in.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chicken breast - I typically use boneless, skinless chicken breast for this recipe, but chicken thighs work great too and stay extra tender.
- Vegetable or Canola Oil: Any neutral, high heat oil will work here.
- Bell Peppers: I used a mix of red and yellow bell peppers for color and sweetness, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce and gives the chicken a nice texture.
- Salt & Pepper
- Roasted Unsalted Cashews: I prefer unsalted so the dish doesn't get too salty, but salted cashews will work in a pinch.
- Green Onions: Separate the white and green parts. The whites cook into the dish while the greens get sprinkled on top at the end.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the best flavor here.
- Soy Sauce: Use low sodium if you want a little more control over the saltiness.
- Hoisin Sauce: Adds sweetness and depth to the sauce.
- Chicken Broth: Helps thin the sauce slightly and brings everything together. you could use vegetable broth or even water.
- Rice Vinegar: Adds a little acidity to balance the sauce.
- Sesame Oil: Just a small amount adds a lot of flavor.
- Ginger: Fresh grated ginger is best, but ginger paste works too.
- Brown Sugar: Balances the salty flavors in the sauce.
- Chili Oil or Sriracha: Adds a little heat. Adjust to your preference or leave it out entirely if serving kids
Step-by-Step Photos
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. Chicken thighs work really well in this recipe and stay extra tender and flavorful.
As written, it has just a little heat from the chili oil or sriracha, but it's very easy to adjust. You can leave the spice out entirely for a more kid-friendly version.
Definitely. Broccoli, snap peas, mushrooms, zucchini, or carrots all work well in this recipe. Depending on how much you add you may need to adjust how much sauce you make to ensure everything is well coated.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Yes. Just use a gluten free soy sauce or tamari and make sure your hoisin sauce is gluten free as well.
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Made this homemade Cashew Chicken recipe? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Recipe
Cashew Chicken
Equipment
- Wok or large open skillet
- Cutting board and knife
- Mixing bowl and small whisk
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 2 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- salt & pepper
- 1 cup roasted, unsalted cashews, halved
- 8 green onions, sliced (save the green bits for garnish)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- ¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated or minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili oil or Sriracha Add more or less to taste.
Instructions
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
- Add the chicken to a large bowl and sprinkle with cornstarch and a pinch of salt, and pepper. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown. Stir in the bell peppers, green onions, and garlic and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the peppers are slightly tender, about 3 minutes.Stir in the cashews and cook for another minute or two.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet and toss everything together until well coated.Let it cook for 1 to 2 more minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve hot over rice garnished with the remaining green onion and enjoy!
Nutrition
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