Cashew Chicken

Cashew chicken is one of those menu items that you’ll find at most Chinese or Asian restaurants, but you don’t always have to enjoy it as take-out. It’s easy and quick to make yourself at home. There are no traps or pitfalls between you and a restaurant-quality dish.

The secret to making the best chicken with cashew nuts is to slightly undercook your vegetables so that they’re still crunchy, and to use cornstarch for a velvety rather than watery sauce. Other than that, the ingredients make their own magic once combined. Stand back and enjoy.

Ingredients for Cashew Chicken

• Cornstarch: This natural thickener gives the sauce a wonderfully velvety texture
• Brown sugar: It’s not a sweet dish overall, but a little brown sugar gives that signature Asian character
• Chicken broth: Make your own or use pre-prepared stock to create a smooth, savory sauce
• Soy sauce: Choose light soy sauce, low-sodium if possible, to give the sauce some aromatic saltiness and umami
• Canola oil: This is a good neutral-flavored oil for frying at higher temperatures
• Chicken breasts: Cut into evenly sized pieces. Choose boneless for faster cooking and remove the skin so that it doesn’t turn the broth greasy.
• Mushrooms: Fresh white or chestnut mushrooms bring texture, meatiness, and more umami flavor
• Green pepper: Cut into strips, fresh green pepper adds sweetness, crunch, and color
• Water chestnuts: Pick up a can of pre-sliced water chestnuts. They give stir-fries a distinctive snap in each bite.
• Ginger: Grate fresh ginger root for its pungent aroma and pleasant heat
• Green onions: Finely chopped scallions are a sweeter, more fragrant alternative to regular onions
• Salted cashews: Crunchy at first then soft and creamy, cashew nuts are the dish’s star ingredient for many
• Rice: Cook some basmati or jasmine rice to provide the starchy bed for the cashew chicken

Directions

Step 1: Cook the chicken breast

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Mix the cornstarch, brown sugar, chicken broth, and soy sauce until you have a smooth sauce. In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over a medium-high heat until it’s shimmering. Then add the chicken breast and stir-fry until it’s browning on the outside and no longer pink inside. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Editor’s Tip: Although the chicken has some cooking time left, it needs to reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F, so don’t go by color alone.

Step 2: Stir-fry the vegetables in broth

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In the same skillet, heat more oil over a medium-high heat. Stir-fry the mushrooms, green pepper, water chestnuts, and ginger root for three to five minutes until the pepper is crisp and tender. Add the stirred broth mixture to the skillet along with the green onions and bring initially to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook for one to two minutes until the sauce is thickened.

Step 3: Add the chicken and serve

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Stir in the chicken and salted cashews until heated. Serve over rice.

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Recipe Variations

• Make it spicy: If you want more heat than the ginger offers, you can crank up the spiciness with red chili flakes during stir-frying and a drizzle of sriracha or sweet chili sauce when serving.
• Get sticky: Loving the sweet flavors? Go all in by adding honey and a dash of rice wine vinegar for balance when stir-frying the chicken.
• Boost the veg: Make a healthy dish even healthier by bulking it up with broccoli, edamame, or zucchini. Just keep everything crunchy and don’t overcook.

How to Store Cashew Chicken

Once cooled, you can store chicken with cashew nuts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cashews might soften but the aromas will keep building. Simply reheat it in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Can you freeze cashew chicken?

Yes! This is great news for meal preppers. This easy cashew chicken recipe is perfect for batch cooking and storing in the freezer for the week or month ahead. In fact, it will stay good for up to three months if stored in a freezer-safe container (once cool). Thaw overnight or reheat on the stovetop.

Cashew Chicken Tips

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How can I get more tender chicken breast?

A top chef’s tip to get restaurant-quality chicken is to ‘velvet’ the chicken in a marinade of egg white, cornstarch, and soy sauce. Leave it for 30 minutes (covered and refrigerated). The next step is to blanche the meat in boiling water for just a few minutes before patting it dry and frying as normal.

Do I have to use chicken breast?

This recipe works just as well with boneless chicken thighs. Some would even say it works better because thighs have more dark meat and fat. The cooking time will have to be longer but the meat stays moist and flavorful.

What are the alternatives to cashew nuts?

If you’re looking for an affordable weeknight option, cashew nuts can bust the budget. You can use peanuts instead for a cheaper alternative. If nuts are out altogether, try substituting with sunflower or pumpkin seeds which have a similar creaminess.