Cashew Chicken {20 minutes} - Family Food on the Table (2024)

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Cashew chicken is a 20-minute recipe with tender chicken pieces tossed in a garlicky light brown sauce with crunchy cashews and green onions.

We are gearing up for a weekend of camping in the mountains at our go-to little spot here in N.C.

It takes a ton of prep work and packing to be ready, but I'm so looking forward to a weekend of being outside and hiking and playing and fresh air and fires and sleeping in the woods. There's something so peaceful and restorative about it.

But OK, let's move right along to the food and today's recipe.

I’m excited to bring you yet another takeout fakeout dish that we make at home.

(See easy chicken pad Thai, easy chicken lo mein, quick chicken curry and healthy orange chicken for some other favorites.)

Today, it’s cashew chicken, which has ALL the flavor and ALL the crunch.

You’ve got tender chunks of chicken that are tossed in a delicious sauce featuring hoisin and soy sauces then mixed with sliced green onions and toasted, crunchy cashews.

It’s seriously delicious and so easy to make in your own kitchen. Definitely one of those dishes that will make you feel so impressed with yourself!

Plus, the entire recipe is ready in just 20 minutes, start to finish. You can get this on the table anytime.

You can’t beat that for a weeknight dinner on a busy week!

OK, let’s get cooking so you can dig in, too! (And here's a little visual guide to the recipe ???? You can also check out my Google web story for this easy cashew chicken recipe.)

Now, I’ve got those notes and tips coming up below on how to make cashew chicken. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

Notes on making easy cashew chicken:

Cashews: I tend to have regular lightly salted cashews on hand and those work just fine. You can also make this with unsalted cashews.
Chicken: You can make this with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Or use a combination of both. We’re cutting the pieces small, so they will cook through in the same time.
Hoisin sauce: I always make this with hoisin sauce because it's what I have, but some people use oyster sauce instead. Feel free to sub that if it’s what you have on hand.
Gluten-free: You can try using arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch and tamari in places of the soy sauce to make this recipe gluten-free.
Water: I always use water, but you can also swap in low-sodium chicken broth if you prefer.

And as mentioned, this is a super easy recipe to make.

You’re going to toast the cashews in the oven. This brings out their flavor and also helps get them nice and crispy.

Then you’re going to stir up the sauce in a small bowl.

Cook the chicken, which is cut in small pieces, in hot oil in two batches. Then add all the chicken in, the garlic and green onions and shortly after, the sauce.

At the end, you add in the cashews, the rest of the green onions and the sesame oil.

Basically, you just keep adding things to the pan until it’s all mixed together and ready to serve.

Totally do-able!

Speaking of serving, let’s get ready to dish this up.

What to serve with cashew chicken:

- Cashew chicken goes great with steamed rice. White, brown or basmati rice would all be great here.

- Green beans, green peas or a sautéed veggie mix would all be great for a vegetable side dish to round out the meal.

You can really keep the other sides pretty simple since this main dish packs such a flavor punch.

Last thing, let’s talk about what to do with the leftovers.

How to store leftover cashew chicken:

- Leftover cashew chicken, once cooled, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

- Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave. Some of the crispiness of the cashews might be lost, but it still tastes great.

Ingredients

½ cup roasted cashews
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-½ inch pieces
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bunch scallions, white, light and dark green parts separated, chopped
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon sesame oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place the cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer. (Line with parchment paper for easy clean up.) Toast in the oven for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. Set aside to cool; they will continue to crisp up as they sit.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the water, cornstarch, hoisin sauce and soy sauce. Set aside.
Sprinkle the chicken pieces with the salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add half of the chicken pieces to the skillet and stir fry until lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate or bowl and reserve.
Add the remaining tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet then add the remaining chicken pieces. Stir-fry until the chicken is lightly browned but not cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Return the first batch of chicken to the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic and the white and light green parts of the scallions. Saute for 1 minute.
Add the rice vinegar and cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
Add the sauce mixture to the pan and cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens, cashews and sesame oil. Serve immediately.

Notes

Cashews: I tend to have regular lightly salted cashews on hand and those work just fine. You can also make this with unsalted cashews.

Chicken: You can make this with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Or use a combination of both. We’re cutting the pieces small, so they will cook through in the same time.

Hoisin sauce: I always make this with hoisin sauce, but some people use oyster sauce instead. Feel free to sub that if it’s what you have on hand.

Gluten-free: You can try using arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch and tamari in places of the soy sauce to make this recipe gluten-free.

Water: I always use water, but you can also swap in low-sodium chicken broth if you prefer.

Leftovers: Leftover cashew chicken, once cooled, can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet or in the microwave. Some of the crispiness of the cashews might be lost, but it still tastes great.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 556Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 187mgSodium: 890mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 64g