Easy to make right at home, this recipe for Cashew Chicken is a saucy, sticky, sweet-and-salty favorite that tastes just like takeout.
This recipe is as simple as pulling together all the ingredients in your own dish at home to make it just like the real thing.
To make this easy chicken and roasted cashews in garlic sauce, start with a simple stir-fry of boneless chicken breast chunks and roasted cashews.
My Favorite Kitchen Tools To Make This Recipe
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It will take you no longer to cook than it would call for take-out, and the only chopping is some garlic and scallions. The rest comes from simple ingredients you already have in your pantry.
How to make Skillet Cashew Chicken
Prepare the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the water, cornstarch, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Set aside.
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil until hot. Add the chicken to the skillet and stir-fry until lightly browned and cooked all the way through.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the rice vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
Add the sauce mixture to the chicken; cook, tossing until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is nicely thickened about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens, cashews, and sesame oil. Serve immediately.
Have a little more time? Toast your cashews. That will add some incredible flavor to your dish.
How to toast Cashews
How to store cashew chicken.
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days in a well-sealed container.
Best way to reheat cashew chicken.
Reheat the chicken by either using the microwave or adding it back to a pan and flash frying on medium-high heat until it is heated through. This will help crisp up the chicken and nuts slightly.
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Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut into 1½ inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Garnishes
- 8 scallions
- 1 red pepper finely diced
- 3/4 cup toasted, unsalted cashews
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: in a small bowl, whisk together the water, cornstarch, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce. Set aside.
- Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil until hot. Add the chicken to the skillet and stir-fry until lightly browned and cooked all the way through.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the rice vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.
- Add the sauce mixture to the chicken; cook, tossing until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is nicely thickened about 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in the scallion greens, cashews, and sesame oil. Serve immediately.
Oh my gosh, that looks so good! I love that sauce, and the cashews area great flavor boost.
Delicious stir fry! I especially love the sauce!
That looks irresistibly delicious! Can’t wait to give this a try!
This chicken looks amazing! I am sure that my family will love it!
Oh my, this looks incredibly delicious! I love the flavors, YUM!
I can’t wait to try this! it looks amazing!! The perfect weeknight meal!
Okay, so much better than takeout. Really liked this!