Why take out when you can make this delicious Spicy Cashew Chicken recipe? It is so simple to make and packed with veggies and great flavors! I am obsessed with stir fry dishes and this one is one of my favorites! It is made with all straight forward ingredients that will not get you lost or break your pocket!
When I have zero motivation to cook, I always look for easy meals that can be done in less than 30 minutes. This Cashew Chicken recipe is such a delicious and easy stir fry! It is packed with vibrant sautéed veggies that everyone loves. I also use roasted cashews for that lovely roasted crunch!
If you're looking for other tasty stir fry recipes, why not also try my Teriyaki Salmon Stir Fry or my Sweet and Chili Shrimp Stir Fry!
Why you'll love this Cashew Chicken recipe
- A delicious homemade stir fry sauce. Slightly sweet, savory and rich in flavor this is perfrct over succulent chicken.
- Packed with veggies. Skip the takeout and opt for this delicious and altogether healthier dish. Packed with veggies and lower in salt than take out - less than 350 cals per serving!
- If you are a fan of Thai or Asian cuisines - This take out inspired Spicy Cashew Chicken recipe is going something you will definitely like.
- An easy stir fry recipe. This scrumptious Cashew Chicken recipe goes from pantry to table in less than 30 mins. Great for hectic weeknights!
Ingredients you'll need
- Chicken Tenders
- Veggies: Bell peppers, zucchini, scallions.
- Olive Oil
- Garlic Cloves
- Cashews
For the sauce
- Reduced Sodium Broth
- Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
- Vinegar
- Ginger
- Salt & Pepper
- Corn Starch
- Brown Sugar
- Pepper Flakes
How to make this Spicy Cashew Chicken recipe
- Cook the veggies - In a skillet with oil, sauté the vegetables and remove form the pan. Then quickly cook the cashews in the skillet and remove.
- Cook the chicken - In the same skillet sauté the cubed chicken until fully cooked. Then pour the sauce mix over the chicken and cook for 1 min.
- Finally return the veggies back to the pan. Allow to simmer for 2-3 mins.
- Garnish, serve and enjoy!
Recipe notes and tips
- Have all your ingredients prepped and chopped prior to cooking, things move fast!
- Be sure to use a large skillet or wok for all your ingredients.
- Stir your ingredients often to ensure an even cook.
- Make sure your chicken has a lovely brown sear to them.
- Return the veggies back to the sauce once it has thickened, so you have a nice and rich consistency.
- If you want this Cashew Chicken recipe less spicy, you can always omit the chili pepper flakes.
- Feel free to use any protein you like - it all tastes great!
- Swap in peanuts instead of cashews, if you prefer.
FAQ's
Variations to this Cashew Chicken recipe
This is a really versatile recipe, you can really mix things up, use up leftovers and make something super tasty every time. Here's some ideas:
Proteins: You can use any protein you like for this recipe and follow the same steps. I recommend chicken tenders instead of chicken breast, raw shrimps instead of cooked and if you are using red meat, only cheese something tender like Beef fillet, Ribeye Steak or N.Y Strip Steak.
Stir fry veggies: These include veggies likes bell peppers, onion, asparagus, snow peas, carrots, green onions, broccoli, edamame.
Nuts: If you are not a fan of cashew, you can use peanuts instead.
Side dish: You can serve the cashew chicken with noodles, white rice or brown rice. You can also cook friend rice and serve with that.
Oils: You can use vegetable oil, tasteless coconut oil or sesame oil instead of olive oil.
The Cashew Chicken sauce
You can replace soy sauce with liquid aminos if you prefer that. To make a spice sauce, you will need to add pepper flakes to the mixture.
Is this recipe good for meal prep?
You can definitely meal prep this delicious cashew chicken recipe if you like. If you are on a low carb diet, I recommend removing the sugar from the recipe completely. Serve with quinoa or brown.
Other recipes you might like
- Shrimp and Vegetable Skillet
- Sweet and Chili Shrimp Stir Fry
- Crispy Honey Sriracha Shrimp Stir Fry Recipe
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Spicy Cashew Chicken recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!
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Spicy Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. chicken tenders cubed
- 1 red bell pepper cubed
- 1 green bell pepper cubed
- 4 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 large zucchini sliced
- 1/2 cup roasted cashew
- 3 tbsps. olive oil divided between chicken and veggies
- Sliced scallions or green onions optional
CASHEW SAUCE:
- 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
- 3 tbsps. reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- 1 tbsp. freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. corn starch
- 1.5 tbsps. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. pepper flakes
Instructions
- Bring 1.5 tbsps. of olive heat to high heat in a skillet or frying pan.
- Toss in the veggies and cook until tender. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
- Throw in the cashews into the same skillet and toss to toast them a little bit. Remove and add to the veggies.
- Add another 1.5 tbsp. of olive oil and bring to high heat. Saute the chicken cubes until they are brown in color and fully cooked.
- Pour in the cashew chicken sauce mixture and cook together for 1 minute. Return the veggies and cashew to the skillet and mix together with the chicken and sauce to coat well.
- Cover and allow them to cook together for 2-3 minutes. If you are adding the scallions or green onions, you can do so now. Toss together and remove from the heat to serve.
Notes
- Have all your ingredients prepped and chopped prior to cooking, things move fast!
- Be sure to use a large skillet or wok for all your ingredients.
- Stir your ingredients often to ensure an even cook.
- Make sure your chicken has a lovely brown sear to them.
- Return the veggies back to the sauce once it has thickened, so you have a nice and rich consistency.
- If you want this Cashew Chicken recipe less spicy, you can always omit the chili pepper flakes.
- Feel free to use any protein you like - it all tastes great!
- Swap in peanuts instead of cashews, if you prefer.
Healthy and delicious! Can't wait to try this recipe Mima! Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes!
Thanks Anna! Can't wait for you to try it!
What kind of vinegar? I have apple cider or red wine. Are those ok?
Hi Lisa,
It would be the regular distilled vinegar but if you only have those two in hand, go ahead and use the red wine.
So easy and delicious recipe. Just doubled the sauce as per the family's liking. Thank you!
Hi There!
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a review. We really appreciate it. Glad your family liked it!
We added jalapeños and 2 tablespoons of sriracha sauce
Hi James,
That sounds delicious! I love spicy food.
I tried it and it turns so good