Enjoy this healthy 30 minute cashew chicken for a quick weeknight dinner. Chicken and cashews with plenty of veggies and a thick, sweet and savory sauce.
Do you ever get overwhelmed with real food? I sure do, which is why I make SMALL goals and work on them one at a time.
A few years ago, I made it a foodie goal to have soup for dinner once a week because it’s inexpensive and healthy (especially when you use Homemade Chicken Stock as the base), and it’s an easy way to use whatever is in the fridge.
Then my goal was to quit sugar. With the exception of the occasional batch of cookies, the required Christmas Sugar Cookies, and Homemade Kombucha, we’ve done this too.
A more recent goal was to incorporate more fast meals into our meal plan, like my 15 Minute Kung Pao Chicken Recipe, Homemade Alfredo, and now this cashew nut chicken recipe.
Don’t get me wrong – it’s not that I don’t love cooking. I wouldn’t be a FOOD BLOGGER if I didn’t. But there are some seasons and some nights that are just too full to spend hours upon hours in the kitchen.
That’s when I need easy quick weeknight meals, and this 30 minute chicken cashew recipe is perfect!
30 MINUTE CASHEW CHICKEN
Let’s talk about why this cashew chicken recipe is so great, shall we? I mean, beyond the fact that it’s a super easy dinner to make, it’s also…
- Ready in under 30 minutes. You literally toss everything together and bake! That’s it!
- Healthy. Lean chicken, mixed vegetables, and crunchy cashews are baked in a delicious sweet, and spicy sauce made with simple ingredients.
- Baked instead of made on the stove. I love getting the chicken cashew nut stir fry flavor without having to stand over the stovetop stirring!
- Keto-friendly. Just substitute the cornstarch (thickener) for almond flour.
- Gluten-free if you use a gluten free soy sauce (or coconut aminos) and dairy-free too! I love having allergy-friendly dinner options!
- Better than takeout! You don’t have to worry about the fillers, preservatives, and sodium common in Chinese takeout food with this chicken cashew recipe!
And of course, it tastes AMAZING!
EASY CASHEW CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
With 4 main chicken cashew ingredients (and only a few ingredients for the sauce), this chicken and cashews recipe is simply delicious!
- Skinless chicken breasts. We pound these out to ¼” thick and cut them into strips so they’re easy to eat. You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Vegetables. I used a combination of bell peppers, carrots, green beans, and peas, but this is one of those recipes where you can clean out the fridge, or even use frozen mixed veggies.
- Cashews. These roast up nicely while the dish bakes for a golden, nutty flavor. Stick to unsalted cashews, so the dish doesn’t turn out overly salty.
- Green onions. Some get mixed into the dish, and some for garnish. You can omit these if you aren’t onion fans, but they add a bit of extra oomph to the recipe.
The cashew chicken sauce is where the magic happens! Somehow a very ordinary list of pantry staples becomes delicious saucy goodness when you combine it all together with cornstarch.
- Chicken broth. Here’s how to make chicken stock and broth in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
- Soy sauce. You can also use liquid aminos or coconut aminos, whatever you typically have on hand.
- Apple cider vinegar. Make your own using apple peels and cores.
- Sriracha sauce. Substitute hot sauce if you don’t have sriracha on hand.
- Minced garlic. A chicken cashew nut stir fry staple.
- Cornstarch. This helps the sauce to thicken. Substitute almond flour for a keto version or use arrowroot powder instead.
- Honey. Just a bit to give a slight sweetness to the sauce.
- Sesame oil. I love the extra nutty savory flavor you get from sesame seed oil.
- Sesame seeds (optional). Use these to garnish the dish for an extra flourish.
HOW TO MAKE 30-MINUTE CHICKEN AND CASHEW NUTS
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
Step 2. Spray a 9” x 13” glass pan with cooking spray or grease with a butter wrapper.
Step 3. Combine chicken and cashew nuts along with vegetables in a greased 9×13 glass pan. Add onions.
Step 4. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce: chicken stock, soy sauce (or liquid aminos), vinegar, sriracha, cornstarch, honey, garlic, and sesame seed oil. Pour over the vegetables and chicken.
Step 5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce, is bubbly and the chicken is cooked through.
Step 6. Let cool slightly for about 5 minutes for the sauce to thicken.
Step 7. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Salt and pepper to taste.
Serve warm over Instant Pot Brown Rice or Coconut Rice! YUM!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing prepared cashew chicken, because the cornstarch in the sauce will separate out. You can freeze many of the ingredients ahead of time though, and even starting from scratch, this easy weeknight chicken dinner comes together fast!
CHICKEN & CASHEW NUTS SUBSTITUTIONS
The sauce for chicken & cashew nuts is totally forgiving. If you splash too much soy sauce, or you used up the last bit of homemade apple cider vinegar the previous week and it’s white distilled until payday…it’s all good!
Did the honey pour out too quickly, or do you have hot sauce rather than sriracha? No worries.
Out of chicken breast? Chicken thigh is ok to use too if that’s what you have on hand!
Substitute away, my friends, and enjoy the flavor variations.
Note: I have seen some Chinese cashew chicken recipes call for store-bought hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, and chili garlic sauce, even brown sugar rather than honey.
If you have these flavors on hand and you’d like to experiment, I’m sure this recipe will still taste delicious. Just be sure to double-check that the sauces are free of preservatives. You might just find a new takeout-replacement family favorite!
SERVE WITH CHICKEN CASHEWS
In my opinion, the only way to serve chicken and cashews is over rice. But which rice? That’s up to you!
- Instant Pot White Rice is ready in 4 minutes! This is what we typically serve with cashew chicken.
- Instant Pot Brown Rice is also yummy.
- Coconut Rice plays off the slight sweetness of the cashews and the sauce.
- Cilantro Lime Rice is great for those who can’t get enough of the cilantro flavor.
- Cauliflower Rice is a great low-carb option too!
CHICKEN AND CASHEWS FAQS
How do I prep the chicken for chicken cashews?
As I mentioned, we’re using chicken breasts in this recipe. You’ll pound them out into thin little cutlets, so they cook evenly and can be cut with a fork or poked with a chopstick.
Have you ever seen knives at a Chinese restaurant? Didn’t think so.
What vegetables can I use for cashew chicken?
I used a combination of what I thought should go in a ‘chicken stir fry-ish’ recipe based on what I had in the kitchen. That turned out to be green bell peppers, carrots, frozen peas, and frozen green beans.
Next time I think I’d like to try cauliflower or red bell peppers, just to add more color besides green. Some recipes call for water chestnuts or zucchini, which would be tasty as well! Really though, anything you have will work. You can use fresh or frozen or a mix of both like I did.
Are the cashews in cashew chicken healthy?
You bet! Cashews are filled with protein, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats! Nutritionists at Harvard say that nuts are great for our health and may even contribute to a longer life.
MORE FAST FAMILY FAVORITES
- Simple Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Weeknight Veggie Stir Fry
- 15 Minute Kung Pao Chicken and Vegetables
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
- Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
- Egg Roll in a Bowl
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30 Minute Cashew Chicken
Enjoy this healthy 30 minute cashew chicken for a quick weeknight dinner. Chicken and cashews with plenty of veggies and a thick, sweet and savory sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts, pounded out to ¼” thick and cut into 2” strips
- 4 cups vegetables, fresh and/or frozen (I used a combination of bell peppers, carrots, green beans, and peas)
- ⅔ cup cashews
- 3 green onions, white and green parts sliced
- ½ cup chicken stock (try my homemade recipe)
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce (I use liquid aminos)
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (try my homemade recipe)
- 1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp sesame seed oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Spray a 9” x 13” glass pan with cooking spray or grease with a butter wrapper.
- Place the chicken pieces in a single layer in the pan.
- Top with the cashews and 4 cups of vegetables.
- Add all the white onions and about half the green onions on top. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce: stock, soy sauce (or liquid aminos), vinegar, sriracha, cornstarch, honey, garlic, and sesame seed oil.
- Pour over the vegetables and chicken.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce, is bubbly and the chicken is cooked through.
- Let cool slightly for about 5 minutes for the sauce to thicken.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing prepared cashew chicken, because the cornstarch in the sauce will separate out. You can freeze many of the ingredients ahead of time though, and even starting from scratch, this easy weeknight chicken dinner comes together fast!
Nutrition
- Calories: 354
Jennifer Von Canon
The real recipe for Cashew Chicken is from Springfield, MO and is nothing like this. Basically it’s breaded (cornstarch) fried chicken bits and then sauced with a soy/oyster based gravy, roasted cashews and green onions. There is a brief explanation on the General Tso documentary on Netflix. You won’t find a Chinese restaurant in Springfield that does not serve this and it’s usually there number one seller. I’m not going to type out the recipe but I’m sure google has it. Yours looks yummy, but it’s different than cashew chicken. Sometimes Chinese restaurants serve “Chicken With Cashew Nuts” which is close to yours and different from Cashew Chicken. I’m from Springfield and we take our homegrown amazing Cashew Chicken recipe very serious.
Tiffany
Hi Jennifer! I’m sure there are “real” recipes for almost every recipe out there, and they’re from all over the world. This particular recipe has chicken and cashews and it’s from Georgia, and that works for me! 🙂
Linda Ferro
Jennifer, as a cook with 40 years of experience, I realize that I have to be open minded with all recipes. Meaning, that each recipe can be made a hundred different ways. Tiffany’s Cashew Chicken is a version to help busy mothers serve a quick, nutritious, and delicious meal. Tiffany titled her recipe “30 Minute Cashew Chicken “, not “The Real Cashew Chicken”. In fact, your Cashew Chicken that is served in Springfield, MO is not the real, original recipe! David Leong from China moved to Springfield in 1940. He had to adjust his homeland dishes to something the local folks might like. I would call your recipe in Springfield,Missouri , The 2nd Version of Cashew Chicken.
Laura
Chicken alfredo is a family favorite!
Samantha
Curry Chicken in the instant pot is under 30 mins….it’s our family favorite and on rotation on a monthly basis. Very quick and easy.
Kaitlin
A fast chicken meal for us is BBQ quesadillas. Grilled chicken with peppers, onions and jack cheese and we dip in BBQ sauce. I make up extras so kids have something to take for school lunch the next day.
Corrie M
Chicken & Dumplings are a favorite fast chicken dish in our home. I keep bags of frozen tenders on-hand; then if I need a super quick supper, I dump the tenders into simmering chicken broth (homemade or store-bought), with a bit of thyme, crushed red pepper, & garlic powder. Once the chicken’s cooked, I add in a bag of Mueller’s “Hearty Homestyle” flat noodles. They are cheap, and are a great stand-in for dumplings.
Done!
Heather
I like having pre-cooked chicken in my freezer. That’s the only way I do a 30 minute meal 🙂
Taylor Closet
Zest Italian chicken is super quick.
Ally
Chicken and vegetable Kabobs, mushrooms, onions, green and red peppers, grilled so their delish
Laura Anderson
Thanks for the recipe Tiffany! I made this today and really enjoyed it. I liked the option to bake so I wouldn’t miss my football game!
Jessica H
I love to make chicken pesto pasta with whatever frozen veggies I have in the freezer.
Gina M
I like to make roasted chicken drum sticks in the oven with a honey teriyake marinade. They really don’t take that long to cook!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Katherine
Well, it takes all day to cook, but crockpot orange chicken only takes a little bit to get going.
Tiffany
I’ll have to try that one sometime Katherine – it sounds good!
Dani McN.
I love adding precooked, shredded chicken to a simple fettuccine alfredo. Yummmm.
Tiffany
Me too!
Blair
Looks pretty good 🙂
Tiffany
Thanks Blair – it is! 😉
Femme Frugality
I love this goal—and this recipe! We definitely struggle with time constraints, especially in the spring. Finding quick meals to cook is way healthier and cheaper than eating out!
Tiffany
Thanks so much Femme! It’s good to “see” you again!!
M.
Cashews? Chicken? What’s NOT to love!?!
JoAnn C.
Oh, my this looks good. I’ve been making chicken pot pie using homemade biscuits as the top crust, makes it quick and delicious.
Carol
This looks delicious!
Tiffany
Thanks Carol!
Veronika Sprague
Baked Pesto Chicken!!
Traci Koenig
Looks yummy!
Tiffany
Thanks Traci!
Brooke
Soup (from scraps saved from previous meals)!