Chinese Cashew Chicken
This homemade cashew chicken recipe is filled with sautéed chicken, broccoli, bell pepper and savory cashews in a brown garlic sauce. Not only is this Chinese takeout recipe is easy to make at home, it will tastes just as good as an order from your local restaurant. Just don’t forget the fortune cookies.
Why we love this cashew chicken recipe
This Chinese cashew chicken is truly amazing. It’s just as good as my Chinese chicken and broccoli, but with an added nuttiness and a hint of sweetness. Plus, it’s packed with lots of vegetables that make you feel good about yourself. Being naturally dairy-free, as most Asian-style foods are, we don’t need to make any crazy substitutions or adjustments; we can enjoy this recipe exactly as it is.
You can serve it with anything you like, but I suggest simple jasmine rice, as it closely resembles Chinese takeout white rice. To round out the meal, consider a basic salad with some ginger dressing.
If you like this recipe, you have to try this easy, Thai basil chicken, and these Thai peanut noodles and this Pepper beef stir fry.
Searching for more dairy free chicken recipes? Mayonnaise chicken / Thai chicken meatball curry / Chicken teriyaki bowls / Chicken and chorizo risotto
Ingredients & substitutions
- Chicken – Slice the chicken against the grain. This gives chicken the perfect texture and makes it more like restaurant style chicken and broccoli.
- Baking soda – The baking soda causes a chemical reaction with the vinegar that’s in the sauce. That’s why we don’t add mix it together right away. But, when they do come together, they cause a foaming reaction that creates a light and airy sauce. I know it’s weird, but trust me, it works.
- Soy sauce – Most traditional soy sauces are made with wheat, which contains gluten. To make this recipe gluten free, you can use a gluten free soy sauce or tamari instead.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make chinese cashew chicken
Whisk the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Set aside for later.
Cook the chicken. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Cook the veggies. Add broccoli and bell pepper to skillet. Sauté until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
Pull it all together. Leaving the broccoli and peppers in the skillet, add the remaining ingredients to the pan with sauce and chicken. Cook until heated through and sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1/2 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (or water)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 pounds chopped chicken tenders or breast
- 1 head broccoli florets (chopped)
- 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
- 2/3 cup cashew halves and pieces
- 1 8- ounce can sliced water chestnuts
- 2 green onions (sliced)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Add broccoli and bell pepper to skillet. Sauté until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients to pan with sauce and chicken. Cook until heated through and sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
