Easy Healthy Cashew Chicken Recipe
Taking less than 30 minutes to make, this easy adaptation to a healthy cashew chicken recipe is exactly what your weeknight rotation needs.
Crunchy toasted cashews: we’re obsessed with you.
It always seems impossible to match dishes from your favorite restaurants or take out joints at home. The thing I love about stir frys is that it’s totally possible. And made at home, they’re a healthier option, too! I made this crunchy, salty, and savory cashew chicken with both Chinese takeout cravings and easy dinners in mind, and I think we’ve come out on top. It takes a measly 15 minutes to cook, and it’s chock full of wholesome ingredients. Serve it over some rice and chow down!
What is Cashew Chicken?
If you’re in North America, you’ve likely seen Cashew Chicken on the menu at your local Chinese restaurant. Cashew chicken includes stir-fried pieces of chicken tossed with cashews and veggies in a light brown garlic sauce. Sometimes it’s served in a thicker sauce made up of stock, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. The idea originated from David Leong, a Chinese chef who moved to the US from China. He found that Americans struggled to accept and enjoy the foods from his homeland, so he created dishes that would tempt the American palate. A lot of Chinese restaurant menus in Western countries are made up of dishes with similar stories—hence all of the deep-frying and sugary sauces. Because real talk: America loves that shit.
Cashew Chicken, but make it healthy.
I wanted to create a cashew chicken dish with a healthier spin that still packed a ton of flavor. There’s some frying involved, but we’re using avocado oil to benefit from healthy fats. I also included veggies, lightly salted cashews, and I swapped the usual sugar for a smidgen of raw honey. Smarter choices and still a lot of flavor!
How to make cashew chicken that’ll knock your socks off.
Whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and salt in a large bowl. Pop the cubed chicken into the bowl, stir, and set aside for 20 minutes. Then, heat your oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the ginger and simmer, then add the chicken and toss to coat. Cook for about 3-4 minutes or until all sides of the chicken are lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the wok before it’s cooked through. Add the rest of the oil, then add the garlic and let it simmer. Add the mushrooms, bell peppers, and scallions, then a bit of water. Cook until the water has evaporated. Place the cooked chicken back into the wok and add the rest of the soy sauce, and the cashews. Stir fry until the chicken is cooked through. Spoon it over some rice or noodles and enjoy!
Our wholesome list of ingredients:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Raw honey
- Kosher salt
- Avocado oil
- Fresh ginger
- Garlic
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Red bell pepper
- Scallions
- Lightly salted cashews
Equipment you’ll need:
- Skillet or Wok
- Whisk
- Mixing Bowls
- Sharp knife
- Cutting Board
- Wooden spoon
- Microplane, flawless way to grate your ginger!
Hope you enjoy!
If you plan on making this recipe, be sure to snap a pic and tag us on Insta! @killing__thyme.
Some more of our weeknight faves:
- Easy Soy and Sesame Beef Stir Fry with Noodles
- Easy Sheet Pan Chicken Philly Cheesesteaks
- Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Pasta with Ground Turkey and Spinach
- Garlicky Rigatoni Pasta with Spinach and Toasted Breadcrumbs
Get the Recipe:
Easy Healthy Cashew Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 3 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms, You can also use cremini mushrooms
- 2 TBSP avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 1 TBSP freshly grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled, and thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded, cleaned, and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 cup lightly salted cashews, roasted, *See notes
Equipment
- Wok or skillet
Instructions
- Whisk 2 TBSP of the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and salt in a large bowl.
- Place the cubed chicken into the bowl, stir to coat, and set aside for 20 minutes. If you're doing this step in advance and marinating the chicken for longer, cover and place the bowl in the fridge.
- Heat 1 TBSP of oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the ginger and simmer until fragrant. Add the chicken, toss to coat, and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until all sides are lightly browned. Be sure to remove the chicken from the wok before it's cooked through.
- Add the remaining oil, then add the garlic and simmer until fragrant. Then add the mushrooms, bell peppers, and scallions.
- Add 2 TBSP of water to the wok, and cook for 2 mins or until the water has evaporated. Transfer the chicken back to wok, and add the remaining soy sauce and the cashews. Stir fry for 2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve over rice or noodles.
Notes
2 Comments on “Easy Healthy Cashew Chicken Recipe”
Made this for my wife and I last night. We haven’t been able to find good Chinese takeout since moving to a new town and this right here was such a treat. And homemade! Looking forward to making it again and trying more of your recipes.
Hey Benjamin, funny. We have the same issue. We have yet to find any good Chinese takeout since moving to our current small town. It’s such a bummer. But I’m so glad this recipe worked for you and helped sate your craving!