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.

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.

Simple Wholesome Ingredients.

When it comes to cashew chicken, or any stir fry, you can swap veggies in and out to suit your preference. Here’s what we like to use:

• 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

How to Make Cashew Chicken That’ll Knock Your Socks Off.

There’s so much flavor here, but so little effort. That’s the best thing about this dish. You can easily get it on the table throughout the week without any fuss. Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Pop the cubed chicken into the bowl, stir, and set it aside for 20 minutes.
3. Heat your oil in a wok or large skillet, then add the ginger and let it simmer. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Let it cook for about 3-4 minutes or until all sides of the chicken are lightly browned.
4. Remove the chicken from the wok before it’s cooked through.
5. 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.
6. Pop the cooked chicken back into the wok and add the rest of the soy sauce, and the cashews. Stir fry until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165º F.
7. Spoon it over some rice or noodles and enjoy!

Useful Tools for This Recipe:

• Skillet or Wok
• Whisk
• Mixing Bowls
• Sharp knife
• Cutting Board
• Wooden spoon
• Microplane, flawless way to grate your ginger!

Have You Made This Recipe?

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Here Are More East Asian-Inspired Weeknight Faves:

• Easy Soy and Sesame Beef Stir Fry with Noodles
• Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Sesame Shrimp Stir-Fry with Ramen Noodles
• Easy Homemade Ramen

Get the Recipe:

Easy Healthy Cashew Chicken Recipe

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Marinating time: 20 mins

Total Time: 15 mins

Taking less than 30 minutes to make, this easy adaptation to a healthy cashew chicken recipe is exactly what your weeknight rotation needs.

5 from 13 votes

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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
• ▢ 2 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 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

To roast the cashews, heat a dry pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the cashews and bring the heat to medium. Let the cashews toast, shaking the pan every so often to prevent burning, for about 3-5 minutes or until the cashews are lightly golden in color and fragrant.

Serving: 1g, Calories: 313kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 65mg, Sodium: 821mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g

Author: Dana Sandonato

Course: Main Course