Easy Healthy Cashew Chicken
Forget takeout! In less than 30 minutes, you can have this delicious and healthy cashew chicken recipe on the table. The kicker? It's healthy. It's not drowning in a thick cornstarch-based sauce—just a delicious, light marinade that brings together tons of flavors, like ginger and garlic!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 3 TBSP low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp honey
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms You can also use cremini/baby bella or button mushrooms
- 1 TBSP freshly grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled, and thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup lightly salted cashews
Instructions
- Whisk 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of honey, and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt in a large bowl. Make sure the mixture is well combined.
- Place the cubed chicken into the bowl with the marinade; stir to coat. Set it aside for 20 minutes. Doing this step in advance? Cover the chicken in the bowl and place in the fridge. See recipe tip below.
- Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Once it’s hot, decrease the heat to low and add the dry cashews. Let them toast until golden brown, shaking the pan every once in a while. This should only take 2-3 minutes so keep a close eye on them. Remove from the heat when done.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a wok or large skillet. Add 1 tablespoon of grated ginger; simmer until fragrant. Transfer the chicken to the skillet and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until all sides are lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the skillet (you don’t want it to be cooked through.)
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, then add the garlic. Simmer for 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms, bell peppers, and scallions. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the skillet and cook for 2 mins or until the water has evaporated.
- Transfer the chicken back to skillet. Add the remaining soy sauce and the cashews. Toss, cooking for another 2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and registers an internal temperature of 160º F with a meat thermometer.
Notes
Cashew chicken can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g
