Cashew Chicken
This recipe has it all — crisp vegetables, juicy and tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and a glossy sauce to tie it together.
Serves4
Prep15 minutes to 20 minutes
Cook30 minutes to 35 minutes
Cashew chicken is an iconic Chinese American takeout favorite (along with crab rangoon and vegetable spring rolls), and this version is a guaranteed weeknight winner in my house. The key is to have a good balance of textures and ingredients. You want crisp vegetables, juicy and tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and a glossy sauce that’s savory with hints of sweetness and a little spice — my recipe has it all! Served with a mound of steamed rice, my cashew chicken is a comforting, nourishing, and easy meal the whole family will love.
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s just as good as (if not better than) takeout. Good cashew chicken is honestly very simple to make at home. To make it as easy as possible, make sure to have all your ingredients and sauce prepped before you start the stir-fry.
- You’ve never had chicken this tender. Thanks to a technique called velveting, the chicken almost melts in your mouth.
Key Ingredients in Cashew Chicken
- Chicken thighs: I call for boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which are cut into 1-inch pieces.
- Bell peppers and celery: Both vegetables play a major role, not only visually with their bright colors, but also texturally because they lend a much-needed refreshing crunch. These are the last ingredients to cook in the pan because you want to retain their crispness while removing their raw flavor. Celery can be divisive, but I think cooked celery is actually one of the best ways to eat it. However, if you’re not a fan of celery, broccoli stems or kohlrabi would be great substitutes.
- Cashews: While you can just throw in store-bought toasted salted cashews, I think toasting raw cashews with chilis at the very beginning in the oil makes this dish extra aromatic and infuses the oil with a little extra nutty flavor and spice. If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself scouring the bottom of the bowl for any remaining cashews coated in the sweet and savory sauce.
How to Make Cashew Chicken
This recipe, which is very home-kitchen-friendly and quick to make, employs a few classical Chinese restaurant techniques. Once you make this recipe once or a few times, you’ll be able to see how these tips can apply to other recipes that you might make in the future.
- Marinate the chicken. The chicken is extremely tender, thanks to a little cornstarch in the marinade. This is called velveting, and it’s the secret to why meat from Chinese restaurants melts in your mouth.
- Make the sauce. While your chicken is marinating, mix your sauce and chop all your vegetables so you’re ready to go.
- Make the stir-fry. Because there are a number of ingredients used here, it’s important to note that they all have different cooking times and also don’t want to be crowded in a pan. This is especially important in a home kitchen because most of us don’t have giant woks that fit a tremendous amount of food. So the recipe will call for you to toast the cashews and chilis first and then remove them from the pan, and you’ll have to do the same for the chicken and the vegetables. Eventually, you’ll be able to combine everything back together and each individual ingredient will be cooked to just the right texture.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
What’s better than leftover Chinese food? This cashew chicken keeps very well in the fridge. Simply store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. If you want to be extra organized, this would be a great meal prep option for the week with some steamed rice.
Helpful Swaps
- You can either omit the dried chilies or substitute with 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Add them into the sauce instead of frying with the cashews.
- Substitute the celery with about 1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-thick) bite-size peeled broccoli stem pieces or kohlrabi.
What to Serve with Cashew Chicken
Cashew Chicken Recipe
This recipe has it all — crisp vegetables, juicy and tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and a glossy sauce to tie it together.
Prep time 15 minutes to 20 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes to 35 minutes
Serves 4
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 tablespoons
soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon
oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon
vegetable or olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon
granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon
ground white pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds
boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup
water
- 1 tablespoon
chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tablespoon
oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons
soy sauce, or 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon
Sriracha hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon
rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon
toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons
granulated sugar or honey
- 2 teaspoons
cornstarch
For the stir-fry and serving:
- 1
large orange, yellow, or red bell pepper
- 4
medium stalks celery
- 4
medium scallions
- 3 tablespoons
vegetable or olive oil
- 1 cup
raw cashews
- 8 to 10
(2- to 3-inch-long) Asian dried red chilies
- 1 tablespoon
toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Marinate the chicken:
Place 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Cut 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, add to the bowl, and mix until combined. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Meanwhile, make the sauce and prepare the vegetables.
Make the sauce:
Place 1/4 cup water, 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Sriracha, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in a small bowl and stir until the cornstarch is suspended.
Make the stir-fry:
Trim and cut 1 large bell pepper into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups). Cut 4 medium celery stalks crosswise on a slight diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups). Thinly slice 4 medium scallions (about 1/2 cup).
Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large frying pan (at least 12 inches) or wok over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add 1 cup raw cashews and 8 to 10 dried red chilies. Cook, frequently tossing, until the cashews and chiles are toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the cashews and chilies onto one side of a large plate.
Increase the heat to medium high. Add half of the chicken and arrange into a single layer. Sear undisturbed until the bottom is deeply browned (be careful, as it will splatter), 3 to 4 minutes per side. Give it a quick stir and cook until the chicken is just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the other side of the plate. Add the remaining chicken to the pan and repeat cooking and transferring it to the plate.
Add the bell peppers and celery to the pan and cook, tossing every minute or so and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the vegetables are just starting to soften, about 4 minutes.
Return the chicken, cashews, and chilies to the pan and toss to combine. Stir the sauce again to suspend the cornstarch, then pour into the pan. Stir-fry until the sauce coats the chicken and vegetables, is glossy, and starts to thicken, about 1 minute. Add the scallions and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, and toss to combine. Serve with steamed rice.
Recipe Notes
Substitutions
- Dried chilies: You can either omit them or substitute with 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Add them into the sauce instead of frying with the cashews.
- Celery: Substitute the celery with about 1 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-thick) bite-size peeled broccoli stem pieces or kohlrabi.
Make ahead: The chicken can be marinated and refrigerated up to 1 day ahead. The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead; let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes and stir before using.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.