Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

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This Cashew Chicken Stir Fry Recipe is an easy and delicious weeknight meal! It’s loaded with protein, vegetables and is even better than takeout!

Overhead view of Cashew Chicken Stir Fry Recipe in a blue bowl with chopsticks


What do you cook when you have 30 minutes to get dinner on the table and zero inspiration, but still want to make a healthy and hearty meal?

I have a few dishes like this up my sleeve, but my absolute favorite dinner-in-a-hurry is this cashew chicken stir-fry. It’s loaded with protein and vegetables and comes together in minutes. I love serving it with this homemade fried rice too!

If I’m being honest, stir fry is my favorite meal. I could eat it every night and never get tired of it. And this cashew chicken stir fry is my favorite recipe. I have made it more times than I can count.

Plus, it is always the meal I request when my husband offers to cook for me on special occasions (like my birthday and Mother’s Day)! Because he’d take me out to eat, however I usually prefer to dine at home since we have six young kids, who are wonderful,  but don’t make dining out very relaxing!

a bowl of cashew chicken with chopsticks

Cashew Chicken Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

One of the great things about this recipe is that it’s customizable. Don’t like broccoli? No problem. Can’t do soy, easy. So here are a few possible ingredient substitutions.

the ingredients in this Cashew Chicken Stir Fry recipe
  • Soy Sauce. If you are allergic to soy, or follow the paleo diet, then substitute Coconut Aminos in both the marinade and sauce.
  • Mirin. I love Mirin . It’s a sweet/tangy wine and pantry staple I am never without. I purchase it at a local Asian food market, however it is available in most major grocery stores. If you cannot find it, rice vinegar works well as a substitute.
  • Peanut/Sesame oils. These are two more pantry staples I always have on hand and use in my Asian recipes. They impart a wonderful flavor to whatever dish they are in, and I highly recommend buying them. However, olive, canola or avocado oils also work in this recipe.
  • Powdered spices. You can substitute real minced garlic and fresh diced onion in this stir fry instead of the powders. Just cook them with the vegetables.
  • Cornstarch. tapioca flour/starch can be used in place of cornstarch for a paleo-friendly option.
  • Cashews. Peanuts work well in this recipe too, however cashews are my favorite!
  • Vegetables. Use your favorite vegetables. Options not included here that are great additions include baby corn, carrots, onions, sprouts, pineapple, etc.!
bowl of Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with chopsticks

How to make Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

Here are a few tips on making sure this recipe turns out fabulous every single time!

Brown the chicken

I am an advocate for browning meat because it creates a delicious taste and texture. That is why, whenever I make stir fry, I brown the chicken first.

I also like to cook the cashews with the chicken so they get nice and crispy. Then when it’s time to put everything together I add the browned mixture at the very end so that it doesn’t lose it’s crispiness in the sauce.

bowl of browned chicken to be used in this Cashew Chicken Stir Fry recipe

Cook

Use a large nonstick fry pan or wok to cook the vegetables. Be careful not to over-cook the broccoli. It will continue cooking (and becoming softer) after it’s removed from the heat.

Thicken the sauce.

Once all the ingredients are covered in the sauce and have had a chance to soak it in a little, thicken it with the cornstarch/water mixture.

Do this by creating a “hole” in the middle of your frying pan or wok, pouring the mixture in and then stirring it quickly so that it’s evenly distributed. The sauce will thicken fast so work quickly!

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry in a fry pan after it has been cooked

Serve

Serve this cashew chicken warm with rice or noodles. We like to serve it with fried rice!

I also love serving it after some delicious appetizers like fresh spring rolls and peanut sauce or asian chicken lettuce wraps.

Store

Leftovers of this recipe are my favorite. Store them in an airtight container with a lid for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

bowl of Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with chopsticks

Recipe FAQS

What is cashew chicken sauce made of?

Cashew chicken sauce is a brown sauce made with hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and other ingredients.

Can I stir fry cashews?

Yes, stir fry them with the chicken so they get nice and crispy.

Which vegetables take longer to stir fry?

Carrots, onion and peppers take longer to stir fry than the others (like broccoli, zucchini, etc.)

a bowl of Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with chopsticks

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Cashew Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

Laura
This Cashew Chicken Stir Fry Recipe is an easy and delicious weeknight meal! It’s loaded with protein, vegetables and is even better than takeout!
4.91 from 20 votes
Course Main Course
Cuisine asian
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 350.8
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Marinating15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Chicken marinade:

Stir Fry Sauce:

Vegetables:

  • 2 cups broccoli florets chopped
  • 1 large green pepper julienned
  • 1 large red pepper julienned
  • 1 cup shelled edamame
  • 1 TBS Peanut Oil
  • Garnishes: Green onions sesame seeds, etc.

Instructions 

Marinate chicken:

  • Mix together soy sauce, mirin, honey, hoisin sauce and sesame oil.
  • Put cut chicken and sauce together in a plastic back or glass Tupperware let sit for 15-30 minutes at room temperature or longer in the refrigerator.

Make the sauce:

  • In a small mixing bowl combine chicken broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, mirin, honey garlic powder, onion powder and ground ginger. Whisk to combine and set aside. (Do NOT add corn starch and water yet)!

Cook the Chicken & Cashews:

  • Pour marinated chicken into a colander to drain excess marinade.
  • Heat 1 TBS oil in a wok or fry pan over medium-high heat.
  • Add drained chicken pieces to the oil in the pan and cook over medium-high heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the chicken is well-browned on one side.
  • After the chicken is browned, use a spatula and flip it over.
  • Add the cashews and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken and cashews are nicely browned.
  • Transfer mixture from the pan to a medium bowl and set aside.

Putting it together:

  • In a large Wok or fry pan, heat 1 TBS peanut oil.
  • Add julienned peppers and cook over medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes or until they just start to become soft.
  • Add broccoli and edamame and cook for another 3-5 minutes until the vegetables are slightly browned.
  • Add stir fry sauce and cashew/chicken mixture to the vegetables and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes.
  • In the container you mixed your sauce, add 1 TBS corn starch and ½ TBS water and mix with a fork until combined.
  • Make a hole in the middle of your stir fry and pour the cornstarch mixture into the pan.
  • Stir quickly to evenly distribute the cornstarch in the sauce.
  • Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
  • Serve immediately over rice, noodles, etc.!

Video

Notes

Ingredient Substitutions
  • Soy Sauce. If you are allergic to soy, or follow the paleo diet, then substitute Coconut Aminos in both the marinade and sauce.
  • Mirin.  If you cannot find Mirin, rice vinegar works well as a substitute.
  • Peanut/Sesame oils. Olive, canola or avocado oils also work in this recipe.
  • Powdered spices. You can substitute real minced garlic and fresh diced onion in this stir fry instead of the powders. Just cook them with the vegetables.
  • Cornstarch. tapioca flour/starch can be used in place of cornstarch for a paleo-friendly option.
  • Cashews. Peanuts work well in this recipe too, however cashews are my favorite!
  • Vegetables. Use your favorite vegetables. Options not included here that are great additions include baby corn, carrots, onions, sprouts, pineapple, etc.!

Serve

Serve this cashew chicken warm with rice or noodles. We like to serve it with fried rice!

Store

Leftovers of this recipe are my favorite. Store them in an airtight container with a lid for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 350.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 26.7g | Protein: 25.2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.7g | Cholesterol: 43.9mg | Sodium: 681.8mg | Potassium: 280.5mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 15.1g | Vitamin A: 1935IU | Vitamin C: 126.2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Have a question? Leave a comment below!

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Recipe Rating




28 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This stir fry was delicious! The steps were easily laid out and it came together in no time. It was rich in flavor. The chicken, which is always my least favorite meat to cook, was cooked perfectly.

  2. 4 stars
    I love the concept and the ingredients. The sauce was a little “much” for me. Haven’t figured out what to adjust. I don’t want to change the taste it was just a little to pungent and saucy. Maybe just cut back the quantity or increase the rest of ingredients. ??

    1. If the sauce was too flavorful, you can add some water or replace some of the soy sauce/hoisin sauce with water.

  3. 5 stars
    This recipe was perfect! I love stir-fry, and I would not do anything different. So good. I put a little Szechuan sauce on it because I like it spicy.

  4. 5 stars
    This is fabulous. I’m always searching for a great stirfry and now I don’t have to look anymore. I used fresh ginger and garlic and threw in some Thai peppers because I had them in my garden. I loved how the marinade coats the chicken and caramelizes the crispy edges. Yum! Thanks so much for posting this recipe. It’s a keeper

  5. 5 stars
    Loved this Cashew Chicken Stir Fry. Lots of veggies and the edamame was a delicious addition. Husband and I both agreed we need to make this recipe again!

    1. Thank you so much Barbara! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoy it as much as we do! I make this about once a week it’s my favorite!