Takeout-style cashew chicken is a much lighter version of the original takeout Chinese recipe! It tastes best when served over jasmine rice.
What is Cashew Chicken?
Cashew chicken is a popular dish in both Chinese and American cuisine that typically consists of stir-fried chicken, cashews, and vegetables in a savory sauce. It is said that the dish has its origins in the Hunan province of China and was brought to the United States by Chinese immigrants who settled in the Midwest. Today, cashew chicken is a staple on many Chinese restaurant menus in the United States and is also a favorite of home cooks looking for a quick and delicious meal.
One of the reasons why cashew chicken has become such a beloved dish is its versatility. The combination of tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and a flavorful sauce can be adapted to suit a wide range of tastes and dietary preferences. For example, for a vegan cashew chicken version, you can substitute tofu for chicken. Additionally, you can spice up the dish by making the sauce with dried red chilies. I skip this, as I usually make a kid-friendly version, without the chilies.
You can easily substitute the vegetables used in the dish and change them depending on what is in season or what is available in the pantry.
Another reason why cashew chicken works so well is that it is relatively easy to make. The dish can be prepared in under 30 minutes and requires only a handful of ingredients. My version is a lighter take on the classic - there is no deep frying of the chicken pieces, instead, the chicken is sauteed in a wok. This doesn't compromise the flavor though!
Ingredients and Ingredient Substitutions
If your pantry supplies include some essentials that can be used for making Chinese-style stir fry and sauces, then you probably are already set!
Ingredients for the sauce
- Light soy sauce - For a gluten-free version, use Tamari sauce - a type of soy sauce that is similar in flavor to traditional Japanese soy sauce, but it is usually gluten-free and has a slightly richer taste. Tamari sauce can be used as a 1:1 substitute for light soy sauce.
- Rice vinegar - Rice vinegar is a common ingredient used in Chinese cooking, and it is made by fermenting rice. It has a mild and slightly sweet taste, and it is less acidic than other types of vinegar. In Chinese cooking, rice vinegar is often used as a seasoning and a flavor enhancer. It is commonly used in marinades, salad dressings, and dipping sauces.
- Hoisin sauce - Hoisin sauce is a thick, dark sauce commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It is made from a combination of soybeans, sugar, garlic, vinegar, and various spices, including star anise, cloves, and chili peppers. Hoisin sauce has a sweet and savory flavor with a hint of umami, and it is often used as a marinade for meat dishes, such as stir-fry, roasted meats, and barbecued ribs.
- Oyster sauce - Oyster sauce is often used in stir-fry dishes, marinades, and as a dipping sauce for dumplings and other appetizers. It is also used as a seasoning in soups, stews, and noodle dishes. Its rich umami flavor can add depth and complexity to a variety of dishes.
- Chicken broth (optional) - To enhance the flavor of the sauce, you can add chicken broth or bouillon to the sauce. This is entirely optional, but why skip the chance to sneak in some flavor?!
Other ingredients
- Chicken - For the most flavorful cashew chicken, I prefer to use chicken thighs and not breasts. Chicken thighs are known for their rich, juicy, and flavorful meat. They have more fat than breast meat, breast meat, which helps to keep the meat moist and tender during cooking. The dark meat of chicken thighs also has a more intense flavor than the white meat of chicken breasts. It is also less likely to dry out during cooking than chicken breasts.
- Cashews - Use unsalted raw cashews. These will be sauteed in the wok to make them crunchy before the sauces are added to the cashew chicken.
- Cornstarch - Around 2 tablespoons of cornstarch help in thickening the sauce.
- Sesame oil - Sesame oil has a distinct nutty and slightly sweet flavor that adds depth and complexity to stir-fry dishes, and adds that's distinct taste to Chinese stir fry. If you don't have sesame oil, you can substitute it with peanut oil, or any neutral oil of your choice.
- Grated ginger and garlic - Use freshly grated ginger and garlic or, you could also make your own ginger garlic paste to store and keep. It comes in handy for so many Asian recipes.
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Takeout Style Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
- 700 grams Chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cip Raw Cashews a handful
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch cornflour
- 2 tbsp Sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Grated ginger and garlic
- 2 Spring onions diced, whites and greens separated.
For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons Light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth optional
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together chicken pieces in the rice vinegar, sesame oil and add 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Keep aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Heat sesame oil in a wok, add the cashews and sauté till lightly browned. Keep aside in a bowl. Add the chicken and sauté until just cooked. Keep chicken aside.
- In the wok, sauté the garlic, ginger, spring onion whites and add the sauces along with 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
- Add back the chicken and cashews and let it simmer. After 5 mins, turn off the heat. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
- Serve hot over Jasmine rice.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, substitute soy sauce with Tamari
- For extra spice, you can saute the cashews with dried red chilies. Then mix in the red chilies with the cashews at the end, with the sauce.
Nutrition
I'm guessing you mean 2.0 pounds of chicken and not the listed 20 pounds. Easy to make a typo.
I really like to make a tasty fakeaway, so much healthier and cheaper too. This dish sounds delicious and so flavoursome, the rice is the perfect side too. Don't need to worry about weekend meals with a recipe like this.
Glad you liked it!
Yum!! I love homemade “takeout” and this sounds so delicious!!!
Thank you, I totally agree!
i just love making recipes with cashews. This sounds so delicious, loving the flavors!
Thank you, I'm quite fond of cashews and related recipes as well!
I love easy recipes like this and this one looks so full of flavour!
Thank you so much, Amy!
I do love such tasty plus quick and easy take out alternatives. Your cashew chicken sounds divine and I would be happy to devour it without even thinking twice. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Hey this recipe sounds delicious! I really must try that.
Although my kitchen supplies don't involve the oyster sauce, I think this is an easy and tasty recipe - I´ve just saved it on Pinterest as an inspiration for those days I´m desperate and have no idea what to cook (although our fridge is completely full)
That looks so yummy! I will surely try this recipe as I love cooking chicken.
Cathy, newborn photographer
thank you so much! glad you liked it!
The chicken sounds delicious and better than any takeaway! It looks so fresh! Love the addition of peanut butter!
Thank you for sharing with us at Fiesta Friday! 🙂
Thank you Petra, I did my own take on cashew chicken and love the way peanut butter enhanced the flavour of the dish!
This was one of my first Chinese recipes I learned to cook after taking a Chinese cooking class many, many years ago. Your ingredients are similar but the method of cooking is different.
Yes, I tried making it in the oven instead of the stove top, as that simplifies the whole process, and there is lesser babysitting involved!
We rarely eat out as it is very expensiv but we do its oftwn chinese food.
Not to questioning your methode of cooking but can we fry the chicken in the pan instead of putnit in the oven?
Absolutely! The traditional way of making this is on the stove top, I just chose to make it in the oven so that its more convenient for a weekday dinner.
your "dish"!
I hear you, I don't know of any decent Asian restaurants in Aargau. (I live in Lenzburg)
What I dislike about making my own is how many opened and rarely used bottles I have to keep in my fridge: soy sauce, fish sauce, curry paste, rice vinegar, etc.
I do LOVE cashews, and I have been known to order "chicken with cashew nuts" only for the cashews 😉
Your sidh looks delicious!
Such a pity that there are no good Asian restaurants around! And for that reason, I make Asian at home more often now. Thank you Tamara!
That's so true! I think that we we eat healthier and also appreciate the food we cook even more, by avoiding takeout
It is so nice to be able to create meals you love without relying on take out.
That is so true! I think this way, we eat healthier, and appreciate what we cook even more so.
Looks even better than takeout 😀
Thank you so much! Glad you liked it Alex!
I would love to devour this!! Looks so delicious and I love cashew chicken! Thanks for bringing this at Fiesta Friday party table. I hope you are enjoying the party.
Thank you Jhuls! glad you liked the recipe, thanks so much for co-hosting!
I love Indo-Chinese too; Cashew Chicken sounds so exotic! Love the fact that you have baked instead of stir fried..a must try soon!
Thank you Vanitha! It is quite the treat.. Hope you give it a try sometime!