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    Home » Main Course Recipes » Cashew Chicken Recipe | Takeout style Cashew Chicken

    Cashew Chicken Recipe | Takeout style Cashew Chicken

    Published: Aug 11, 2017 · Modified: Mar 29, 2023 | This post may contain affiliate links·

    401 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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.

    Easy Cashew Chicken

    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!

    Easy Cashew Chicken with Jasmine rice

    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.
    Easy Cashew Chicken with Jasmine rice

    If you liked this recipe, do comment below and rate the recipe! If you make this recipe, please post a pic on INSTAGRAM -tagging @carameltintedlife and follow along on FACEBOOK and PINTEREST

    chicken and cashews cooked in brown sauce

    Takeout Style Cashew Chicken

    Shinta
    A lighter version of the original takeout Chinese recipe, served over Jasmine rice
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 5
    Calories 387 kcal

    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

    Calories: 387kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 24gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 749mgPotassium: 333mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 158IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword Cashew Chicken, Easy Cashew Chicken
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag me on Instagram! @carameltintedlife or use the hashtag #carameltintedlife
    Easy Cashew Chicken with Jasmine rice
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    401 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Adrian says

      February 27, 2021 at 12:20 am

      I'm guessing you mean 2.0 pounds of chicken and not the listed 20 pounds. Easy to make a typo.

    2. Helen of Fuss Free Flavours says

      May 09, 2019 at 12:30 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      • Shinta says

        May 13, 2019 at 12:00 pm

        Glad you liked it!

    3. Rosa says

      May 09, 2019 at 12:13 pm

      5 stars
      Yum!! I love homemade “takeout” and this sounds so delicious!!!

      • Shinta says

        May 13, 2019 at 12:01 pm

        Thank you, I totally agree!

    4. Danielle Wolter says

      May 09, 2019 at 11:45 am

      5 stars
      i just love making recipes with cashews. This sounds so delicious, loving the flavors!

      • Shinta says

        May 13, 2019 at 12:01 pm

        Thank you, I'm quite fond of cashews and related recipes as well!

    5. Amy | The Cook Report says

      May 09, 2019 at 11:32 am

      5 stars
      I love easy recipes like this and this one looks so full of flavour!

      • Shinta says

        May 13, 2019 at 12:02 pm

        Thank you so much, Amy!

    6. Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says

      May 09, 2019 at 10:39 am

      5 stars
      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! 🙂

    7. Laura Affolter says

      November 01, 2017 at 7:45 am

      Hey this recipe sounds delicious! I really must try that.

    8. Hanka says

      August 18, 2017 at 1:32 pm

      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)

    9. LunaCat Studio says

      August 16, 2017 at 8:22 am

      5 stars
      That looks so yummy! I will surely try this recipe as I love cooking chicken.

      Cathy, newborn photographer

      • Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

        August 17, 2017 at 6:30 am

        thank you so much! glad you liked it!

    10. Petra says

      August 14, 2017 at 10:28 pm

      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! 🙂

      • Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

        August 17, 2017 at 6:31 am

        Thank you Petra, I did my own take on cashew chicken and love the way peanut butter enhanced the flavour of the dish!

    11. Judith Graber says

      August 14, 2017 at 9:18 pm

      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.

      • Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

        August 17, 2017 at 6:32 am

        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!

    12. Familyearthtrek says

      August 14, 2017 at 10:33 am

      5 stars
      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?

      • Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

        August 17, 2017 at 6:34 am

        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.

    13. Tamara Gerber says

      August 14, 2017 at 7:36 am

      your "dish"!

    14. Tamara Gerber says

      August 14, 2017 at 7:35 am

      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!

      • Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

        August 17, 2017 at 6:38 am

        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!

    15. Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

      August 13, 2017 at 2:29 pm

      That's so true! I think that we we eat healthier and also appreciate the food we cook even more, by avoiding takeout

    16. [email protected] says

      August 12, 2017 at 3:22 am

      It is so nice to be able to create meals you love without relying on take out.

      • Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

        August 13, 2017 at 2:26 pm

        That is so true! I think this way, we eat healthier, and appreciate what we cook even more so.

    17. TurksWhoEat says

      August 11, 2017 at 4:06 pm

      Looks even better than takeout 😀

      • Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

        August 13, 2017 at 2:25 pm

        Thank you so much! Glad you liked it Alex!

    18. Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says

      August 11, 2017 at 2:54 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      • Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

        August 13, 2017 at 2:23 pm

        Thank you Jhuls! glad you liked the recipe, thanks so much for co-hosting!

    19. Vanitha says

      August 11, 2017 at 2:43 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      • Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life says

        August 13, 2017 at 2:22 pm

        Thank you Vanitha! It is quite the treat.. Hope you give it a try sometime!

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