If you need a reliable, veggie-packed dinner for busy weeknights, this chicken cashew stir fry is it. Tender chicken breast, colorful vegetables, and crunchy cashews are tossed in a savory-sweet cashew sauce that comes together quickly. It’s an easy weeknight dinner that tastes better than takeout and works with whatever kind of rice you love.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy recipe: Ready in about 35-40 minutes from start to finish.
- Perfect for busy weeknights: Simple ingredients you can find at large grocery stores.
- Balanced and satisfying: Lean protein, crunchy cashews, and plenty of vegetables in one complete dinner.
- Versatile: Serve over white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or rice noodles.
- Better than takeout: A twist on the classic Chinese cashew chicken and Thai cashew chicken recipes with incredible depth of flavour.
Other homemade versions of takeout dishes:
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: Thinly sliced chicken breast cooks quickly and stays tender. You can also use chicken thigh for a slightly richer flavor.
- Cashews: Raw cashews or unsalted cashews both work well. Toasted cashew nuts add extra crunch if you prefer crunchy cashews.
- Soy sauce: Low sodium soy sauce keeps the dish balanced. Tamari works for gluten-free.
- Rice vinegar: Adds brightness and balances the honey.
- Honey: Provides subtle sweetness. You could substitute brown sugar or maple syrup if needed.
- Vegetables: Red bell peppers, broccoli, and carrots create color and texture. You can also add mushrooms, snow peas, green beans, or baby corn for different veggies.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the cashew sauce and helps it coat the entire dish.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements for this cashew chicken recipe.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Add heat: Sprinkle in red pepper flakes for spice.
- Boost flavor: A splash of sesame oil at the end adds richness.
- Make it saucier: Double the sauce ingredients if serving over extra rice.
- Protein swap: Try this as a ground pork or shrimp variation next time.
- Vegetable swaps: Snow peas, green beans, or baby corn all work beautifully for a good stir fry.
How to Make Chicken Cashew Stir Fry
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce (or tamari), rice wine vinegar, garlic, honey, and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
Step 2: Heat half of the avocado oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the sliced chicken in a single layer. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked and lightly golden. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. If there is any excess liquid from the chicken, drain it.
Step 3: In the same skillet, add the rest of the oil and the broccoli, bell peppers, and carrots. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Step 4: Return the cooked chicken to the skillet along with the cashews.
Step 5: Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables.
Step 6: Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and evenly coats everything.
Remove from heat and serve warm over rice, cauliflower rice, rice noodles, or quinoa.
Chicken Cashew Stir Fry FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, or microwave in short intervals until warmed through.
For meal prep, divide into individual servings with rice for easy grab-and-go lunches.
This is a dairy-free cashew chicken stir fry recipe. It can be gluten-free with the use of tamari instead of soy sauce. For another gluten free recipe, try our gluten-free ramen.
Other Stir Fry Recipes
If you make this chicken cashew stir fry recipe, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Chicken Cashew Stir Fry
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth or bone broth
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
For the stir fry:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
- 1 medium head of broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 2 large carrots, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup cashews
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce (or tamari), rice wine vinegar, garlic, honey, and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the sliced chicken in a single layer. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked and lightly golden. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. If there is any excess liquid from the chicken, drain it.
- In the same skillet, add the broccoli, bell peppers, and carrots. Stir fry for 4-5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Return the cooked chicken to the skillet along with the cashews. Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce thickens and evenly coats everything.
- Remove from heat and serve warm over rice, cauliflower rice, rice noodles, or quinoa.
Notes
- Save time/prep ahead:
- Prep the broccoli, red bell peppers, and carrots 1–2 days in advance to make this an even faster easy weeknight dinner.
- Pre-chopped stir fry vegetables from the grocery store are a great shortcut for busy weeknights. You can also buy pre-chopped broccoli and pre-sliced carrot chips to save on chopping time.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Give it a quick stir before using since the cornstarch may settle.
- This is a dairy-free cashew chicken stir fry recipe. It can be gluten-free with the use of tamari instead of soy sauce. For another gluten free recipe, try our gluten-free ramen.
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Chicken Cashew Stir Fry." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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