Chicken with cashew nuts is a delicious and satisfying stir-fry that combines tender chicken with crunchy cashews and a savory sauce. This popular dish, inspired by Chinese cuisine, is a perfect balance of protein, healthy fats, and vibrant flavors. It’s quick to prepare, making it an excellent choice for busy weeknights or a wholesome meal to serve to guests.
The dish begins with boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, which are thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces. The chicken is stir-fried until golden and cooked through, creating a savory base for the dish. The key to making this dish flavorful is in the sauce, which typically consists of soy sauce, hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, and a splash of rice vinegar. A little bit of honey or sugar can be added to balance out the saltiness of the soy sauce, creating a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and savory flavors.
Once the chicken is cooked, cashew nuts are added to the stir-fry, providing a satisfying crunch and a rich, nutty flavor that complements the tender chicken. The cashews also add a boost of healthy fats, making this dish not only delicious but also nutritious.
To elevate the dish, a colorful mix of vegetables can be added, such as bell peppers, onions, carrots, and broccoli. These vegetables provide freshness, a variety of textures, and additional nutrients, creating a well-rounded meal.
Chicken with cashew nuts is typically served with steamed rice, which helps absorb the delicious sauce. The dish can also be paired with noodles for an even heartier meal. For an extra burst of flavor, garnish the stir-fry with a sprinkle of green onions or sesame seeds.
This dish is incredibly versatile and can easily be customized with your choice of vegetables or protein. You can even swap the chicken for shrimp, tofu, or beef, depending on your preferences.
Ingredients
- 500 grams chicken breast cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup cashew nuts unsalted, roasted
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium bell pepper sliced
- 1 onion sliced
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the chicken pieces and cook until they are no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
- Stir in the sliced bell pepper and onion, cooking until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce and oyster sauce, stirring well to coat the chicken and vegetables.
- Finally, add the cashew nuts and stir-fry for an additional 2 minutes until everything is well-combined and heated through.
- Serve hot over steamed rice.
This recipe was super yummy! The cashews gave it a nice crunch. Definitely making again!
The oyster sauce made it restaurant-ish. I didn’t have bell pepper so I used broccoli instead, still worked surprisingly well.
I’m a little skeptical about the oyster sauce amount. Mine seemed too salty, so I added a splash of water and it helped. Flavor was still good though.
The timing was off for me—my chicken took longer than 5–7 minutes. Still delicious though, just required a little extra cooking and stirring.
Hmm mine cooked in like 6 min so idk. Maybe your pieces were bigger? Also I’d watch the bell pepper timing, 3 min always turns mine a little too soft 😅
Totally feel you—5–7 minutes can be optimistic depending on pan heat and chicken size. Glad it still came out tasty! Did you end up stirring more often or just cook a bit longer?
I followed the recipe but it turned out kinda bland. Maybe try adding some spices?
Easy weeknight meal, but I had no bell pepper so I used zucchini. Worked fine, though the onion flavor was stronger than expected.
This was fantastic! The cashews added a nice crunch. My family loved it!
Made this tonight—so fast and actually tastes like takeout. The cashews add a really nice crunch. I used low-sodium soy sauce and it was perfect.
idk… mine came out kinda bland. Maybe my cashews were unsalted (or I forgot salt?). The texture was nice but flavor needed more punch.
That sounds like a salt issue—unsalted cashews can definitely dull it. I’d add a pinch more soy/oyster (or even a little salt) and taste at step 5 before adding the cashews.
Huh, mine was the opposite—maybe your sauces were reduced too much? Also 2 tbsp soy + 1 tbsp oyster might not be enough if the cashews are super bland. Next time try more soy sauce and don’t cook the sauce too long.
Not bad, but I found it a bit salty. I might cut the soy sauce next time or add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.