Here’s a quick and easy 25-minute Cashew Chicken stir-fry recipe with an Indo-Chinese twist (read: bolder flavor). This recipe includes tips on how to get tender chicken and restaurant-level results! Gluten-free adaptable!

A white bowl with spicy cashew chicken and rice and sesame seeds on the side

“Didn’t expect this to be so packed with flavour! I’ve tried a couple of Hakka style dishes before but never really been a huge fan. This was spot on!”

Yasmeen

I often get requests for more Indo-Chinese and Hakka-style recipes. So I thought why not bring back an old favorite from the blog: Cashew Chicken. (More Indo-Chinese favorites: Chicken Manchurian and Chicken Jalfrezi.)

Along with an extra dose of red chili flakes, this recipe uses a generous amount of aromatics compared to more subtle versions of the stir-fry.

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Cashew Chicken Origins

Cashew Chicken is a popular Chinese stir-fry made famous by Chinese-American restaurants. Like many Asian dishes, Cashew Chicken has made its way into Indo-Chinese restaurants, which serve a bolder, more intensely flavored version.

A white bowl with spicy cashew chicken and jasmine rice with chopsticks resting on top

This recipe is loosely adapted from Rasa Malaysia. I love her tip for tenderizing the chicken – simply coat the chicken in baking soda before cooking. This loosens the protein bonds and makes the chicken tender, moist, and almost silky.

Sauce Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make the sauce:

Spicy cashew chicken sauce in a white bowl with a silver spoon
  • Oyster-flavored Sauce – Oyster sauce gives essential flavor and sweetness to this recipe. I use a gluten-free version.
  • Soy sauce, GF soy sauce, or Tamari – Any all-purpose soy sauce will work.
  • Rice vinegar – You may substitute regular distilled white vinegar.
  • Sesame oil – I use the toasted kind but in a pinch, I’ve successfully tipped some untoasted sesame oil from my jar of tahini.
  • Red chili flakes – These are essential for the signature Indo-Chinese flavor.
  • Ground black pepper & white pepper.
  • Sugar – I use raw cane sugar but you can use any you’d like.
  • Kosher salt or sea salt – I love using sea salt in Asian dishes as it gives a bit of MSG flavor without the MSG. Keep in mind that the type of sauces you use will affect the amount of salt you need.

Other Ingredients You’ll Need

A marbled surface with chicken, cashew chicken sauce, onion, bell pepper, corn starch, oil, cashews, garlic, and ginger.

You’ll also need standard stir-fry ingredients like garlic, ginger, onions, and bell pepper. Can’t forget the cashews (use any you have on hand) and chicken.

How much chicken?

The older version of this recipe called for 1 chicken breast, which is usually around 0.5-0.7 lb. Back then, I didn’t have a weighing scale so I just eyeballed the amount (#truestory).

I now use (and suggest using) around 1 lb to make this recipe. Using less than 1 lb will increase the sauce and make it more concentrated in flavor.

How to make Spicy Cashew Chicken

  1. If you’ve got time, tenderize the chicken in baking soda before rinsing & patting dry. Otherwise, marinate the chicken in salt and cornstarch and set aside.
A chicken breast placed inside a colander
Cubed chicken breast coated in cornstarch
  1. Make the sauce, then stir-fry the chicken.

How not to overcook chicken when stir-frying:

Over high heat, spread the chicken into a single layer and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Then flip the pieces and continue to cook for another minute before stir-frying for a few more minutes. This works because:

1. Since the chicken is spread out, it doesn’t release too much water. This helps it sear nicely and cook more evenly.
2. The pieces remain slightly raw in the center and finish cooking with the sauce instead of getting overcooked in the final stage.

  1. Sauté the garlic and ginger before adding the onion and bell pepper. Stir-fry so they soften but still remain crispy.
Bell peppers and onions in a skillet with a wooden spoon
cooked cashew chicken in a skillet with a wooden spoon
  1. Lastly, add in the chicken and sauce and stir-fry for a minute to thicken the sauce and finish cooking the chicken. Toss in the cashews and stir to coat.
A black skillet with spicy cashew chicken and wooden spoon

How to make this Cashew Chicken More Saucy

I’ve tried making this recipe with more water in the sauce but I found that it dilutes some of the intense flavors.

If you still want more sauce, add an extra 1/4 cup water plus a teaspoon of cornstarch to the sauce so it thickens instead of evaporating.

Cooked chicken, bell peppers, cashews sprinkled with sesame seeds served in a bowl with chopsticks laying next to it.

Variations and Tips

  • Onion and green bell pepper are often associated with cashew chicken, but you can use other stir-fry-friendly vegetables too. I’ve loved using celery when I had it on hand.
  • For an extra spicy kick, add a bit of red chili pepper along with the salt when marinating the chicken.
  • As with all stir-fries, have all the ingredients ready to go before you start cooking! A good idea is to prep while you tenderize the chicken.

What to Serve With Spicy Cashew Chicken

I typically enjoy basmati rice even with Indo-Chinese dishes, but I love serving this with Jasmine rice. I find the crispy, crunchy texture of the Cashew Chicken really stands out with the shorter rice kernels. Either way, you can’t go wrong!

Half eaten bowl of Spicy Cashew Chicken and rice with wooden chopsticks

More Easy Chicken Recipes:

Instant Pot Butter Chicken
Coconut Chicken Curry with Potatoes
Chicken Karahi
Baked Tandoori Chicken Curry
Peri Peri Chicken with Sauce

Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment & star rating telling me how it was! If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you! Thank you!

Spicy Cashew Chicken in a bowl with rice with chopsticks and sesame seeds on the side
4.96 (22 ratings)

Cashew Chicken Stir-fry (tender chicken!)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Here's a quick and easy 25-minute Cashew Chicken stir-fry recipe with an Indo-Chinese twist. This recipe includes tips on how to get tender chicken and gives intense, yet balanced flavor! Gluten-free adaptable!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 lb* (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2/3"-1" pieces, or sub chicken thighs

Stir-Fry

  • 3 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed
  • 3/4 inch ginger, crushed or very finely minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed or very finely minced
  • 1 (~170 g) small green bell pepper, seeds removed and diced into 1" squares
  • 1 (~190 g) small onion, diced into 1" squares
  • 1/2 cup toasted, unsalted cashews, see note for raw cashews
  • toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

To Tenderize (Optional)

  • 1 tsp baking soda

To Marinate:

  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt or sea salt
  • 2 tsp corn starch

Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tbsp oyster flavored sauce, I use gluten-free
  • 2 tsp soy sauce, I use GF tamari soy sauce
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 3/4-1 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar, I use cane sugar
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp kosher salt or sea salt

Equipment

  • Large Skillet or Wok (No lid required)

Instructions 

To Tenderize – Optional Step

  • Place the chicken in a strainer or colander and sprinkle it with baking soda. Mix well and let this mixture rest for 15-20 minutes. Rinse the chicken thoroughly, ensuring it's completely free of any baking soda. Pat dry.

Make the Cashew Chicken

  • In a medium bowl, marinate the chicken in the salt and cornstarch and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients listed for the sauce and set aside.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large, nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the chicken in an even layer and allow it to cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Flip over and allow the other side to cook for another minute. Then stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through (~4-5 minutes). Remove the chicken and set aside.
  • Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 15-20 seconds. Add the onion and bell pepper and raise the heat back to high. Stir-fry until you can smell the peppery aroma of the green peppers and onions turn translucent (~4-5 min). Add the chicken back in, followed by the prepared sauce.
  • Stir-fry until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is fully cooked (~1-2 min). Taste and adjust salt and spice, if desired.
  • Add in the cashews and mix well. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately with rice.

Notes

*The older version of this recipe called for 1 chicken breast, which is usually around 0.5-0.7 lb. Using less chicken will give more sauce and concentrated flavor.
-If using raw cashews, either roast them separately or add mid-way when cooking the onion and bell pepper in Step 4.
 
Calories: 360kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 1193mg, Potassium: 656mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 257IU, Vitamin C: 28mg, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 2mg
Author: Izzah Cheema
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese, Pakistani