Better-Than-Takeout Cashew Chicken — Juicy chicken, crisp-tender vegetables, and crunchy cashews coated with the best garlicky soy sauce!! Skip takeout and make your own restaurant-quality meal that’s easy, ready in 20 minutes, and healthier!!
Copycat Chinese Cashew Chicken Recipe
I’ve shared many peanut chicken recipes, but never one for chicken with cashew nuts. I don’t know what I was waiting for! This easy cashew chicken really does taste better than a restaurant. Not that I’m partial or anything.
Consider this dish like a cashew chicken stir fry. The chicken is sautéed with sesame oil for depth of flavor before adding broccoli, red bell peppers, edamame, and garlic.
The vegetables stay crisp-tender, which is exactly the way I like them. If you prefer green bell peppers or other vegetables, mix and match as you see fit.
The dish is finished with cashews, of course, and that wonderful cashew chicken sauce that’s made with soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, ginger, and Asian chili garlic sauce. Asian chili garlic sauce is kept in the Asian section of my regular grocery store.
The heat from this sauce really makes the chicken come to life without being overly hot and spicy, but if you’re sensitive to heat and spices, scale back as you see fit.
The sauce helps keep the chicken moist and tender and clings to the veggies beautifully.
I loved how fast and easy dinner came together. Now, this cashew chicken recipe is going into our regular rotation. No need for takeout when homemade tastes so good.
Cashew Chicken Ingredients
To make the actual chicken cashew stir-fry, you’ll need:
- Cornstarch
- Chicken breasts
- Sesame oil
- Olive oil
- Broccoli florets
- Bell pepper
- Shelled frozen edamame
- Garlic
- Roasted unsalted cashews
And for the cashew chicken sauce, you’ll need:
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Honey
- Rice wine vinegar
- Asian chili garlic sauce
- Ground ginger
How to Make Cashew Chicken
This is a super simple recipe — the hardest part is chopping up some veggies! Here’s an overview of how to make chicken with cashew nuts:
- Add the cornstarch, diced chicken, salt, and pepper to a large zip-top bag and squish the chicken around to coat it.
- Add the chicken to an oiled skillet and cook until the chicken is about 90% done (it will finish cooking in the sauce).
- Add the broccoli, bell pepper, edamame, and garlic to the skillet and cook just for a few minutes. You want the veggies to remain crisp-tender.
- Add the sauce and roasted cashews to the skillet. Simmer for a minute or two, just to give the sauce time to heat up and thicken slightly.
Can I Use Different Vegetables?
Yes, feel free to mix and match the veggies to use up whatever’s in your produce drawer. Just note that different veggies will have different cook times.
Can I Use Chicken Thighs?
I’m sure you could use chicken thighs to make this easy cashew chicken recipe. Just make sure they’re boneless, and that you dice them into 1-inch chunks.
What Are the Best Cashews for Cashew Chicken?
You’ll want to use roasted and unsalted cashews to make this recipe. I do not recommend using salted cashews otherwise your Cashew nut chicken will be far too salty.
Can This Recipe Be Prepared in Advance?
Yes, you can make the entire recipe as written and eat leftovers throughout the week or you can prep the ingredients in advance of making the entire recipe.
For example, the veggies can be diced ahead of time, the sauce can be whisked together, and the chicken can be diced and stored in an airtight container until ready to use.
Tips for Making This Recipe
Do not omit the cornstarch in this recipe. It coats the chicken and helps it crisp up in the skillet without having to deep fry it. The cornstarch also thickens the cashew chicken sauce.
Note that this recipe calls for roasted unsalted cashews. I don’t like using salted cashews in this recipe, because between the salted cashews and soy sauce the dish winds up being way too salty.
Lastly, make sure to buy rice wine vinegar and not rice wine (also called mirin). They’re two different things!
Pin This Recipe
Better-Than-Takeout Cashew Chicken
Juicy chicken, crisp-tender vegetables, and crunchy cashews coated with the best garlicky soy sauce!! Skip takeout and make your own restaurant-quality meal that's easy, ready in 20 minutes, and healthier!!
Ingredients
Stir-Fry:
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- about 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 heaping cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup red bell peppers, diced small
- 1 cup shelled frozen edamame
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
- 1 cup unsalted dry-roasted whole cashews
- 3/4 to 1Â cup green onions, sliced into thin rounds (from about 3 or 4 green onions)
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Asian chili garlic sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- To a gallon-sized ziptop bag, add the cornstarch, salt, pepper, chicken, seal, and shake to coat chicken evenly.
- To a large skillet, add the oils, chicken, and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, flipping and stirring so all sides cook evenly. Chicken should be about 80-90% cooked through.
- Add the broccoli, bell peppers, edamame (I add it straight from the freezer), garlic, and stir to combine. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and chicken is cooked through; stir intermittently. While vegetables cook, make the sauce.
- To a medium bowl add the soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, ginger, and whisk to combine; set aside.
- Add the cashews to the skillet and stir to combine.
- Add the sauce and stir to combine. Allow sauce to simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the green onions, stir to combine, and serve immediately.
Notes
Storage: Chicken is best warm and fresh but extra will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 369Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 642mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 40g
More Asian Chicken Recipes:
Favorite CHICKEN RECIPES and all of my ASIAN-INSPIRED RECIPES.
Easy Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice – One-skillet, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never want takeout again after tasting how good homemade is! Way more flavor, not greasy, and loads of juicy chicken!
Chicken Pad Thai — EASY, ready in 20 minutes, and BETTER than takeout!! Tender rice noodles, juicy chicken, with crisp-tender carrots, cabbage, and more for an IRRESISTIBLE and AUTHENTIC chicken pad Thai!!
Better-Than-Takeout Sticky Chicken — Stop calling for takeout or going to the mall food court and make this AMAZING sticky chicken at home in 15 minutes!! So EASY with the perfect balance of sweet and spicy with plenty of sticky sauce!!
15-Minute Skillet Sesame Chicken with Broccoli – Healthier sesame chicken that isn’t breaded or fried! You won’t miss the fat or calories in this fast and easy version that’s loaded with Asian-inspired flavors! You can happily skip takeout now!
Healthier Orange Chicken — Stop calling for takeout or going to the mall food court and make this HEALTHIER orange chicken at home in less than 10 minutes!! EASY, authentic, and so INCREDIBLE that you’ll never miss the fat and calories!!
15-Minute Chicken, Vegetable, and Ramen Noodle Stir Fry – Don’t call for takeout when you can make this EASY Asian stir fry in minutes!! HEALTHIER and faster than takeout and great for busy weeknights!
Kung Pao Chicken — An easy, BETTER-THAN-TAKEOUT recipe with juicy chicken and such a flavorful sauce!!
Slow Cooker Orange Chicken – The easiest orange chicken ever because your slow cooker does all the work! Super juicy, tender, and coated with a sweet-yet-tangy orange glaze that’s irresistible!
Originally posted April 23, 2018. Reposted January 11, 2019 and June 11, 2021 with updated text.
I had to downsize the ingredients as I only had a small amount of chicken. I also found a simple recipe for the Asian chili garlic sauce. Everything came together beautifully. I will make sure this is one of my “keeper “ recipes. Thank you!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that this came together nicely for you and you were able to adapt it based on the amount of chicken you had and it’s a keeper!
could you share the recipe for Asian Chili Garlic Sauce?
This is the chili garlic sauce I use in general (although not in this recipe) and it’s great https://amzn.to/452Ywd9 Buy it from your local Trader Joe’s if you have one.
I substituted seitan for the chicken and it turned out great! I did everything the same – I put the seitan in a baggie to coat with cornstarch then cooked it according to the recipe. Thank you for this delicious recipe!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad that seitan worked well! I have never tried it nor with tempeh although I am thinking that could work too.
Tried out this recipe last night for the family. Tasted amazing and everyone loved it! I doubled the sauce because I always like the extra flavor. Thanks for the yummy dinner, will be adding this to my regular meal rotation list. :)
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad everyone loved this and that it’s going into your regular meal rotation!
Absolutely delicious. I switched the chicken to shrimp this time. I also added mushrooms and water chestnuts. Great recipe. Thanks
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad this was great with shrimp! The mushrooms and water chestnuts also sound perfect!
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times now and LOVE it! So very tasty. Even served it to company. But, this last time I was checking the nutritional values (didn’t notice you had provided them until after I plugged them into my recipe calculator) and noticed the values you published seem to be quite off (lower calories, higher protein). Just saying…
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad you love it!
The nutrition stats are a computer generated courtesy estimate. Many online tools can often have a wide variety of results for the “same” recipe. I am not a dietician so all info is provided as a courtesy estimate.
OMG this is the best, and really easy. I will be making more of the better than take out recipes.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad you loved it and will make more of my better-than-takeout recipes!
Absolutely fabulously delicious!!!  A hit with the entire family … thank you Averie!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad it was a hit with the entire family!
I made this tonight for myself and hubby. It was delish! Thank you Averie!! I’ll be making it again in the future 😊🇨🇦
I’m glad it was delicious and that you’ll be making it again in the future!
This is my go-to recipe for cashew chicken! It’s a favorite in my house and we have it in our regular meal rotation. Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
Thanks for the five star review and letting me know that it’s your go to recipe for cashew chicken and in your regular rotation!
Made this tonight and it is amazing! Family raves over it and will make it again soon.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that this was amazing, and that your family raved over it, and you’ll be making it again soon!
This truly is 20 minute chicken, if you’re food prep is done the night before. Lots to get ready before you actually start cooking. Tasted really good, but took about 40 to get it to the table.
I made this last night but noticed that the recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons of Sesame Oil but in the cooking directions it didn’t list where to put it. I guessed in the sauce and it turned out pretty good, just wanted to double check that I was correct on where I placed it. Thanks!
I forgot to rate it 5 STARS!! Thanks and I love your recipes!
Thanks so much I appreciate it!
In step in the recipe card section, it says “To a large skillet, add the oils, chicken, and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, flipping and stirring so all sides cook evenly. Chicken should be about 80-90% cooked through.” That is where you add both the sesame and olive oils to cook the chicken in it. But I’m sure it was fine where you added it.
This is delicious! We used boneless chicken thighs rather than breast meat, but that was the only change. This will be one of my favorite go-to recipes.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad it was delicious and it will become a favorite go-to recipe!
I made this for dinner and it came out wonderful!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was wonderful!
The best recipe EVER. I make it every week.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you have this on weekly repeat!
Absolutely delicious, this will become a family favourite. Very quick & easy, use whatever vegetables you like. Great flavour & just as good the next day.Â
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad it’s become a family favorite!
Absolutely delicious and easy recipe. Only substituted sugar snap peas for the edamame. 100% would recommend.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was a hit!
I made this meat free by doubling the veg and adding the cornstarch to the sauce rather than on the chicken. The sauce has fantastic flavor, but I like it really saucy so I added an additional cup of broth. I also made my own Asian garlic chili sauce for the first time: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/sauces/homemade-chili-garlic-sauce/Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I had a lot of fun with it and the it is very flexible. Â Next time I will try it with chicken.Â
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved it, were able to keep it vegetarian, and even made your own Asian garlic sauce!
This recipe taste wonderful. My wife is sorta picky when it comes to what I cook, but she ate this. I stir fried my chicken (I didn’t read the recipe until I had cooked it) so I didn’t fry it but it still tasted great. I velveted the chicken first like they do in the Chinese restaurant. If you do this, don’t let the chicken stay in the water/baking soda mixture over 4 minutes or it will become mushy. I flattened my chicken tenders a bit before I velveted them.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad your wife ate this and that it tasted wonderful!
OMG!  I think I love you.  My husband hates when I try new recipes, it’s usually hit or miss, but your Cashew Chicken recipe was a huge hit!  It was not only easy to follow the recipe, the results were fantastic!!! Delicious!  Everyone loved it.  Thank you.
I am glad that you tried this despite his hatred of new recipes and glad it turned out fantastic! Sometimes you get lucky :)
Very Good!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review!!
Hi Averie! I love your blog! I made this tonight for the first time. We really liked it, but I have a question. My partner said that the sauce tasted “floury,” like there was flour in it. I’m thinking maybe he was tasting the cornstarch from the chicken? Is there a purpose to coat the chicken in cornstarch before you cook it, or would it be okay to leave it off next time?
Thank you! Overall we really enjoyed this.
Coat it lighter next time or use less. Make sure you are not dumping any excess into your skillet.
Yes there is a purpose, for both flavor, texture, and it will slightly thicken the juices/sauces you add to the skillet.
This was the first time I made this recipe and it was a huge hit! I had to adjust a bit though. Don’t have edamame so i used some frozen peas. Store was out of green onion so i thinly sliced and diced some red onion. And I use Liquid Aminos, so much less sodium then the low sodium soy sauce. I’ve been told to make this once a week!
Thanks for the five star review and glad that you were able to mix and match based on what ingredients you could source, and that you’ve been instructed to make it once a week!
Averie. This is one if my favorite recipes from you.  So easy and tasty. And easy to reheat at workThanks for your great blog. SueÂ
I am glad it’s one of your favorites and that you can reheat it easily too!
Outstanding! I made it gluten free and serving with frozen cauliflower rice. Seriously yummy. I don’t think my kids will go for the kick of spice, but could leave tone that down next time.Â
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was outstanding!
Would this be good using chicken thighs?
Probably would be just fine.
Added water chestnuts and sliced mushrooms. Doubled the sauce. Tasted amazing thanks.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was a hit with double the sauce and the water chestnuts and mushrooms – two of my favorites as well!
This was so easy and so delicious! Â Thank you!
Glad to hear it was easy and delicious – the best kind of recipe!
I made this tonight and we all called it a winner! I made a few changes since we are on the virus qt and try to use what we have. I used 3 large chicken breasts and they were 2 lbs. after I defrosted and weighed them. So I did one and one half meat and veggies, doubled the sauce, used sriracha instead of garlic chili sauce, didn’t have edamame, and used chopped ginger. It was a little spicy for me but my guys loved it. Next time I will use 2 large breasts and use less sriracha and follow the rest of the recipe. I tried 2 stir fries 2 weeks ago and this was by far the best!! The sauce was light and just right!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad your family loved it and you’ll make it again!
Dear Avery – Thank you for the joy you’ve brought to our lives. Please increase your serving sizes so that we can all be happier for longer.Sincerely,Brigette’s husband whose tipsy and loves your recipesP.S. This is Brigette and I’m not tipsy, and we just had this for dinner and it was healthy and delicious. We love all your recipes!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you guys sound like you’re making the most of dining-in at home and glad you’re loving my recipes!
Could you please give the nutritional information for this recipe?
I am working on adding that to all 2000+ of my recipes. I have not gotten to this one but I will.
thank you. i’ll be checking back!
Great, but better if you also add chicken base or bonito seasoning for more meaty flavor depth! Also added additional fresh ginger & garlic plus mushrooms… wonderful day 2!
This is easy and so good!! (P.S. you’re not supposed to eat the shells 😂)
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it turned out so good and was easy!
Total yum!!!! Loved it. Only thing I did differently was eyeballed the ingredients loosely. Extra flavours including garlic and the sambal olek. Will def make again
Glad it was totally yum and great idea to add the sambal olek for extra flavor!
Very good recipe, but I had problems with my chicken sticking to the pan? Any thoughts?
I would use a nonstick pan, add additional olive oil and/or spray with cooking spray. Any or all of those things should 100% eliminate the issue.
My family devoured this meal! Best of all – it came together so fast which makes it a great choice for busy weeknights. Thanks – this recipe is a keeper!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it came together fast and that your family devoured it!
This was a hit! I doubled the recipe in order to feed 4 teenagers and 2 adults and it was mostly gone. It barely all fit in the wok, but it worked. I used thighs instead of breast, I didn’t have edamame so I subbed peas, and I reduced the chili garlic sauce by half for the kids. Other than that, I stayed true to the recipe and was extremely pleased with it. The recipe calls for roasted cashews, so if you’re using raw ones, make sure to cook them first.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that you customize this to work for your crew and then it was a big hit!
Easy, delicious and flavorful!
Awesome, glad you enjoyed it!
Made this tonight! Easy to make AND delish! My husband loved it too! Any idea regarding calories per serving?
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved it! I am working on updating all my recipes to include nutrition info in the future.
This was delicious! Next time I will double the sauce so there will be enough with the rice. Came to together easily and my family loved it. Didn’t have edamame so I used green peas and also added carrots. Yum!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was a hit with your family and that you’ll make it again!
Great recipe! very flavorful and easy to make.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that it was great for you!
Absolutely amazing. So flavorful! Will be adding this one to the rotation!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it is going into your rotation!
I’m always skeptical of recipes, but this one did not disappoint. As suggested, I lowered the chili sauce for my kids, but my husband added a little more to his. This will definitely make it into a consistent rotation. Thank you!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this will make it into your regular rotation!
VERY GOOD! I sub water chestnuts for edamame.
Next time I’ll not use use as much broccoli but I will add this recipe to my arsenal
Glad you’ll add it to your arsenal!
I have made this recipe many times and it is delicious!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this always turns out delicious for you!
My husband just had a bypass surgery so am innovating tasty recipes without salt and soy sauce. This is very good! Roasted garlic first before sautéing the chicken. Used chicken thighs and was liberal on Mrs Dash and garlic and herbs seasoning. Put it on top of brown rice and it was a hit!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that my recipe came in handy after the bypass surgery and that Mrs Dash worked great here!
I thought it was good but I dont think i needed to add salt. Also should’ve roasted the cashews before making it. Thanks for the great recipe.
Averie.. I wish there were more than 5 stars! This is my favorite chicken recipe ever! Thanks for posting it!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that you wish you could give it even more – wonderful to hear!
Averie,This was the BEST cashew chicken my husband and I have ever eaten! I loved the different textures in the dish and it had just the right amount of heat for us. I used thighs instead of breasts and substituted pea pods for the broccoli but otherwsie followed the recipe. My husband just ate the leftovers for breakfast!I can’t wait to try another one of your recipes this weekend…. perhaps a crockpot one as it is getting chilly.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad this is the best cashew chicken you both have ever eaten! And you know it’s good when you’re eating the leftovers for breakfast :)
So good!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was so good!
You aren’t kidding this is way better than Takeout! I’ve made this 3 times now (the 3rd time a friend ask me to make it for his Birthday). I did make a few changes, first I used boneless chicken thighs which have much more flavor and can tolerate being cooked for longer periods. The second thing I changed was I doubled the absolutely delicious sauce to get a better coating on the chicken and vegetables. Other than that I followed your recipe. I love your website and I have tried several of your recipes and I have never be disappointed. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that you agree it’s way better than takeout! I’m glad you have been enjoying my website and recipes!
I’ve made this numerous times – it’s become a family favorite with my husband and three boys! Easy and quick too!
I’m glad this is a family favorite and you’ve made it many times!
This was great. Simple and delicious
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was simple and delish for you!
I made this for tonight’s supper. We both loved it, so delicious!! I will definitely make this one again. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved it and will definitely make it again!
Easy to make and tasted better than any take out we’ve ever had!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was better than any take out you’ve ever had!
Really good! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was really good!
Made it without edamame and it was delicious! Most definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing!
Glad it’s definitely a keeper for you!
I made this recipe last week and it was a HUGE hit with my husband (and me)! The only change I made was that I used dark meat chicken. This recipe was AMAZING. So glad I found the Averie Cooks website.
Thanks for the compliments :)
OMG this was so good! I love Chinese food and Cashew Chicken is one of my favorites. but this is even better than takeout. my husband even gave it his stamp of approval!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this turned out even better than takeout for you! (hence the name) :)
I have made this 3 times and It is excellent. Yes, I agree better than take out. I use Jasmine rice and used fresh ginger! I will try it with beef next time. No need to go to Asian restaurants anymore.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you agree it’s better than takeout!
This is as the subtitle says – SO MUCH BETTER THAN TAKEOUT! Oh. My. Gosh Averie, thank you so much. I used sweet chili sauce (like the one we would eat with mini spring rolls here in the Netherlands), which worked great. I’ve never had such juicy chicken in my life. I cooked the 4 serving recipe, plus rice, and froze the portions I didn’t eat (so all but one, haha). I like taking hot meals with me for lunch, and this microwaved beautifully for me at work!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this came out so much better than takeout for you and that you were able to enjoy the leftovers at work :)
This recipe turned out great! Next time I think I want to try marinating the chicken in the sauce instead of coating in cornstarch. This coating I don’t feel is necessary. The flavor in the recipe overall is great! I used a chili garlic sauce which added the perfect amount of heat!
I’m glad this turned out great for you!
Made this recipe last night, it truly is better than carry out! The ingredients were easy to find (had most everything on hand), the recipe was easy to follow, and was quick to cook, we will definitely make this again. I substituted celery for the peppers and it was great. Thank you for sharing, Averie!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you think it’s better than takeout!
This dish is amazing!!!!! The only thing I change is I put the cashews in at serving time, as, if there are left overs, they lose the crispness.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad you thought it was amazing!
I made this, this weekend. Very delicious! Chicken was so tender. I used apple juice in place of the rice wine vinegar since it was such a small amount needed. Made extra sauce for leftovers and thickened it with cornstarch. Husband is looking forward to it again today.Thank you.
Excellent! Very easy to make.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Oh my goodness I got so hungry 1:30 am looking at all these pics. and I love Chinese and foods the resemble Chinese ….all of these look so good, I hope to make them all….
I have made so many recipes for Chinese food and not a one was really fit to eat….just had no flavor…I even purchased Chinese 5 spice , also purchased an oyster sauce….and nothing worked….. so looking forward to start making these….
Thanks for posting….
Will rate them as I make them….hope I don’t lose these recipes…..
This meal is so delicious and easy. I’ve made it again and again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad to hear you’ve made it again and again!
This was the bomb. Made it with red peppers and broccoli with a side of basmati rice with eggs and low sodium soy sauce. Delicious
Thanks for the five star review and glad it was the bomb!
Averie, thanks for this recipe. I made this tonight. My husband ( a very picky eater) loved it and went back for seconds. Winner, winner. Next time I think I will cook the chicken in a hotter skillet to get it more crispy and double the sauce. I added orange pieces at the end and served over Jasmine rice.
Thanks for the five star review and glad this was a winner!
LOVE this receipe! So glad I was finally able to find a spicy cashew chicken recipe. The last one I tried came out very bland. This one had so much flavor! I think the garlic chili sauce did the trick. I used carrots instead of edamame and it turned out great! Next time I’ll double or triple the sauce. I’m actually excited to eat leftovers tomorrow! I’ll definitely be checking out some more of your recipes. Thank you!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this had the right amount of heat thanks to the chili garlic sauce!
I just made this dish for the boys…I just reduced a little bit chilli powder cause I don’t like very spicy food and this time I actually felt like I want to eat this too… ooo my goooood… I love this dish!! It’s better than in the Asian restaurants in Darwin!!
Glad this was a hit for your family!
Easy and delicious.
Thanks!
Outstanding recipe. I increased the sauce by 1.5 times so there would be plenty for the rice I made to go with it. I have made this recipe 3-4 times now. My husband and our guests have raved about this meal.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you’ve made it 3-4x already!
This is INCREDIBLE. Currently cooking/eating my way through your whole website because every recipe I try is amazing! LOVE the Thai coconut curry and the Mexican pasta salad! But since making this recipe the first time, it’s been on the weekly rotation since!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you are eating your way through my website! After blogging almost 10 years I have about 2000 recipes or so, so you should be set for a bit :)
That curry dish…that is a PERSONAL FAVE that I make and remake all year long!
This was absolutely delicious! Used snap peas instead of peppers and edamamne and doubled the sauce. First time ever having cashew chicken but won’t be the last
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved this recipe!
Made this recipe over the weekend…turned out a lot spicier than I thought it would… I followed the recipe, except I added mushrooms, and used peas instead of edamame because that was what was on-hand. My older son and husband like spicier foods, so they loved it, but my two younger sons and I have a harder time with spiciness, so I think we will use less of the Asian chili garlic sauce next time ;)
Yes definitely adjust seasonings to taste – whether it’s salt, pepper, honey, or chili garlic sauce, always add a little, and increase from there based on who you are cooking for and everyone’s preferences.
Super easy and delicious !!! Thank you for sharing this recipe !!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it was amazing for you!
Hi Averie……! i love cashew and chicken & cashew combo its really amazing, i will make it from your recipe….Thanks for the sharing and keep shared your new recipe and amazing ideas…!
Great dish. Made it with turkey breast which worked well, also used baby broad beans instead of edamame. Will make again with a bit more sauce. Thank you
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Turkey and broad beans sound great!
I definitely wanted more sauce, great recipe overall!
You could double the sauce portion next time if you’re a sauce lover. Glad you enjoyed the recipe overall.
Made this for dinner last night – boyfriend and I wanted to make cashew chicken, but I hate using vegetable oil (it’s so hard to dispose of after) so we found this one on Pinterest. Came out VERY tasty! I am eating the leftovers as I type this, actually :). We considered adding mushrooms too as a veggie (although ultimately did not), and we did leave out the edamame, but we used red + green bell peppers and the broccoli. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! You probably could’ve added the mushrooms or really most any veggies that you like because it’s a very flexible recipe that way, just something to keep in mind if you try it again.
Yep! I’m a big fan of mushrooms usually.
Cashew chicken was amazing. I had to substitute apple cider vinegar for the rice vinegar and I also used siracha instead of the chili sauce simply because that is what I had in my cabinet, but both acceptable and good substitutes. I added water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. Next time I may double the sauce, but so happy I came across this recipe flavorful and fresh, thank you!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Love that you used what you had on hand, including working in some water chestnuts and bamboo shoots, of which I love both!
Averie
Thanks you sooooo much for the delicious Cashew Chicken recipe…….
DELICIOUS!!!!!!
It’s Yummy….I substituted carrots for broccoli………
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Can this be served with pad thai noodles?
Yes of course it could. I also have this recipe which is very pad thai-ish https://www.averiecooks.com/peanut-chicken-with-peanut-noodles/
I tried to pin this but it failed to pin.
Sorry you’re having trouble. I can pin it fine. Perhaps you can paste this into your browser and repin from there. Thanks! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/371124825524940142/
This was tasty! I used garlic scapes instead of green onion and sriracha as somehow had no garlic chili sauce (!?!). Hubs would have liked a bit more sauce, that’s my only possible suggestion for others. Served with rice and egg rolls–yum!
You could be a bit heavier handed with the liquid ingredients next time and/or simmer a bit less so there’s more sauce. Glad you enjoyed it!
So delicious! I’m so glad that I doubled the recipe on a gamble that this meal would taste as yummy as your pictures look. Winner winner, cashew chicken dinner! Had it for two nights now and couldn’t wait until dinner to have it again—so I just had it for lunch!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you!
Oh. My. God. You were not kidding with the title of this recipe! Made it for dinner tonight and it’s soooooo good. My boyfriend and I doubled the recipe so we would have some leftovers to eat all week and I’m so glad we did!! Will definitely be making this again and again. We make your lemon honey chicken often and now I know we really need to try all of your recipes = ) I make your cookie bars all the time too!
Can the Better than take out cashew chicken be cooked in the crackpot? It sounds so good and much better than others I have read. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes.
I haven’t tried it that way so can’t say for sure. It’s a really fast dish to throw together and I find it’s very easy to throw together at the time we’re going to eat it than think about the CP.
I made the Cashew Chicken recipe today. It was delicious. I only added a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce. I will definitely make this again.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Glad you’ll make it again!
This was so good!! Thanks for sharing such delicious recipes. I loved how balanced this was.Â
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Just made this. I thought this would be a nice warming dish since here in South Africa it is the middle of winter (although its 26 degrees celcius outside :-) ) Substituted the chicken with frozen fried tofu, snowpeas, chopped mushrooms and zuchini, water chestnuts and baby corn since I am vegetarian. Â Was super yummy. Â Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! Sounds great as a vegetarian dish!
This was amazing! The sauce tasted just like General Tso’s. Better than take out indeed! Thank you for sharing
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! Glad it was better than takeout for you!
I made this last night and it turned out great! I served it with cauliflower rice. The sesame oil adds a great flavor. I’ve made many of your cookie recipes before (the lemon cream cheese ones are awesome), but this was the first non-dessert recipe of yours I have tried. Thanks!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Cauli rice is always good and thanks for branching out into my savory recipes. LMK what else you make!
We had this for dinner last night. Â Very tasty. Â I subbed in veggies that I had on hand (yes, I used a can of water chestnuts–don’t judge!). Â
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad you enjoyed it and no judgment about water chestnuts! I love them :)
This is an amazing recipe.  Substituted  carrots for the edamame. Absolute perfection!
Thanks for trying the recipe so soon after I posted it and I’m glad it came out great for you! Absolute perfection is a wonderful compliment!
This looks SO good Averie!! Â Beautiful photography as well.
Thanks for the compliments, Brandon! Your photos are always gorg so that means a lot!
This looks SO good. Every time I come here you seem to have another quick, easy, and fabulous chicken recipe!!Â
Thank you!
this sounds fantastic Averie! love that this has an authentic Asian sauce with not a crazy amount of ingredients – pinned! x
Thanks for pinning and I always try to keep ingredients to as few as possible to get the job done and nothing too ‘specialty’ or hard to find!
Cashew chicken is my go-to takeaway pick – I love the idea of designing my own version. This really does look better than take-out!
I have been so obsessed with cashews lately. Â They are so mild and filled with protein they are the perfect nut! Looking forward to giving this a try.
Thank you Averie for all the lovely recipes. Have a Wonderful Week.
You are always just so kind, Liz, and I appreciate you always having something nice to say! Have a wonderful week, too!
This is happening soon!!
I can’t believe this recipe goes together that easily! Â I love it!
This looks amazing! I’m a huge cashew chicken fan so I will definitely be trying this!
http://odessadarling.co
Time to buy cashews–I’m sure this would be a hit! Â
This could possibly be the best cashew chicken! I love that you used chili garlic sauce – we are obsessed with it! Pinned!Â
I love that sauce – a little goes a long way and adds so much flavor!
I love your recipes and enjoy your sight! However, the only thing missing for me (and I am sure many others) is an estimation as to the calorie content of the dish. So many people have to watch their intake of sodium or carbs relating to high blood pressure or diabetic condition it would be of great help to have a little estimation of these things. Have you ever considered aiding with that info? I have always thought that everything in moderation, so I believe in eating all foods and just adjusting serving size to what fits into my day. Your photographs are amazing! Thank you for all you do!!
https://www.averiecooks.com/faq Item #4 gives you links to do this yourself. In addition to cooking, recipe testing, photographing, answering questions, running my website and all that’s involved, running my personal life and my child’s life, I don’t have time but if you do – go for it and enjoy the links!
I haven’t had this dish in years! (Probably because I moved to England from Hawaii for university…) Anyway! Your version looks so fresh and tasty that I’m definitely making it for dinner this week! ?
Hi Averie- just following up my previous comment to say the boyfriend and I made this tonight and it was delicious! We halved the recipe and followed it to a tee – albeit with tofu instead of chicken – and it came out just like the photos! …Which are gorgeous by the way ;) This dish is going to be on repeat for sure!
Oh I am so glad you made this so soon after I posted it and that it came out great with tofu, too! Glad it will be on repeat and thanks for the compliments on my photos!
Cashew chicken is one of my favorite Chinese dishes but I find that many places go heavy on the canned water chestnuts, baby corn and bamboo shoots and skimp on the fresh veggies. Yours is gorgeous and colorful. No need to go out or order in with a recipe this quick!
Funny that you say that about those veggies (canned water chestnuts, baby corn, and bamboo shoots) because those are the veggies they always used to use in my childhood recollection of this dish! I definitely love the fresh veggies more!