This Cashew Chicken Recipe comes together in just 15–20 minutes! Toss leftover chicken with red peppers, roasted cashews, and a bold, savory sauce—no frying needed.
author’s note
Crunchy Cashews, Saucy Chicken, Zero Fuss!
Lately I’ve seen so many people on social media asking for quick and easy meal ideas. So I made it a goal to create some simple, flavorful recipes that come together in under 30 minutes with just a few ingredients. I started testing dishes like Thai Chicken Pinwheels and Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. These recipes are fun, satisfying, and don’t take much time, which is exactly what most of us need on busy nights.
This Cashew Chicken is one of my favorites. It comes together in just 15 to 20 minutes, looks impressive, and tastes even better. It feels takeout-worthy but is easy enough to throw together any night of the week.
What’s In This Cashew Chicken Recipe?
- Chicken: Use rotisserie or grilled chicken, no need to reheat first.
- Red Pepper: Thinly slice mini red peppers or use 1 large bell pepper.
- Cashews: Use dry-roasted cashews. Not a fan? Add to individual plates.
- Sesame Oil: I use toasted sesame oil. Find it in the Asian food section.
- Garlic & Ginger: For a shortcut, use a paste, jarred, or frozen cubes.
- Rice: Grab Ready Rice® to keep things quick or make this white rice.
- Cashew Chicken Sauce: A sweet, savory sauce that brings it all together.
How To Make Cashew Chicken Recipe (Tips)
- Make the cashew chicken sauce first. the dish comes together fast.
- Cut the chicken into 1-inch chunks. Shredded chicken can get stringy.
- No frying or baking. just sauté everything in a skillet for quick prep.
- Garnish. While the garnishes are optional, they add a fresh finishing touch.
Quick Tip
Restir the sauce just before adding it to the skillet; it separates as it sits!
Storage
- Store leftover cashew chicken recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally.
More Tasty Chicken Recipes:
Dinner
Chicken Stir Fry
Dinner
Chicken Chow Mein Recipe
Lunch
Asian Chicken Wraps
Dinner
Teriyaki Chicken Salad
Cashew Chicken
Video
Equipment
- Large pan nonstick
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1-1/2 teaspoons Sriracha
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger see note 1
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil divided
- 1-1/4 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper see note 2
- 3 cups chopped cooked chicken see note 3
- 1/2 cup halved roasted cashew
- Toppings as desired see note 4
Instructions
- Make Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk cornstarch and vinegar until smooth. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Stir until smooth and set aside for now. Stir the sauce again right before adding to pan.
- Cube chicken into 1-inch pieces. Thinly slice bell peppers.
- Heat 2/3 tablespoon sesame oil in a large nonstick pan. Once hot, add the thinly sliced pepper and sauté for 3–5 minutes until crisp-tender. Add cubed chicken and cashew halves, scraping in all the sauce. Cook gently for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and everything is warmed through. Remove from heat and drizzle the remaining 1/3 tablespoon sesame oil over the dish.
- Serve right off the stovetop over cooked rice and garnish with thinly sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this last night, using Costco rotisserie chicken, cubed up per your instructions. The sauce makes it! Excellent recipe! I used frozen ginger and fresh garlic instead of paste. Added asparagus and stir fried with the peppers. Started off by toasting cashews and adding them with sesame seeds at end so they would stay crunchy.
Delish! So thrilled this was a hit! Thanks Marie!
Chelsea, this looks wonderful! Can’t wait to try it, thanks!
I can’t wait to hear what you think! Thanks Kris! 🙂