Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

Packed with ginger, garlic, toasted sesame oil and roasted cashews, this bright and fresh Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry comes together in just minutes!

Garnishing cashew chicken stir-fry.

Stir-fries are healthy, versatile, and quick-cooking which is why we eat them at least one or two nights a week. In the summer months when produce is abundant, nothing is easier or more delicious than sautéing your protein of choice with whatever vegetables are in season or on sale. My Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry is an easy go to recipe for adults and kids alike. Serve over brown rice or with iceberg lettuce cups to keep it low carb. Whatever you do, don’t forget the chopsticks. Dinner is always more fun with chopsticks!

Ingredients

For the sauce: Soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and toasted sesame oil.

For the stir-fry: Chicken breasts, cornstarch, salt and pepper, cashews, minced ginger and garlic, onion, red and yellow bell pepper, and scallions.

How to Make Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

Chopping cashews

Start your cashew chicken stir-fry by chopping your cashews and roasting them in the oven at 350 for about 8-10 minutes.

Tossing chicken with corn starch

Then in a large bowl, add your cubed chicken and sprinkle it with your cornstarch.

Adding cooking wine to chicken

If you have some, also drizzle in some Chinese cooking wine.

Seasoning chicken with salt

Finish with some salt and pepper, then toss to make sure chicken is all evenly coated.

Cooking chicken in a wok

Then in a large wok or skillet, cook your chicken over medium-high heat until fully cooked and slightly golden. Remove and set aside.

Adding onions to wok

Then in the same pan, add your sliced onion as well as grated ginger. If you’re a fan of spice, add some chili paste as well.

Grating garlic into wok

Use a microplane to freshly grate your garlic into the mix. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

Adding peppers to wok

Next add your sliced yellow and red bell pepper and cook for an additional couple minutes until softened.

Adding chicken back to stir fry

Add the chicken back into to the wok.

Adding sesame oil to wok

Then add in your ingredients to make the sauce, pouring in the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Serving stir fry over rice

When finished and well mixed, serve over rice.

Garnishing stir fry

Top with your roasted cashews and freshly chopped scallions (or green onions).

Cashew chicken stir-fry.

Serve and enjoy your Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry!

Easy Substitutions

  • Swap the protein. Try it with beef or pork, or if you want to keep it vegan and vegetarian, just use tofu!
  • Change out the vegetables. If you don’t have peppers on hand, use broccoli, green beans, or any other veggie you have in the fridge.
  • Use different nuts. If you don’t have cashews, you could use peanuts also.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do cashews need to be roasted?

Technically all cashews that you buy from the store have been roasted at least once, so you can eat them “raw” so to speak, or roast them yourselves for boosted flavor!

Can you put cashews in a stir-fry?

While I roast my cashews in the oven and add them to my stir-fry after taking it off of the stove, you can also add the cashews to the stir-fry while it’s still cooking!

How do you store leftover stir-fry?

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Cashew chicken stir-fry.

More Asian Inspired Dishes

Eat It, Like it, Share it!

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Liz eating cashew chicken stir-fry.

I’m a fan of chopsticks, but however you decide to eat it, you’ll love this quick and easy Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry.

Your fork is waiting.

Cashew chicken stir fry 2

Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

5 stars average
Packed with ginger, sesame and toasted cashews, this bright and flavorful Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry comes together in just minutes!
PREP: 10 minutes
COOK: 20 minutes
TOTAL: 30 minutes
Pin
Servings: 4

Ingredients
 

  • 16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts (cubed)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine – optional (Shaohsing rice wine)
  • 1 ounce cashews
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  • 1 clove garlic – minced
  • 1 teaspoon chili garlic paste (optional)
  • 1 small onion (diced)
  • 1 red pepper (seeded and diced)
  • 1 yellow pepper (seeded and diced)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low sodium)
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • ¼ cup scallions (garnish)

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and place cashews on a baking sheet in an even layer. Roast until golden brown and toasted, 8-10 minutes; set aside.
  • Place cubed chicken in a medium bowl and toss well with corn starch, salt, pepper and Chinese cooking wine; let sit 10 minutes.
  • Pre-heat large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add chicken to the pan and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently, 7-9 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
  • In the same pan over medium-high heat, add ginger, garlic and chili paste and sauté until flavors release, about 30 seconds, being not to burn the garlic.
  • Add onion and peppers to the pan and sauté until tender, 6-7 minutes. Return chicken to the pan along with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and sesame oil and stir-fry 2-3 additional minutes.
  • Garnish with scallions and toasted cashews to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 228kcalCarbohydrates: 16.9gProtein: 26.1gFat: 7.6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6.6gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 533mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5.4g

32 thoughts on “Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry”

  1. When I don’t know what to make for dinner OR if I have an abundance of fresh produce, I find myself making stir fries a lot. Can’t wait to try this with chicken and cashews!

  2. This looks incredible! What a delicious and healthy stir-fry! I really love the flavours you used – nothing beats ginger and garlic. This sounds so heavenly, especially with the cashews for added texture!!

  3. Dear Liz, this looks wonderful! I’m always stocked up for Asian stir-fries and dishes. A wonderful meal to try during the week. xo, Catherine

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