No need to call for takeout. This 20-minute easy cashew chicken recipe is quick, colourful, and healthy. Most importantly, it’s delicious every time!
One of my favourite dishes to order from a Chinese takeaway has always been something along the lines of this chicken cashew stir-fry.
Asian restaurants are generally very good here in Australia. But I love that I can make a pretty good effort at my own version of this delicious meal in under half an hour!
Why this is better than takeout (or at least as good!)
- I don’t claim that this is a completely authentic chicken and cashew nut recipe. But hey, so what? It’s delicious, colourful and healthy. And did I mention it’s on the table in just 20 minutes? Less time than you could order a takeout, right?
- This recipe contains generous amounts of all the major components – chicken, peppers, onions, crunchy cashew nuts, and of course the yummy sauce.
- Speaking of the sauce, it contains a ‘secret ingredient’. Well, not so secret really, but it takes the dish from good to delicious.
- Another simple trick gives you super tender and tasty chicken. Just marinate the chicken in a little corn starch / corn flour and rice wine vinegar while you’re preparing all the other ingredients.
Preparing the ingredients
There are 4 simple components to this stir-fry: chicken, vegetables, sauce, and of course the all-important cashew nuts. When making any stir-fry, I always prepare everything first. You can even do this earlier in the day to get ahead.
chicken: You can use either chicken breast or thigh. I like to chop the chicken into small bite-sized pieces. While you’re preparing everything else. pop the bits of chicken into a bowl and stir through a teaspoon of corn flour / corn starch and a teaspoon of rice wine vinegar.
vegetables: Crush or slice some ginger and garlic. Chop up a whole onion into chunks. Then slice 2 peppers (I like 1 red and 1 green) into bite-sized chunks. Finally, slice a few spring onions / salad onions, ready to stir through at the end.
sauce: I keep the sauce for my cashew chicken simple but with a good balance of flavours. You’ll need oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, salt and water. Plus… can you guess what the ‘magic’ ingredient is? It’s Chinese 5 spice! I call it ‘magic’ because to me it’s what gives your cashew chicken its distinctive (and very delicious) Chinese flavour.
cashew nuts: Stir them through at the end so that they get coated in the sauce but stay crisp and delicious.
Bringing your stir-fry together
Step 1: Stir-fry the chicken until just cooked through. Remove from the pan.
Step 2: Stir-fry the rest of the veggies.
Step 3: Add the chicken back into the pan. Pour over the sauce and let cook for a few more minutes.
Step 4: Briefly toss through the spring onions / salad onions and cashew nuts.
Step 5: Serve immediately. I prefer rice, but noodles would be delicious too.
Once you’ve added the sauce and tossed everything together, your kitchen will even smell like you’ve just brought takeout home!
How to serve it
This chicken and cashew nut stir-fry is best served immediately. I prefer to serve it in bowls over rice but noodles go really well too.
Somehow I also think it tastes better eaten with chopsticks, but no judgement if you prefer a knife and fork!
Variations
I love making this recipe with the crunchy, colourful peppers. You can however very easily make it with different vegetables.
All of these possibilities would work well:
- snow peas / mange-tout
- zucchini / courgette
- broccoli (chopped into small pieces and stir-fried until tender)
- thin rounds or batons of carrot
- asparagus, chopped into short lengths
Got leftovers?
Leftovers will keep really well in the fridge in a sealed container for a few days. You can even freeze them if you like for another week.
If you think you’re going to have leftovers, however, it’s best to anticipate this. Here’s why: cashew nuts don’t reheat very well. They tend to lose their crisp.
To get around this, take the food you don’t think you’ll eat out of the pan BEFORE adding the nuts. Then just add half of the amount of cashew nuts stated in the recipe to the food you’re about to eat.
This way you can reheat the leftovers and THEN stir through more crunchy cashew nuts!
Cashew allergy in the house? I think this recipe would also work well using peanuts instead of cashews!
More easy Asian meals
- 15 minute Thai basil pork stir fry (delicious!)
- 30-minute chicken pineapple stir-fry (another better-than-takeout Chinese classic!)
- Perfect Thai chicken and butternut squash curry (On the table in 40 minutes and makes a TON. We ALWAYS have some of this in our freezer!)
- Sticky and delicious 15 minute Shanghai chicken
- Perfect Mee Goreng (spicy Indonesian noodles)
- Or take a look at all my Asian recipes!
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20-minute chicken and cashew nuts with peppers
Equipment (affiliate links)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
For the stir-fry
- 2 chicken breasts or 4 thighs, cut into smallish pieces
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (UK/Australia = cornflour)
- 1 teaspoon rice wine or rice wine vinegar (I just use whichever I have)
- 2 peppers (US bell peppers, Australia capsicum) preferably one green & one red, chopped into big(ish) pieces
- 2 garlic cloves crushed or sliced thinly
- 5 cm-long piece of fresh ginger peeled and sliced into small pieces
- 1 large onion chopped into chunky pieces
- 4 spring onions/scallions finely chopped (optional)
- ½ cup cashew nuts roasted unsalted are best
For the sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1½ teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice wine or rice wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
- 1 teaspoon sugar brown or white are both fine, or use honey if you prefer
- 6 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- ‘Marinate’ the chicken in a bowl with the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of rice wine/rice wine vinegar while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Prepare the sauce by whisking together all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, then set aside.
- Heat up a wok or heavy-based wide pan with about a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Then stir fry the chicken pieces for a few minutes until they are just cooked. Take the chicken out of the pan, put it onto a plate and set aside.
- Add a little more oil to the pan and stir fry the peppers, garlic, ginger and onion together for a few minutes on a high heat.
- Add the chicken back into the pan along with the sauce and cook for a few more minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is cooked through.
- At the last minute, add in the cashew nuts and spring onions/scallions. Give everything a final quick stir. Serve immediately with rice or noodles.
[email protected] Olives & Garlic says
I would love to visit China some day. As much as I love Chinese food, I rarely eat it out. I do however cook it a lot at home. This looks delicious Helen. Pinned!
Helen says
I love to cook Asian dishes, but I always go for ‘safe and easy’ dishes like this one. I was amazed how tasty this was though for something so simple. So glad you like it (and yes, you must visit China some day!)
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says
It sounds like you’ve had many great experiences in different parts of the world, especially when it comes to food! This dish looks great – fresh and probably a lot healthier than take out. Pinned. Thanks for sharing, Helen. Hope you have a great week!
Helen says
I absolutely love travelling, Julie. I’ve only done trips here and there, though – I’d love to do a proper round-the-world thing, but not sure I’ll get that chance any time soon! So glad you like the dish. I actually made this again tonight and it was just as good – it’s so tasty for relatively little effort. Hope you have a great week, too!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
This sounds like one perfect dinner to me! Need to try this asap!
Helen says
Thanks, Pamela! I’m sure you have plenty of lovely peppers hanging out in your garden to make this with!
Mariana @The Candid Kitchen says
This dish takes me back to childhood memories, it was my dad’s favourite dish, he used to cook it for us all the time, with loads of dark soy sauce!!!
Helen says
Ooh, really?! That’s wonderful … so happy to have transported you back to happy memories. 🙂
Pam says
It sounds like China was fun to visit. This dish looks WAY better than takeout. YUM.
Helen says
Thank you so much, Pam … it really was a lot better. Cooking it again tonight! Mmmm …
cheri says
Hi Helen, once again a great story, you should write a book. Anyway love Chinese five spice, there is no other ingredient like this one. Great recipe today I often check out Bee’s site as her recipes are wonderful. Happy Monday!
Helen says
What a compliment! I think I’ll still to blogging for the moment, though. 😉
Bee’s site is great, isn’t it? I always pop over there when I’m in the mood for an Asian meal.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
China sounds amazing. I would love to visit one day.
I always think that homemade chinese food tastes better than the stuff that we can order from round here. Loving the sound of this dish too.
Helen says
Oh, do visit China some day! I’d love to go back and have a little more time to explore. So glad you like the dish! 🙂
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
This looks like my kind of meal- fresh, packed with veggies, and CASHEWS! Yum! And yak-milk? Ew…bet it tasted as good as it sounds!
Helen says
Glad you like it, Denise! It’s my current favourite meal! And yes, don’t ever try that yak milk, unless you like drinking melted butter!
Shashi @ runninsrilankan says
I would so love my kitchen to smell like a Chinese takeaway – Helen, this sounds wonderful! That sauce sounds incredible – I don’t have any go to Chinese recipes – but maybe if I adopt yours that might change?!! 🙂
Helen says
Ooh, well I really hope you do like this enough for it to become your go-to Chinese meal, Shashi! The sauce was indeed lovely … not too heavy and very tasty!
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
I always love reading about your travels Helen! You’ve been to so many places. You inspire me to travel the world more. Just as soon as I win the lottery, *wink*.
This cashew chicken sounds so yummy! Love all the bright and pretty colors.
Helen says
Sending you over a lottery ticket, Natalie! Wouldn’t that be wonderful – to travel the world on someone else’s money1!
So glad you like the dish … it was very yummy indeed (making it again tonight!)
marcie says
I’d much rather eat homemade take-out…does that even make sense? 🙂 I know I would like this meal better than most Chinese takeout — it’s probably by least favorite thing to get because most of the time it’s like you said…underwhelming. This meal looks delicious and full of flavor, Helen! Can I place an order? 🙂
Helen says
Haha … one dish of number 34 coming up … in about a handy two weeks!! Luckily it’s super easy to make for yourself, Marcie! 🙂
Davida @ The Healthy Maven says
This looks fabulous and far better than any take-out I could get around here!
Helen says
Thanks so much for saying so, Davida! (and for popping by!) 🙂
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
Oh, I just love this easy, healthy version of a takeaway classic! And I so enjoyed the story of your trip to China! My brother and his wife lived in Hong Kong for a couple of years, and my husband and I traveled with them to Beijing about 15 years ago, back before it had been somewhat de-smogged and glamourized for the Olympics. We had some incredible eating adventures through back alleys and very-non-modernized little neighborhoods – so many delicious experiments! So glad to have this recipe to try … and reminisce about the flavors of China! Can’t wait to pin! 😀
Helen says
Thanks so much, Shelley! So happy that you like this and that it took you back to your own travels … I read a wonderful book way back about the seedy back-alleys of Hong Kong many many years ago (I think it’s all been cleaned up now) but I bet there was some wonderful food to be found there among all the awfulness. 🙂
lori @ TheHealthMinded.com says
There is nothing like a pan of colorful peppers in a black skillet! The contrast in your photo is so lovely. This is a great recipe to showcase all the fresh peppers at the farmers’ markets around with summer here in the US.
I bet the 5 spice is a great addition. WIll try it this week! Thanks!
Helen says
So happy that you’re going to try this, Lori … that is my very favourite thing to read! I really hope you like it. I just love that’s it’s so easy but also healthy and tasty, too. Win win, really! (plus .. cashews … mmmm)
Karla says
Helen I love when you write about places you´ve been before. Traveling is such an incredible thing!
This dish is so colorful and seems delicious. I need to go to my asia shop and get some of these lovely chinese sauces =D
Helen says
Thank you so much, Karla! You’re so right about travelling … I wish I could travel all the time … just not so sure about the flying part! 😉
So happy you like the dish. Fortunately, there aren’t too many odd ingredients in there so I hope you manage to find them all!
Laura @ Raise Your Garden says
I just love all the peppers in this stir-fry Helen, oh, the color is popping!! And cashews in stir-frys are absolutely necessary. But you nailed it, they get so soggy the next day so get sprinkled on top. I can actually make a pretty mean stir-fry although I don’t overall love cooking. And the name, better than takeaway, love it. China sounds amazing, is there anywhere you haven’t been! Stop by and see us in Niagara Falls sometime, we’ll give you the grand tour!!!
Helen says
Ooh, what an offer, Laura! Thank you and I might just take you up on it some day!
So happy that you like the stir-way. My husband is usually stir fry king, but I think I managed to impress even him with this one! 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Your experience in China sounds amazing, Helen! I’m sure you learned so much about the culture. And the food sounds delicious, too. I bet this chicken stir-fry rivals what you’ve eaten in China! The sauce sounds amazing. I’ve only made a few stir-fries before, so this is going on my list to try out!
Helen says
Oh, please do try it out, Gayle. It’s so so easy and tasty and makes a huge big pan, too. Let me know if you do try it … 🙂
Eva says
J’aime beaucoup cette recette Helen, avec mon mari on adore aller au restaurants chinois. Tu as de la chance d’avoir découverte cette culture du prés 😉
Helen says
Merci, Eva! J’aimerais bien retourner au Chine un jour! 🙂
Joanne says
I would love to go to China and try totally authentic cuisine…although it’s good to know the stuff we’re getting here is not SO different! Love this stir fry!
Helen says
I think I probably only just scratched the surface, Joanne … but of course that’s just a great excuse to go back there again! Glad you like the stir fry! 🙂
Consuelo - Honey & Figs says
Oh wow Helen – this does look better than takeaway indeed! I love the sound of that gorgeous sauce, and the cashews are a brilliant healthy addition. What a perfect dinner!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Consuelo (blush). I loved that it was healthy, quick and tasty! 🙂