If you’re craving Chinese takeout flavors but want a lighter, better-for-you version, this cashew chicken and veggie stir fry is the perfect easy weeknight recipe.

This cashew chicken is on my rotation whenever I’m looking for a homey, comforting, asian flavored meal. It’s packed with vegetables like baby corn, broccoli, celery, and red pepper, and has a lightly garlic-y and savory sauce to pull everything together. 

Pair it with a hot bowl of steaming rice, and this is truly all you need for a well balanced and yummy dinner. 

Chef Tips:

• The cornstarch has a dual purpose of crisping up the chicken and creating a luxurious sauce. 
• I like to use a variety of vegetables here and steam them in the sauce to finish.
  • I am using celery, broccoli, red peppers, and baby corn, as these hold their structure well during steaming and cook relatively quickly. I only steam them for 3 minutes on medium high heat because I like my vegetables crisp tender, but you can taste a piece after 3 minutes and cook for a couple more minutes if you prefer.
  • The chicken will definitely be finished cooking at this point. Since we’re using chicken thighs, they could also cook for a few more minutes and still be juicy and delicious.
• If you’re making this for meal prep, leave the cashews out and add them right before you eat. Once they go into the sauce, they will turn soft if you don’t eat them immediately. 
• I call for chicken thighs in this recipe, but you could also use chicken breast or even shrimp. If you’re cooking this with shrimp, I recommend you brown the shrimp, then remove this from the pan before adding vegetables and sauce. Add the shrimp back in during the last 30 seconds, as this will prevent from overcooking the shrimp.

FAQ

Q: What are some side dishes that would go well with this?

A: White rice, multigrain rice, or my buttery garlic noodles would all be great sides to pair with this cashew chicken. Since it has protein, veggies, and sauce, anything grain or carb would be a great side dish! If you wanted to add a soup, my Chicken Cilantro Wontons in Hot and Sour Soup would be a great addition as well. 

Q: Can I make this ahead of time?

A: Yes – you can make this ahead of time, I would just leave the cashews on the side until just serving to keep them fresh and crunchy. Store the leftovers in an air-tight  tupperware container for up to 3 days. 

Q: How can I make this cashew chicken low fodmap?

A: You can replace the soy sauce with tamari, replace the honey with white sugar, and omit the garlic cloves to make this low fodmap.

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Prep all the vegetables – cut the red bell pepper, celery, broccoli, scallions, and garlic. 

2. Set aside the garlic in a small bowl for the sauce, the scallions in a separate bowl, and all the vegetables in a large bowl.

3. Chop the chicken thighs into 1” pieces and add this to a large mixing bowl. 

4. To the pieces of chicken, add 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix to combine, then set this aside.

5. Make the sauce by adding the remaining sauce ingredients to the same bowl as the minced garlic. Give everything a mix, then set aside. 

6. Heat a large pan on medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, then add the chicken. Spread into an even layer and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the bottom side is browned. Do not move too much to allow browning.

7. After the chicken is browned on one side, stir this around, then add the remaining vegetables. Give everything a toss, then add the sauce and cover. Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat. 

8. Remove the lid, add a pinch of salt, black pepper, the cashews, and half of the green onions. Give everything another mix, taste, adjust with more salt and pepper, plate, top with the remaining scallions, and serve.

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