Weeknight Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
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If you love Chinese food but don’t want to wait for delivery from your local Chinese restaurant, this Cashew Chicken Stir Fry recipe is for you!
The combination of fresh vegetables, crunchy cashews, and tender chicken makes this dish a complete meal all in one pan.
For even more Asian-inspired recipes to add to your rotation, check out my Crock Pot Teriyaki Steak Bites, Healthy Orange Chicken, and Thai Peanut Noodles with Shrimp!
Table Talk with Tawnie
Soooo is anyone else totally over spending too much $ on DoorDash to just be disappointed yet again? You know what I mean?! There is nothing worse then a meal that doesn’t hit right and this weeknight cashew chicken is far better than takeout, very easy to make (hello weeknight wonder!) and the whole family enjoys is. I love that it’s loaded with veggies and pretty forgiving on what you can add so you can use up what you have in your veggie drawer. 30 minute weeknight win, love that for us!
- Chicken breast: I use 1 lb. of chicken breasts (about 2 breasts) for this recipe, but feel free to add more or less depending on how much protein you like in your meals!
- Soy sauce: A pantry staple ingredient that most all of us have that is a delicious addition to this sauce and chicken marinade. I love using a combination of dark soy sauce and light soy sauce in the sauce, but if you just have one, that works fine!
- Oyster Sauce: Adds a rich, savory, umami depth and slight sweetness that balances beautifully with the soy sauce and honey. It gives the sauce that glossy, restaurant-style finish and incredible flavor.
- Chinese Cooking Wine (Shaoxing): The Shaoxing wine adds subtle depth and authentic restaurant-style flavor to the sauce. If you don’t have it, you can substitute dry sherry or just leave it out (the sauce will still be delish without it!).
- Cashews: Cashews make this stir fry stand out from all other Chinese chicken stir fry recipes! Slightly toasting the cashews brings out that nutty flavor and adds an even crunchier texture to this dish.
- Veggies: I added carrots, red bell pepper, edamame, and snow peas. Feel free to also add sugar snap peas, broccoli, water chestnuts, baby corn, mushrooms, and yellow bell pepper.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Marinate the chicken
Combine the chicken with the marinade ingredients and toss until evenly coated. Let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
Make the sauce
Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Cook the chicken and vegetables
Cook the chicken in a single layer. Then transfer to a plate and cook the stir-fry vegetables in the skillet. Add the sauce and bring to a gentle simmer.
Combine everything
Add the chicken and cashews back. Add the cashews. Stir to combine. Then add the cornstarch and let it simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and vegetables.
Serve and enjoy!
Serve with steamed rice and garnish with green onions. ENJOY!!
Expert Tips/Variations
- Chicken thighs: Although this recipe calls for chicken breast, feel free to use boneless chicken thighs if you have them on hand.
- Toast cashews ahead of time: Toasting the cashews gives them even more flavor! You can toast the cashews in advance and keep them in a baggie or container to save time while cooking.
- Gluten-free: Need to make this recipe gluten-free? You can replace the soy sauce with coconut or liquid aminos.
- Chicken marinade: To keep this recipe quick and easy, I’ve found that you only need about 15 minutes to marinate the chicken (I let it sit while I prep everything else). However, if you have time, marinating the chicken for at least an hour, or even overnight, adds more in-depth flavor to this recipe.
- Get creative! This recipe is customizable! Carrots, edamame, and snow peas are what I like in my stir fry, but you can use what you have in your fridge. Play around with adding in different vegetables like broccoli, green beans, mushroom, and bell peppers.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: When you’re cooking the chicken, try to cook the chicken in a single layer (you may need to do two batches) so that it gets nice and crispy on each side! If the pan is overcrowded, the chicken won’t cook evenly.
Pro Tip!
You can double the sauce so you have extra sauce for leftovers!
Storage / Freezing
- Store: This cashew chicken stir fry can be kept in the refrigerator for approximately 3 days, but it’s best eaten the same day! The crunchy vegetables and cashews will become softer in the microwave after reheating, and the textures won’t be as great as the same day you make this dish.
- Reheat: You can reheat stir fry in the microwave if it’s the most convenient, but the vegetables and cashews will lose their crunchy texture. I recommend heating on the stove over medium-high heat until all the chicken and vegetables are heated through. Make sure to stir often so that it doesn’t burn!
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Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts ((about 2), cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp. fine salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
Sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp. dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- Pinch of white pepper
Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp. water
Stir Fry
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews (lightly toasted if needed)
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)
- 1 cup snow peas
- You can use more or less veggies depending on preference. Feel free to add in or swap water chestnuts, zucchini, mushrooms or broccoli for some of the other veggies!
- 1-2 Tbsp. neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, or canola)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a medium bowl, combine chicken, cornstarch, salt, pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, and Shaoxing wine. Toss until evenly coated. Let sit while you prepare the remaining ingredients (about 10-15 minutes).1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1/8 tsp. fine salt, 1/8 tsp. black pepper, 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, 2 Tbsp. sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
- Make the sauce: In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients (except the cornstarch slurry). Set aside. In a small, separate bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water to make the slurry. Set aside.1/2 cup chicken broth, 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, 1 Tbsp. honey, 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce, 1 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp. dark soy sauce, 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger, 1 tsp. minced garlic, Pinch of white pepper
- Cook the chicken: Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer. Work in batches if needed. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer chicken (and any juices) to a plate.1-2 Tbsp. neutral oil
- Stir fry the vegetables: Add remaining oil to the skillet if needed. Add carrots, bell pepper, snow peas, and edamame. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender.1 cup julienned carrots, 1 cup shelled edamame, 1 red bell pepper, 1 cup snow peas, You can use more or less veggies depending on preference. Feel free to add in or swap water chestnuts, zucchini, mushrooms or broccoli for some of the other veggies!
- Add the sauce: Stir the sauce mixture again and pour into the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Finish the dish: Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the cashews. Stir to combine. Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir and pour it into the skillet. Simmer 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and vegetables.2 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1/2 cup roasted cashews, 2 Tbsp. water
- Serve: Remove from heat and serve immediately over steamed rice and garnish with green onions.
Notes
- If you have time to marinate the chicken overnight, I recommend doing so to help develop the flavors in the chicken.
- You can toast the cashews in advance and keep them in a baggie or container.
- This recipe was updated in February 2026! I made a few adjustments to the sauce ingredients and really think it helps to make this dish even better! This post was also updated with new photos.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photography by Angelica Oles
This was a quick dinner recipe with amazing flavors and texture! We added a little sriracha on top for spice!
oooo yum, love sriracha on top! Thank you! 🙂
I love recipes that are heavy on the veggies and loaded with flavor. This one definitely fits the bill. Can’t wait to try!
Super easy and so delicious! This is one of my favorite recipes for chicken breast…thanks 🙂
Easy dinner for the win! This is going to be on repeat!!
I love stir-fries and the fact that this has cashews in it makes me love it even more! It is a great family dish.
Hi Romina – thank you so much! The cashews add a nice finishing touch, hope you love it! Thank you!!
I am a big fan of Chinese food. I can eat this every day! Yum!
Thank you so so much Rika!