This Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry is a quick, healthy weeknight dinner ready in about 30 minutes. Tender chicken, crisp vegetables, toasted cashews and a savory-slightly-sweet sauce combine into a protein-packed, flavorful meal that rivals takeout. It’s ideal for busy evenings, meal prep, or any time you want an easy homemade Asian-inspired dish.
Why You’ll Love This Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
This Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry balances health and comfort with bold flavor. Lean chicken, colorful vegetables and roasted cashews are tossed in a savory sauce that has a pleasant touch of sweetness. Made from simple, whole ingredients and ready fast, it’s an excellent option for weeknights or prepping ahead.
High-Protein Focused
This recipe emphasizes protein by using lean organic chicken breast. The chicken is lightly coated in arrowroot starch before cooking for a slightly crisp, breaded texture—great for a gluten-free option while keeping the dish satisfying and substantial.
Packed with Veggies
This stir-fry is loaded with vegetables: broccolini, red bell pepper, sugar snap peas and red onion, all flavored with minced garlic. Bright, colorful and nutrient-dense, the mix keeps the dish fresh and satisfying while adding texture and visual appeal.
Flavorful Sauce + Vitamin-Rich Cashews
The sauce blends coconut aminos, minced ginger, white wine vinegar, sesame oil and a touch of honey for balance. It complements the vegetables and chicken without overpowering them. Toasted cashews add crunch, healthy fats, and minerals like magnesium, rounding out the dish nutritionally and texturally.
This stir-fry is flexible — serve it over rice, rice noodles, or cauliflower rice, or enjoy it on its own as a protein-forward bowl.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Stir-Fry:
- Coconut oil (or avocado oil/EVOO)
- Organic chicken breasts
- Arrowroot starch (or tapioca/cassava flour, cornstarch)
- Minced garlic
- Onion
- Red bell pepper
- Broccolini
- Sugar snap peas
- Raw cashews
- Sea salt and ground pepper
Sauce:
- Coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
- Sesame oil
- White wine vinegar
- Minced ginger
- Water
- Sea salt
- Honey
Toppings:
- Sesame seeds
- Chopped green onion
How to Make Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry (Step-by-Step)
1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread cashews on a baking sheet and toast for 10–12 minutes, until golden; set aside. While they toast, wash and chop the vegetables, mince the garlic, and trim and cube the chicken. Toss the chicken with sea salt, pepper and arrowroot starch.
2) Heat about 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook several minutes without moving to develop color, then flip and cook another 4–5 minutes until golden and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a bowl.
3) Add remaining coconut oil to the skillet, add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the vegetables and cook 7–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the toasted cashews.
4) Whisk sauce ingredients (except honey) in a small bowl. Pour the sauce into the skillet, stir to coat, then drizzle the honey over the top and stir again. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer 4–5 minutes to meld flavors.
5) Serve topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onion. For a milder green onion flavor, add green onions to the skillet earlier.
Substitutions
Swap coconut oil for avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil. Replace chicken with sliced beef, ground beef, ground chicken or turkey—cook and set aside the same way. If you don’t have arrowroot, try tapioca, cassava flour or cornstarch (adjust amounts as needed). Use soy sauce instead of coconut aminos if you prefer. Peanuts can replace cashews or be omitted for nut allergies. Use any stir-fry vegetables you like.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you roast cashews for a stir-fry?
Place cashews on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes until golden, or toast them in a skillet over medium heat for 4–6 minutes, stirring frequently. Toasting intensifies the flavor and aroma—don’t skip it.
What does cashew chicken taste like?
Cashew chicken features savory, slightly sweet sauce notes with tender chicken, crisp vegetables and buttery toasted cashews. Traditional versions use soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar and ginger; this recipe uses coconut aminos and white wine vinegar for a gluten-free and lower-sodium twist.
What should I serve with cashew chicken stir-fry?
Serve it over jasmine or brown rice, rice noodles, or cauliflower rice for a lower-carb option. It also works well with steamed greens or on its own as a protein-packed main.
Looking for more high-protein, healthy and delicious meals? Try these:
Beef Fried Rice
Crockpot Pot Roast
Crispy Hot Honey Chicken Caesar Salad
Thai Basil Beef Lettuce Wraps
Watch the reel I made of this recipe 🙂
Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
Ingredients
Stir-Fry
- 2–3 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 organic chicken breasts, trimmed and cubed
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed and chopped
- 1.5 cups sugar snap peas
- 3/4 cup raw cashews
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus pepper to taste
Sauce
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp honey
Toppings
- Sesame seeds
- Chopped green onion
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast cashews on a baking sheet for 10–12 minutes until golden; set aside. Meanwhile, prep vegetables and chicken; toss chicken with sea salt, pepper and arrowroot starch.
- Heat about 1 tbsp coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden, about 8–10 minutes total. Transfer chicken to a bowl.
- Add remaining oil to the skillet, sauté garlic 1 minute, then add vegetables and cook 7–10 minutes until crisp-tender. Return chicken and add toasted cashews.
- Whisk sauce ingredients (except honey) and pour into the skillet. Stir to combine, drizzle honey over top, then cover and simmer on medium-low 4–5 minutes.
- Serve with sesame seeds and chopped green onion.