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This Cashew Chicken tastes better than Chinese takeout, with the tender chicken, crunch from the toasted cashews, and the most delicious sauce! You’re going to love making this at home and it’ll be ready in less time than it takes to place a delivery order!
Watch the Cashew Chicken Recipe Video Below!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- chicken thigh – I like to use 1″ pieces of chicken thigh for Cashew Chicken. You want to cut them into similar sized pieces so the chicken can cook evenly.
- You can substitute with chicken breast if you prefer.
- light soy sauce – You will need “light” (not “low sodium”) or “all-purpose” soy sauce. Do NOT use dark soy sauce, as it is too intense for this recipe.
- dark soy sauce – Dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and sweeter (as well as has a higher sodium content) than all-purpose soy sauce. I don’t recommend using one as a substitute for the other.
- white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
- kosher salt
- Shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
- neutral oil, for frying – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. The flavor profile does not work with the flavors of Chinese cooking.
- cornstarch – Cornstarch is a key ingredient in Chinese cooking because it is used for velveting the meat. Velveting is a Chinese technique where protein is marinated in cornstarch and cooked quickly in hot oil, resulting in the meat becoming tender and silky. It’s one of my favorite ways to guarantee moist, tender protein!
- light soy sauce
- dark soy sauce – Dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and sweeter (as well as has a higher sodium content) than all-purpose soy sauce. I don’t recommend using one as a substitute for the other.
- hoisin sauce – Hoisin sauce has a sweet, salty, and slightly fishy flavor- it’s thick and smooth, similar to barbeque sauce in texture. If you don’t have it, you can substitute with oyster sauce.
- rice vinegar – If you don’t have rice vinegar on hand, you can substitute with apple cider vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar.
- sesame oil
- sugar
- white pepper
- MSG – I use MSG in moderation as a flavor enhancer; you can always skip it!
- chicken stock – If you don’t have chicken stock on hand, you can substitute with water. (You can also use beef or vegetable stock or broth.)
- ginger
- garlic
- cashews
- scallions
Cashew Chicken: Recipe Instructions
1. Marinate the Chicken and Prep Aromatics
Cut chicken thigh into 1″ pieces and place in a medium sized bowl.
To the raw chicken in the bowl, add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, kosher salt, shaoxing wine, neutral oil, and cornstarch. Set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
While the chicken marinates, prepare your aromatics (mince your ginger and garlic) and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the Cashew Chicken sauce and set aside.
Because this dish cooks so quickly, it’s important to have your ingredients prepped and ready to go so the cooking process goes smoothly!
2. Toast the Cashews
In a large pan or wok, heat 1 tbsp of neutral oil over medium heat and add your cashews. Cook for about 1 minute or until toasted and fragrant. We want the cashews to be slightly toasted and golden brown. Once they are golden brown, remove and set aside in a bowl.
PRO TIP
Toasting The Cashews
The cashews have a tender skin so be sure to keep the cashews moving to evenly toast them in the pan and avoid scorching them. Lower the heat if necessary.
3. Cook the Chicken
In the same pan or wok, heat 3 tbsp of neutral oil over high heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes, until cooked through. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
TIP – If you want to get the best color on your Cashew Chicken, you may need to cook the chicken in batches (depending on how large your pan or wok is). This is because if the oil is too cold due to overcrowding the pan, the chicken will not brown properly.
4. Fry Aromatics
In the residual oil, fry the minced garlic, ginger, and scallion whites for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Make sure the bowls with the cooked chicken and premixed sauce are ready by your pan or wok, because the cooking process for Cashew Chicken is going to go very quickly from here on out!
5. Finish Your Cashew Chicken!
In the same pan or wok as the fried aromatics, add back the cooked chicken and mix to combine. Once mixed, add the premixed sauce – continue stirring over high heat until the sauce has thickened (this should take about 1-2 minutes).
Finally, add the scallion whites and give it a final mix. Serve with rice and enjoy your Cashew Chicken!
PRO TIPS
Expert Tips for Restaurant Quality Cashew Chicken!
Prep Your Ingredients BEFORE Cooking
The key tip for any dish like Cashew Chicken, which cooks extremely fast once you start, is to have all of your ingredients prepped and portioned near your pan or wok BEFORE you begin cooking. Otherwise, if you take the time during cooking to prepare your next ingredient, you run the risk of overcooking or even burning your dish! Have your premixed sauce, garlic/ginger, scallions, chicken, and cashews in separate bowls so they are easily accessible during the cooking process.
Velveting – the Secret to Chinese Cooking
Velveting is a Chinese technique where protein is marinated in cornstarch and cooked quickly in hot oil, resulting in the meat becoming tender and silky. It’s one of my favorite ways to guarantee moist, tender protein! Do not skip the (minimum) 15 minutes of marinating the chicken, as this step will be key in making the best Cashew Chicken!
Toast Cashews Evenly
When toasting your cashews in the pan or wok, make sure to keep them moving – this helps each cashew’s surface area hit the pan or wok and get evenly toasted. This will ensure that you don’t have some raw cashews.
Cook Your Chicken in Batches
When cooking your chicken, you want to brown them for the best flavor and texture (especially since the chicken will have been. marinated for at least 15 minutes). Depending on the size of your pan or wok, you may need to cook your chicken in batches. If you overcrowd your pan or wok, the oil will not get hot enough to brown the chicken properly. You want to avoid this at all costs, as you want each bite to have taste great AND have great texture!
Storage and Reheating
You can store Cashew Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Because Cashew Chicken is not coated in a batter, you won’t have to worry about trying to restore the crispy texture of the dish – I recommend reheating this in the microwave or in a hot pan/wok for a couple minutes (add a little bit of water if you want to loosen up the chicken pieces that stuck together in the refrigerator).
What to Serve with Cashew Chicken
If you love American Chinese Take-Out, you have come to the right place – I absolutely love recreating BETTER versions of all of your favorite Chinese takeout dishes! Here’s how to have the perfect American Chinese Take-Out meal at home:
- You’re going to want to start with the crispiest Egg Rolls as your appetizer!
- Don’t forget about soup! Make Egg Drop Soup (or Chicken Corn Egg Drop Soup, if you want a heartier version) or Hot and Sour Soup.
- Pair your Cashew Chicken with Chicken Fried Rice (if you want shrimp instead, try Shrimp Fried Rice)and Shrimp Lo Mein (if you need a chicken option, try Chicken Lo Mein)!
- You need some vegetables, so make my super easy Garlic Bok Choy or Din Tai Fung Garlic Green Beans!
Other Dishes Like Cashew Chicken
Some American Chinese takeout dishes are battered and deep fried (like Orange Chicken) – Cashew Chicken is one of the ones that are not! If you want similar dishes that are not battered but instead covered in a savory sauce, try:
- a crowd favorite and one of my most popular recipes is Beef and Broccoli
- if you want a chicken dish with lots of veggies, make Chinese Chicken and Broccoli, String Bean Chicken, or Mushroom Chicken
- I love the Sichuan flavors in Kung Pao Chicken – another great choice for a weeknight dinner!
- my personal favorite is Black Pepper Chicken (if you’re feeling beef instead, make Black Pepper Beef)
Cooking with a Wok
By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food! Cooking in a wok will give your dish that signature “wok hei” or “breath of the wok”, which is a beautiful smoky flavor profile to your dish. The best part is, the wok will only get more seasoned with time, adding more flavor to your food!
If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.
If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.
If you tried this Cashew Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Cashew Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken thigh, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, I used avocado oil
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
Sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp msg, optional
- 1/2 cup chicken stock, high quality
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
Cashews + Aromatics
Instructions
- Cut chicken thigh into 1" pieces and marinate with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white pepper, kosher salt, shaoxing wine, neutral oil, and cornstarch for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together your sauce by combining light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, msg, chicken stock, and cornstarch.
- Chop your scallions, separating the whites from the greens, then mince garlic and ginger and set them aside along with your marinated chicken and sauce.
- In a large pan or wok, heat 1 tbsp of neutral oil over medium heat and add your cashews. Cook for about 1 minute or until toasted and fragrant. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
- In the same pan, heat 3 tbsp of neutral oil over high heat, then add your marinated chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
- In the same pan, heat 2 tbsp of oil over high heat. Add garlic, ginger, and scallion whites, and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add back the cooked chicken and mix to combine. Add the premixed sauce and continue stirring over high heat until the sauce has thickened (about 1-2 minutes).
- Once the sauce has thickened, add back your toasted cashews and scallion greens. Mix to combine and serve with freshly steamed white rice!
Notes
Storage and Reheating
You can store Cashew Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Because Cashew Chicken is not coated in a batter, you won’t have to worry about trying to restore the crispy texture of the dish – I recommend reheating this in the microwave or in a hot pan/wok for a couple minutes (add a little bit of water if you want to loosen up the chicken pieces that stuck together in the refrigerator).Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tasted great!
Mine was a bit sour but all I had was a bottle of Japanese rice vinegar of unknown pedigree and age. Any recommendation on a type/brand? I’m fortunate to live near several large Asian groceries so don’t hold back 😉
So flavorful and easy to make! Will be a staple in our mealtime rotation!
Yay!! So glad to hear!
I added celery for some crunch and nostalgia for takeout
Delicious! Great instructions and my hubs loved it. Will make again!
Thanks Melanie! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hi. Where did you purchase your work?
If you head to my “Kitchen Essentials” page, I have a wok guide there with the links to the woks I use!
Hi CJ!
This looks great. I would love to see the thai version of this if you were interested in making it!! Thanks for all your recipes!
JP
Great recipe, you may save me a fortune. Your chow mein dish is superb too. Using chicken thigh meat with this really does give it a take away feel.
Thanks so much for the kind words, William!
This was excellent!!! I can’t wait to try all your other recipes.
Thank you, Gia! I hope you enjoy them 🙂
I will use white meat next time. I just don’t care for the texture of thighs. This turned out delish. Thank you!
Hi Michele – thanks for trying the recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed!
Looks delicious and easy
Thanks, Linda! I hope you enjoy!