A saucy chicken stir fry with cashews, this is a terrific combination of flavours. You’ll love how saucy this is, and how you can adapt this to your taste by using vegetables of choice. Try this with Hot and Sour Soup or Chinese Corn Soup with a side of Fried Rice for a homemade takeout experience!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Cashew Chicken
This is takeout made at home that truly stacks up to your favourite Chinese restaurant. No false promises here! Just read some of the glowing reviews from the many people who have tried this. 😇
You’ll have it on the table faster than ordering home delivery, it’s healthier (way less greasy!) and it’s versatile so you can add or switch the vegetables as you please. So much easier to just adapt this yourself rather than trying to explain what you want over the phone to your Chinese takeout place…… right?? 😉
The secret ingredient is Chinese Cooking Wine
Chinese Cooking Wine, also known as Shaoxing wine or Shaosing wine, is the secret ingredient that makes homemade Chinese food truly taste as good as take out.
It’s an alcoholic wine used for Chinese and other Asian cooking. Totally unpleasant to drink, salty, cheap as chips from Asian stores (~ $1.50 for a big bottle), lasts forever and you can read more about it here (if you’re so inclined).
While you’d never drink it straight, when used cooking, it completely transforms. It seasons the sauce, gives it depth of flavour and complexity, that “something something” to make it just like Chinese restaurants.
Substitutions for Shaoxing Wine
The best substitute is Mirin, or dry sherry – these produce virtually the same result. If you can’t consume alcohol, the best alternative is to substitute low sodium chicken broth for the water in the sauce.
Ingredients in Cashew Chicken
I promised quick and easy, and I exaggerate not! There’s not that many ingredients in the sauce (see photo above) nor in the stir fry itself (see below).
I like to use chicken thigh for stir fries because it’s juicier than breast and tenderloin. If I make this with chicken breast, I always tenderise it using a Chinese restaurant technique using baking soda (bi-carb). It’s super simple, see directions here: How to Velvet Chicken.
I make Cashew Chicken with green capsicum (bell peppers) and onion because they are the most common vegetables I’ve seen in Cashew Chicken. But feel free to add other vegetables into this. I’ve also seen it with red capsicum, celery, Asian Greens, broccoli, carrots and scallions/shallots.
Making Cashew Chicken
Cashew Chicken is very straight forward to make and also very forgiving (especially if you use chicken thigh).
Mix the Sauce, use a bit to marinate the chicken just for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the vegetables, have a glass of wine, browse through the Asian Takeout recipe collection and think about all the other things you want to try one of these days…😊
When you’re ready to cook, have everything ready to go because it takes less than 5 minutes! Sauté garlic and onion (1 min), cook chicken and capsicum (3 min), add sauce, simmer 1 minute until thickens, serve over rice.
As with all my stir fries, this Cashew Chicken comes with plenty of sauce. There’s nothing sadder than when you’re left with a bowl of plain white rice with no sauce to eat it with. Right??!
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
PS For a healthy low carb option try Cauliflower Rice – 77% fewer calories and 87% less carbs than rice!
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Chinese Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour
- 3 tbsp soy sauce , all purpose or light (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or Mirin (Note 2)
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- Dash of white pepper (sub black)
Stir Fry
- 500g / 1 lb chicken thigh , skinless boneless, cut into 2.5cm/1″ pieces (Note 3)
- 2 tbsp peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 onion , chopped into 1.75 cm / 3/4″ pieces(yellow, brown or white)
- 1 green capsicum / bell pepper , chopped into 2 cm / 0.8″ pieces
- 6 tbsp water
- 3/4 cup roasted cashews , unsalted
Instructions
- Sauce: Mix cornflour and soy sauce until there’s no lumps. Then add remaining Sauce ingredients and mix.
- Marinate: Transfer 2 tbsp Sauce to chicken, mix to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes+.
- Cook: Heat oil over high heat in a wok or heavy based skillet. Add the garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute.
- Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Add capsicum and cook for 1 minute.
- Add Sauce and water. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until Sauce thickens.
- Stir through cashews, remove from stove. Serve immediately with rice – or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published October 2015. Updated post with new photos, better video and most importantly, Life of Dozer section added! No change to recipe.
More Chinese takeout favourites
- Chow Mein
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Pork
- Crispy Honey Chicken
- Beef & Broccoli
- Chop Suey (Chicken Stir Fry)
- Spring Rolls
- Prawn (Shrimp) Stir Fry
- Chinese BBQ Pork (Char Siu)
- See ALL Chinese Takeout recipes
Life of Dozer
Wow, it’s true. You really can make anyone look intelligent with glasses. 🤓
What are some suitable options in substitution of oyster sauce if you don’t have it?
Delicious! I will definitely be making this again on a regular basis! I used chicken cutlets (velveting method), cut in small pieces The next time I will try chicken thighs (faster–no need to do velveting) and use low sodium soy sauce (or use less) since ours was a tad salty. I will also double the recipe since I need enough to feed five people. Finally, I will make more sauce the next time since some of us like it a little more saucy! As a side note…half of my family loves peppers and onions, while the other half doesn’t. So I cooked the onion and peppers separately in another pan and added it to the dish of those who ate it.
I made this last night. It was late and I was tired, but I realized that my chicken’s sell-by date was two days earlier, so I thought I’d best cook it up. It was very fast and easy to put together, and so delicious. Great recipe! I look forward to adding other vegetables to it in future iterations.
Dozer really does look smart in those glasses.
He thinks he is brilliant… hmmmm! N x
Family loved it! Followed recipe exactly. Used chicken breasts and followed directions for velveting. ( was a tad salty, I will reduce the soy/oyster sauce, or use low sodium next time). Thank you for posting.
Delicious, easy meal. I used breast and used the baking soda technique to tenderise it which I’ve never done before and the chicken was soo moist. Meal was loved by all including my 2 year old! Going into our rotation for sure!!
Had this the other night, with some Mongolian Lamb my Mum brought over, and boiled rice.
Easier and tastier than take away, we were all really impressed.
My son and his girlfriend had it all for dinner the next night and they loved it too
cheers
Absolutely amazing! So so delicious
Delicious! Throws together faster than going to pick up takeout!
Made this recipes so many times and it’s a firm family favourite.
Wondering if you think there’s enough sauce to add noodles to the dish? 🤔
Thanks Nagi!
You can always double the sauce (or do 1.5 x the sauce) and add noodles! N x
I accidentally forgot the oyster sauce and it was still delicious. Devoured by our 10 year old!
Thanks! Lovely, easy and flexible meal.
The recipe says 1. Mix cornflour and soy sauce,, I suspect it should read ‘cornstarch. I’ll be making it tonight. Thanks
Hi John! We call it cornflour in Australia and its called cornstarch in North America! N x
Beautiful BUT a little salty.
I made double the sauce (good idea) i would use one less tablespoon of soy.
And a teaspoon of honey to balance the salt.
But definitely as good as my Chinese restaurants
Family’s favourite! Thanks for the recipe. Delicious and simple
You are welcome! N x
I made this tonight it was nice, my very picky daughter even said it was a winner. Only addition, I wilted some baby spinach leaves at the same time I stirred through the cashews, I like extra veg.
Sounds delicious! N x
So easy and quick to make! Not too many ingredients either which I love. Delicious!
Nice! This turned out pretty good ☺️ definitely making it again.
I made this recipe yesterday. It is extremely simple and the directions are great. Are used chicken tenderloins in the “velveting“ chicken process that is mentioned in this recipe made a huge difference. I couldn’t believe how tender the chicken stayed. It really does have an authentic Chinese takeout flavor to the dish. I served it over some steamed white rice and it was perfect.
Got hubby involved in making this easy and tasty recipe and he says its a keeper…. only adjustment for next time would be reduce the soy sauce as i think ours is a bit saltier (i think its the brand of my soy sauce im using)
Amazing, my husband commented that it was as good as a restaurant. I used the chicken tenderising method and the chicken was perfect!
Can this recipe be doubled
100% Paula! N x
Thank you so much for this recipe, kids are demolishing their plates 😋
There is a scale on the recipe you can use to alter the recipe to cater for the amount of people you need to feed. I love it as I have to cook for 10 ppl