Chicken Cashew Stir Fry

This easy chicken cashew stir fry is the perfect midweek dinner! Tender pieces of chicken are stir-fried with colourful veggies and crunchy cashews; all tossed through an irresistible savoury sauce. It’s healthy, delicious and takes only 20 minutes to make! Slow cooker method included.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick and easy – ready in just 20 minutes, including prep time.
• Healthy – a great option when you need dinner in a hurry, but still want a healthy and flavour-packed meal. It is loaded with vegetables, protein-rich chicken and heart-healthy fats from the cashews.
• Takeaway at home – skip the restaurant and make this easy at-home version. Perfect for pairing with prawn fried rice, prawn gyoza, vegetable spring rolls or chicken and corn soup.
• Meal prep – everything can be prepped ahead of time for an even faster dinner.
• Customisable – use any fresh or frozen stir fry vegetables that you have on hand.
• Stovetop or slow cooker methods – it can be prepared on the stovetop or in a slow cooker/crockpot if you prefer to have dinner waiting for you when you get home. Methods for both are included below.

Ingredients you will need

** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. This photo is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!

• Chicken – boneless thigh fillets are recommended, as they are richer in flavour and will remain juicier and more tender than chicken breast when stir-fried. Chicken breast can be used, but be careful not to overcook it.
• Chinese wine (Shaoxing) is a type of Chinese rice wine used for cooking. It is a key ingredient in many Asian dishes and will help to create the authentic flavour that you may find difficult to replicate at home. It can be substituted for mirin or dry sherry.
• Onion, garlic and ginger – the flavour base of the stir fry. Use fresh garlic and ginger where possible.
• Cornflour – the chicken is coated in a mixture of cornflour (corn starch), salt and pepper which helps the sauce to thicken and also cling to the chicken pieces.
• Oyster sauce – the base of the sauce, oyster sauce adds an umami/salty flavour to the stir fry.
• Hoisin sauce – a thick, fragrant sauce that is dark in appearance and has a sweet-salty flavour. Hoisin sauce is commonly used in Asian cuisines, dipping sauces, glazes for meat and stir-frying. You can find it in the international foods section of supermarkets, as well as Asian grocers.
• Light soy sauce – use light soy sauce or regular soy sauce, not dark soy.
• Rice wine vinegar – also called rice vinegar, rice wine vinegar is made by fermenting sugars in rice into alcohol and then into acid. It is commonly used in Asian cuisines, in salad dressings and marinades. Compared to regular white vinegar, rice vinegar is less acidic and has a milder and sweeter flavour. Rice wine vinegar can be found in supermarkets and Asian grocers. Substitute for apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
• Oil – for stir-frying. Use a mild, neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point for best results. I recommend canola, vegetable or peanut oil.
• Sugar – a teaspoon of sugar is added to balance the salty notes of the sauce and add a little sweetness. You can also use honey or rice malt syrup.
• Chilli flakes – for a little heat. Adding chilli is completely optional.
• Cashews – cashew nuts add crunch and a nutty flavour. Use natural/raw or roasted cashews. Just make sure they are un-salted.
• Vegetables – use 1-2 cups of any of your favourite stir-fry vegetables. Capsicum, broccoli, baby corn, bok choy, mushrooms, snow peas, carrots, onions, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots or a mix of frozen stir fry veggies.

Step by step guide

Full recipe quantities and instructions can be found in the detailed recipe card below.

** Tip: Everything comes together quickly. So, make sure that all of the ingredients are prepared and ready to go before you start cooking.

1. Make the sauce – place all of the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
2. Coat the chicken – toss the chicken pieces in the cornflour, salt and pepper mixture and stir until thoroughly coated.
3. Fry the onion, garlic and ginger with some oil in a hot wok or frying pan, until fragrant.
4. Brown the chicken – add the chicken pieces and cook until browned and mostly cooked through.
5. Add the veggies – add the remaining vegetables and stir fry until tender.
6. Add the sauce – stir fry for a further 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
7. Stir through the cashews and serve with your choice of sides.

Alternatively, this recipe can be made in a slow cooker. Slow cooker instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Expert tips

• Meal prep – the sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. The veggies can be pre-chopped and stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days, ready to add to the hot wok.
• As with all stir-fries, everything comes together very quickly. So be sure to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking.
• Cut the vegetables finely, so that they cook through quickly in the hot pan.
• Cut the chicken into even-sized pieces, to ensure they cook through at the same time. And don’t overcook the chicken or it will be rubbery instead of tender.
• Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
• A wok is recommended, as it is the most effective method to retain the high heat required for flash-frying. The thin bottom of the wok conducts heat very quickly, which makes it perfect for dishes that are made with seared meats and flash-fried veggies. However, a large non-stick frying pan can be used if you don’t have a wok.
• Use any of your favourite vegetables. Any fresh or frozen stir-fry veggies are perfect here. Use whatever you have in your fridge and freezer. Mixed frozen vegetables work great, or add some frozen broccoli, peas and green beans.

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Chicken Cashew Stir Fry

This easy chicken cashew stir fry is the perfect midweek dinner! Tender pieces of chicken are stir-fried with colourful veggies and crunchy cashews; all tossed through an irresistible savoury garlic and ginger sauce. It’s healthy, delicious and takes only 20 minutes to make! Slow cooker method included.

5 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: healthy, Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 5

Calories: 528kcal

Author: Andrea Geddes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

Metric – US Customary

 

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For the sauce

• ▢ 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoons light soy sauce light or regular soy, not dark
• ▢ 2 tablespoons Chinese wine (Shaoxing), available in most Asian stores and supermarkets. Or use mirin or dry sherry as a substitute
• ▢ ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• ▢ 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon sugar (or honey or rice malt syrup)
• ▢ ¼ cup chicken stock
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional), to taste.

For the stir fry

• ▢ 600 grams chicken thighs (1.3lb/3-4 fillets) boneless, chopped into bite-sized pieces.
• ▢ ¼ cup cornflour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper ground
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon white pepper ground
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons oil peanut oil, canola or vegetable
• ▢ 1 brown onion sliced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic crushed
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ginger fresh, very finely grated

Plus

• ▢ 1-2 cups mixed vegetables capsicum, broccoli, spring onion or any of your preferred stir fry vegetables.
• ▢ 1 cup cashews unsalted

To serve

• ▢ your choice of steamed rice, fried rice or your preferred sides

Instructions

Stovetop method

• Place all of the sauce ingredients into a small jug or bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
• Place the chicken pieces into a bowl and add the cornflour, salt and peppers. Stir until combined and completely covered.
• Heat the oil in a wok over high heat and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Stir until lightly browned and fragrant (1-2 minutes). Be careful not to burn the garlic.
• Add the chicken pieces. Stir until the chicken is browned and mostly cooked through.
• Add the chopped vegetables and stir fry for a further 2-3 minutes, until tender.
• Add the sauce and continue stirring for a further minute, or until the sauce thickens slightly.
• Add the cashews and stir until combined.
• Serve immediately over steamed rice or your choice of sides. Enjoy!

Slow cooker method

• Place all of the sauce ingredients into a jug and stir to combine. Set aside.
• Combine the cornflour, black pepper, white pepper and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Add the chicken and stir until the chicken is completely coated in the flour mixture.
• Heat oil in a pan over high heat and add chicken. Stir until the chicken is browned on all sides. If using a pressure cooker, this can be done on the sautee setting.
• Place the chicken in the slow cooker and cover with the sauce.
• Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Once finished, stir through chopped veggies and leave on heat for 20 minutes. They will cook through if sliced thinly enough. (You can add the veggies at the beginning, if required). Stir through the cashews before serving.
• Serve immediately over steamed rice, quinoa or homemade fried rice. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

1. Chicken – boneless thigh fillets are recommended, as they will remain juicier and more tender than chicken breast when stir-fried. Chicken breast can be used, but be careful not to overcook it.
2. Chinese wine (Shaoxing) is a type of Chinese rice wine used for cooking. It is a key ingredient in many Asian dishes and will help to create the authentic flavour that you may find difficult to replicate at home. It can be substituted for mirin or dry sherry.
3. Meal prep – the sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. The veggies can be pre-chopped and stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days, ready to add to the hot wok.
4. As with all stir-fries, everything comes together very quickly. So be sure to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking.
5. Cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces, to ensure they cook evenly. And don’t overcook the chicken or it will be rubbery instead of tender.
6. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.
7. A wok is recommended, as it is the most effective at retaining the high heat required for flash-frying. The thin bottom conducts heat very quickly, which makes it perfect for dishes that are made with seared meats and flash-fried veggies. However, a large non-stick frying pan can be used if you don’t have a wok.
8. Use any of your favourite vegetables. Any fresh or frozen stir-fry veggies are perfect here. Use whatever you have in your fridge and freezer. Mixed frozen vegetables work great, or add some frozen broccoli, peas and green beans.
9. Storage; Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Reheat it in a wok or frying pan until steaming hot all the way though. It can also be reheated in a microwave. Add a splash of stock to the stir fry, if it needs to loosen up a little.
10. Freezing; It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. To freeze, allow it to cool completely and place it in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or at room temperature for 2-3 hours.
11. Reheating; To safely re-heat chicken stir fry, it should be refrigerated immediately after it has been cooled, stored in an airtight container. When ready to eat, reheat the stir fry in a hot wok or frying pan until steaming hot. It can also be microwaved.
12. Please note that the nutrition information is based on the stir fry being divided into 5 bowls, with one bowl being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the stir fry.
13. This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Any reference to cups or spoons in this recipe is in Australian metric. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 528kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1044mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1960IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg

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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in February 2019, but was re-published with new information and photos in January 2023.