This easy Cashew Chicken recipe is a lightened up version of the restaurant favorite—and it’s ready in just 20 minutes! With juicy chicken, crisp veggies, and the best sweet and savory sauce, it’s going to be a HIT.

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A dynamite stir fry that has weeknight dinner wrapped.

Today’s recipe is my adaptation of the Thai Cashew Chicken that Ben and I had at nearly every restaurant north of Bangkok when we visited many years ago.
If you’ve had cashew chicken at take-out restaurants, you’ll be familiar with the rich, savory flavors of the sauce and the warm crunch of the cashews. This particular cashew chicken recipe, however, is much lighter and healthier than what you’ll find in a restaurant.
I packed my version with veggies, sweetened the sauce naturally with honey, then served it over whole-grain brown rice. Honestly, I didn’t miss the extra oil and sugar one bit, and I don’t think you will either.
Stir-fries are a faithful companion on busy weeknights (so is Pineapple Chicken). Start to finish, this simple cashew chicken stir-fry is ready in 20 minutes flat, even fewer if your veggies and chicken are already prepped!
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Chicken Breasts. Boneless skinless breasts are a weeknight hero. If you prefer, you can swap in chicken thighs.
- Vegetables. Red bell peppers, broccoli, and green onions.
- Cashews. The star of the show! The belle of the ball! Use dry roasted and unsalted cashews.
- Stir-Fry Sauce. Soy sauce brings the umami and savory, while rice vinegar and honey balances it with sweetness. Ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes bring the ZIP and ZING.
How to Make Cashew Chicken




Prepare. Toss the chicken with the cornstarch, salt, and pepper and heat the oil in a wok or skillet set over medium-high.
Cook the Chicken. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and cook until it’s lightly browned.
Add the Veggies and Cashews. Stir in the bell pepper, broccoli, and green onions. Once the vegetables are tender-crisp, stir in the cashews and cook for 30 additional seconds.
Whisk Together the Sauce. While the chicken and vegetables cook, combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Adjust the amount of honey and red pepper flakes as needed.
Finish. Pour the sauce into the skillet and toss to coat. Serve the cashew chicken with rice and ENJOY!

What to Serve With Cashew Chicken
Need some inspiration that goes beyond white rice? Here are some ideas:
- Whole Grains. Brown rice is my favorite (especially Instant Pot Brown Rice), but cooked quinoa will pack some extra protein into your meal.
- Asian-Inspired Salads. Like this Asian Cucumber Salad.
- More Thai Dishes. For the takeout experience at home! This Shrimp Pad Thai is a favorite.
More Chicken Stir Fry Recipes
Cashew Chicken
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Ingredients
For the Cashew Chicken:
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or substitute arrowroot powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
- 3 medium red bell peppers seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large head of broccoli cut into florets (about 4 cups)
- 1 bunch green onions about 6 medium, thinly sliced
- ⅔ cup dry roasted unsalted cashews
- Cooked brown rice or quinoa for serving
For the Sauce:
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey plus additional to taste
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes plus additional to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, toss the chicken pieces with the cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high. Once the oil is hot and shiny, add the chicken mixture and sauté for 4 minutes, just until lightly browned. Add the bell pepper, broccoli, and green onions. Continue sautéing until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 additional minutes. Stir in the cashews and cook for 30 additional seconds.
- While the chicken and vegetables are cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, ginger, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Taste and add additional honey and/or red pepper flakes as desired (I added an additional ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes). Pour the sauce over the skillet and toss to coat. Enjoy immediately with brown rice.
Notes
- TO STORE: Store leftover cashew chicken in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm gently in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat.
- TO FREEZE: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or freezer bag. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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This sounds both wonderfully tasty and simple. I’m curious if you think that unseasoned rice vinegar would work for this – unless I were going to be making this constantly, there would otherwise be no point in my buying the seasoned stuff, because I don’t have any other use for it.
Hi Susan, I think it will be just fine to use unseasoned rice vinegar. If you think the sauce needs a little extra something after you taste it, try adding a little more soy sauce. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hey girl- this looks amazing! Yummy!
Thank you so much, Shawnna! :)
Oh YUM. Anything Thai-related is the key to my heart. Adding this to my weeknight meal ideas!
I hope you love the recipe if you have a chance to try it out! Thanks, Marina!
Authentic or not, this looks too good to pass up! We have a really similar cashew chicken stir fry in our weeknight repertoire, pinning this one to try next time we make it!
SO JEALOUS of your Thailand adventure, my husband and I are dying to get to Asia and Thailand is tops on our list! In the meantime, I guess I’ll make us this chicken ;) xo
I loved seeing pictures and reading about your trip! It looks like a wonderful experience!
I love the fresh, tasty look of this dish and wish I had a plate of it in front of me right now! xo
I am so jealous of every part of your trip, especially the food!! To make it up to myself (hah!), I made this dish for dinner tonight and oh my goodness – so good! I especially loved the way the chicken turned out. Plus cashews mhmm. It was the perfect weeknight meal for us – quick to prep, full of veggies, and made plenty of leftovers!
Hi Melissa! YAY! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. I really appreciate your taking the time to report back and leave this nice review. It means a lot!
Delicious! My husband and I very much enjoyed this! We did add 1 jalapeño (no seeds) to amp up the heat and it was great! Thanks Erin!
Hi Katie! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! The jalapeño sounds like a delicious addition. Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to leave this kind review!
Will try it with peanuts. I’m allergic to cashews.
Great idea! Let us know how it turns out! :)
Made this tonight and it was a big hit. I used unseasoned rice vinegar and it had plenty of flavor. This will definitely be come part of our weeknight repertoire. Thanks!!
Thank you so much, Diane! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for reporting back about the unseasoned rice vinegar and for leaving this kind review!
I made this last night. My husband made the sauce while I cooked. We only had regular Rice vinegar on hand so we used it. It was so flavorful, easy, fast and beautiful! So glad I found your website. It made about 8 servings, so it was economical, too.
Hi Randi! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much for leaving this wonderful review! I’m happy you’re here!
Hi there I made this DELICIOUS recipie of yours last night my 30 year old executive son loved it he had 2 huge helpings I SERVED IT WITH BASMATI CILANTRO AND GREEN PEA RICE , what a keeper! I will be making it forever thankyou so much ! diana from toronto canada
Hi Diana, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! That rice sounds like a delicious accompaniment to the dish. Thank you so much for giving it a try and reporting back!
I made this tonight and it was wonderful! I served it with Sriracha sauce to turn up the heat for those who wanted it. Thanks for a great recipe – I love when I stumble across a recipe with tons of flavor and veggies!
I’m so happy to hear this, Diane! Sriracha is definitely a good choice for spicing up as desired. Thanks so much for sharing your feedback!
Yum – thank you for the great recipe! And for the fun story to go with it.
You’re welcome, Kelly! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for leaving this nice review!
Made this recipe last week and it was great! When I brought the leftovers to work everyone assumed it was from a local Chinese restaurant and was surprised to learn I made it at home. Very tasty and not too hard to make.
Awesome, Sarah! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! I really appreciate your taking the time to leave this great feedback!
Would this work with dried ginger? How much would you substitute for the fresh?
Hi Kate, you can play around with ground ginger, but the flavor is flatter and less vibrant than fresh, so I recommend fresh if at all possible! If you do really want to use ground, dried spices are generally substituted at one-third the amount of fresh called for in the recipe. Just be aware though that the final flavor will differ if you use ground.
Hello from New Zealand! I’m a Chicagoan living down under and I’m so happy I stumbled onto your site! I love it! I’ve made a few of your recipes and this is my favourite so far- so so so tasty.
Hi Milena! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe! Thank you so much for your kind words about my site—I really appreciate it! :)
This was delicious! I used apple cider vinegar in place of the rice vinegar and it turned out well. I also used 3 chicken breasts (instead of 2) and the proportion of meat to veggies was perfect. Omitted the red pepper flakes since not many here like spice. Will definitely be adding this to our regular menu rotation. Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, thank you so much for sharing this wonderful feedback and your tweaks! I’m glad to hear the recipe was a winner!
I made this several weeks ago and it is a keeper! I’m making it again tonight but I’m adding carrots, mushrooms, and water crescents to it! Serving over brown rice!
I’m glad you like the recipe, Kay! Those additions sound delicious. I really appreciate your taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
This is incredible! I used peanuts instead of cashews only because peanuts are cheaper. We love Chinese food but it started to make me feel gross and uncomfortable after eating so we tried this recipe to make Chinese at home for the first time. We are eating it again tonight, second time in two weeks. Thank you, Erin!
Hooray, Katherine! I’m so happy to hear you love this recipe, and I really appreciate your taking the time to report back!
How do you think this would go frozen? Or hpw long would it last in ther fridge? :) Very keen to try it!!
Hi Carleigh, I’ve never tried freezing it, but generally stir-fries freeze pretty well, so I’d say it’s worth a shot! The leftovers should be good in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I hope you love the recipe!
I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!! I made this for dinner last week and it was a HUGE hit!! Everyone loved it. I used coconut oil instead of canola and added sugar snap peas & slivered carrots (along with the peppers, broccoli and green onion). I will definitely make this again soon!
Woohoo Jaimie! I’m so glad the recipe is a winner for you. Thanks so much for leaving this great feedback and sharing your tweaks!
Where’s the fish sauce? I thought that was mandatory in Thai stir fry’s? Anyways looks great, love Thai cashew chicken!
It’s not in this particular recipe, but you could certainly add a little splash if you’d like! I’d love to know what you think if you give it a try.
Hello from Nova Scotia. We really enjoyed this recipe.. I used a local raw wildflower honey infused with chillies plus the red pepper flakes . It had a nice kick to it . Thanks
That infused honey sounds delicious, Catharine! Thanks for taking the time to leave this review, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the dish!
Hi Erin, I made this recipe tonight and it was great, except was I supposed to thicken the sauce first? It says to pour it in and serve immediately, but it’s super runny, so I cooked it for a while longer until it FINALLY started thickening up, but by that time, my veggies were wilted-tender, not crisp-tender. Thank god my chicken wasn’t dry; luckily I brined it first. Am I doing something wrong? I followed the recipe exactly. Thanks!
Camille, the sauce in this recipe is a bit thinner. If you’d like to thicken it, next time you could try removing the veggies and chicken with a slotted spoon, then reducing just the sauce on the stove with a cornstarch slurry (2 T cornstarch mixed with 2 T water). I’m sorry it wasn’t as thick as you were expecting, but I’m glad you liked the flavor!
Made this tonight … absolutely wonderful. Best stir-fry recipe I’ve made (or had!) Rave comments from all present. The sauce puts all bottled sauces to shame with its bright fresh flavors, and the whole meal beats any cashew chicken from your favorite take-out by a mile. Easy to prep. Simple to make. Ready in a few minutes. Perfect. I started with a 12 inch skillet, but after putting everything in, I was out of room and dumped all into my All Clad Essentials Pan to finish it. I’ll post a couple of pix on Instagram. Thanks, Erin!
Dean, I am SO happy to hear this was a hit, thank you for reporting back, leaving this review, and sharing on Insta too!!
This was fantastic! I made it with a bunch of different veggies and everyone ate it up!
My husband and I have had one of your recipes for dinner for 5 out of the last 6 nights! All have been well loved and that includes this one! So flavorful and healthy! Love that I can trust your flavors! Keep up the delicious work! xoxo
Hooray! I’m glad to hear you loved them, Rachel. Thanks for taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
I made this for dinner tonight, it was a hit! Very tasty mix of ingredients and yummy sauce.
Yay, Elizabeth! So happy to hear how much you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking time to leave this lovely review!
Hubby and I would get cashew chicken from our local thai place on a Friday, always lovely and fresh it was our fave! I found your recipe and decided to give it a go myself, absolutely delicious and very easy! Hubby said we don’t need to go back to the local Thai now this is his favourite, plus he is happy he gets more chicken than it being bulked out with carrots ?
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it, Carla! Thanks for taking the time to leave this wonderful review.
I just made this and it turned out pretty good! The only thing that my family and I personally didn’t like was the amount of ginger.. way too overpowering! Next time I think I will just use a teaspoon
Julia, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. It sounds like you know exactly what to tweak next time for your taste!
We just had this for dinner. Oh my word! It was amazing and so tasty. Can’t wait to try another one of your recipes. Thanks
Thank you for taking the time to share this, Montanna! I’m so happy this recipe was a hit!
I pinned this delicious-sounding recipe. Will be making it soon! Thanks for your recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing, Peggy! I hope you love the recipe!
I’m getting into healthier eating, and made this for our summer dinner in NZ tonight, and it’s an absolute hit!
Next time I’ll use the biggest pan I can find – it was a squeeze in my usual skillet, but worth it for all the fabulous flavors and textures. We tried red quinoa with it, and it worked a treat. It felt more luxurious and satisfying than takeout, and much easier on our budget, too. I know it can keep in the fridge and would freeze well, but my teens aren’t going to let it last that long….!
Thank you so much, Erin!!
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Natalie! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
Every time I even THINK about this recipe I crave cashew chicken. This is my favourite takeout food dupe, and I love to make it when I’m dying for Thai food so I don’t go all out with curries, rice and cashew chicken. It is so much healthier than takeout but it totally hits the spot. Excuse me, I need to go buy some cashews now.
Now, I’M craving it too, Julia! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
We found this to be delicious and easy to prepare. It has found a place in our regular rotation! Thanks so much for sharing it!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Chris! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Made this for a (very) picky eater and he really enjoyed it. I did add oyster sauce which was called for in other recipes but that was my only adjustment. I liked all of the veggies in this version. So tasty and easy!!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Great recipe, I chose it primairly because it was the only one I could find that did not use any fish or oyster sauces or anyother seafood/seafood sauce as my boyfriend dosn’t like seafood and I wanted to make something both of us would enjoy. It was a hit, and we have added it to our rotation. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Shy! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I made this last night, adapting it slightly to our favorite take out place. Used your recipe as a guide and it was delicious. I omitted the broccoli and added carrots, mushrooms and pineapple. Oh I also used a rotisserie chicken because I had it on hand Next time I will double the sauce, because we love how the rice soaks it up. Thank you for another great recipe!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Courtney! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This recipe was a huge hit with my family (even the picky ones)! The spices and honey caramelized the Asian veggies to perfection. Can’t wait to make this dish again.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Stephanie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I had a little chicken left over after my daughter did her meal prepping for the week, so I looked for something easy to do with it. OMG! I used sesame oil instead of canola and next time I’ll use a little less rice vinegar. I was hoping to have leftovers, but my husband had other ideas. I think this will be on our menu every week. Thank you!!!
Hi Sharon! So glad you enjoyed the chicken! Thank you for this kind review!
By far the best cashew recipe I’ve ever made – or eaten! It was super easy and we loved the delicious, fresh flavors! My husband requested that I work this into the weekly dinner rotation!
Hi Adora! So glad you enjoyed the chicken! Thank you for this kind review!
Hello, can I sub coconut aminos for the soy sauce and honey?
Hi Debbi! I’ve only tested the recipe as written. If you decide to experiment with coconut aminos, let me know how it goes!
I love this recipe! And they do serve it in Thailand:) I am talking about 30 years ago…..it was one of my husbands favorite dish!
Hi Barbara! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Awesome. Thanks a lot .
Hope you enjoy it Carla!
Doubled the veggies to clear out the bits and bobs from the fridge, so ended up doubling the sauce too. Great way to batch prep for the week!
Great to hear, thank you Sabina!
This was so delicious! I cooked my chicken with just olive oil, salt and pepper and added edamame to the veggies and it turned out amazing!
Glad you enjoyed it, Brigid!
Excellent! My husband and I loved it! I had all the ingredients, except I substituted green pepper for red, but it was good regardless. I served it on Thai rice noodles. Will definitely make this again!
Great to hear, thank you Margaret!
Delicious! 2nd time I’ve made it. The sauce is sooooooo good!
So happy to hear, thank you Julie!
Made this many times and enjoy it every time. I usually buy the broccoli crowns and I use three of them. So it’s probably a little more broccoli than the one head.
Great to hear, Conni! Thank you!
Made this for dinner this evening. I’ve cooked and love Chinese dishes for many years and this is seriously one of the best I’ve ever made. I doubled the sauce as I love lots of sauce and so glad I have leftovers for tomorrow. Thank you for another great recipe.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Nancy! Thank you!
This was a solid dish that didn’t take too long to make. I liked that it used simple ingredients I already had at home. The sauce wasn’t overly sweet, which I appreciated, and the cashews added a nice texture. I might use a bit more soy sauce next time to enhance the flavor, but overall it’s a good recipe.
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Shiela! Thank you!
This cashew chicken recipe was a nice change from the usual meals I make during the week. The sauce had a light but flavorful taste, and I liked that it wasn’t too salty or overpowering. I served it with some jasmine rice, and it felt like a takeout meal but fresher and healthier. It’s a good recipe to have on hand for when you’re short on time. Thanks so much!
This recipe was easy to make and delicious. The perfect amount of spice. My husband loves stir frys and is very particular. He said it was the best one I have made in a long time. He added, “make sure you save the recipe”. We highly recommend making this.
Yay! So glad to hear, Kim! Thank you!