You won’t need to spend money on take-out anymore! The best Chinese Cashew Chicken made right at home, gluten-free, and soy-free! A healthier recipe you can make for dinner and have the best leftovers for lunch!
This is going to be recipe #1 of all my recreated take-out chicken dishes for Strength and Sunshine. Once I perfected the “mock-wok” cast iron skillet take-out chicken recipe, I went all out and whipped up every flavor! From this, the basic cashew chicken to sweet and sour, sesame, and so on. These Chinese chicken dishes are my family’s FAVORITES (even more than the slow cooker!) and no one cares that they’re all gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and egg-free (of course, some have nuts, but that’s okay!)
Cashew chicken was the first in my line of take-out chicken dishes that I made. Cashew chicken was always one of my favorites to order when my family would get Chinese food from our local take-out place. My mom was the one who introduced me to the dish (it’s her favorite) and I was quick to fall deeply in love. I think it was the first signs of my later developing cashew addiction! The best nut…by far.
The aromas of this chicken while it was cooking on the stove literally made me feel like I was opening up those Chinese take-out containers and was about to dig into the goods! It was one of those recipes that makes you almost cry with tears of joy after so many years of no allergy-approved version of your favorite foods! I was so excited to dig in and so excited for the family to come over for dinner and try it themselves!
I still don’t have a wok (next on the kitchen “appliance” list), but I did have the trusty IRON! This chicken was also my opportunity to hone my “stir-frying meat” skills. Y’all know I’m not one to use much oil in my cooking, but to properly stir-fry chicken…we need some oil. We also need to make sure it’s actually cooked through. Low-and-behold, like many cooking techniques I’ve been timid to try, it was so much easier than I’d anticipated! (Not to mention, super quick!)
I always kick myself after these silly fears get busted! Stir-frying chicken is one of my favorite ways to cook it now. Pair the easy and quick chicken with that classic Asian sauce that just makes this dish authentic…it is such a meal win! Now, it’s common knowledge that leftover Chinese food is DELICIOUS and I can tell you that the leftovers (if there are any) of this cashew chicken…o my…game-changer! Sometimes those leftovers are even better than the “first day”. I’m totally a leftovers girl, after those flavors have had time to really seep in (plus, I think the microwave reheating adds some sort of magic to any dish).
Chinese Cashew Chicken
- For the Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry:
- 1 lb Skinless Chicken Tenders (cubed)
- 2 TB Corn Starch (divided)
- 1 TB Canola Oil
- 1 Tsp Minced Garlic
- ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
- ½ Cup Roasted Cashews
- For the Sauce:
- ½ Cup Coconut Aminos
- 2 TB Rice Vinegar
- 1 TB Erythritol (or preferred granulated sweetener)
- 1 Tsp Sesame Oil
- ½ Tsp Pureed Ginger
- For the Veggies:
- 1 Cup Sliced Bell Peppers
- 1 Cup Sliced Snow Peas
- ⅓ Cup Chopped Celery
- ⅓ Cup Chopped Scallions
- In a bowl, toss together the cubed chicken, 1 tablespoon of corn starch, black pepper, and garlic.
- Heat the canola oil in a large skillet or wok and once hot, add the tossed chicken. Stir-fry in the skillet for 7-8 minutes over medium-high heat.
- In the meantime, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and prepare your veggies.
- After the chicken has cooked 7-8 minutes, add the sauce, the other 1 tablespoon of corn starch, veggies, and cashews to the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir-fry for another 5-8 minutes until the veggies soften and the chicken is thoroughly cooked through.
- Serve with white rice, and more chopped scallions and cashews, if desired.
Well look at that! A cast iron wok is totally a thing! That settles it. Next Amazon order and this wok is going to be added to the cart! I knew I was onto something! If you package this Chinese Cashew Chicken up into some take-out containers, I bet the lucky individuals you present this meal to will think you simply ordered from the local Chinese restaurant…I guarantee you 😉
So tell me:
+ What’s your favorite Chinese take-out CHICKEN dish?
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Rebecca, this is the most flavorful Chinese stir fry I have ever made…really delicious! I used arrowroot instead of cornstarch and it worked fine.
Thank you for sharing!
Awesome, glad you enjoyed!
Oh wow Rebecca, that’s my kind of dinner! Cashews are so so good for you too and the chicken looks mouth-watering.
All sorts of yum!
This looks absolutely delicious!
Thank you, Cat!
looks and sounds delicious and healthy thanks for sharing
Lol, thanks, Sue.
My family loves Asian cuisine! Glad to know it’s gluten free since my kids are allergic to gluten and I like this healthy version of cooking chicken – a real meal. Thanks for sharing, Rebecca!
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Hope you enjoy! (p.s. you can’t be “allergic” to the protein gluten).
Wow! This looks delicious and not very hard. I love recipes like this that I can do easily. I’m going to try this one.
Cooks up super fast!
That looks legit! I’m always going for the dish with cashews so I’ll definitely have to do this next time I crave Chinese food!
This will be a game-changer to make at home!
Chinese food is so yummy! I love making it at home, but it never seems to turn out quite right. This looks like it hits the nail on the head!
This recipe is a winner!
Looks delicious!
Thank you!
This not only looks and sounds so yummy, but it also looks like it has the perfect amount of sauce. Completely covered but not drowning, ya know? I feel like sometimes Asian dishes end up diving under an ocean of sauce. haha.
Hahahaha! That’s a great way to put it! The corn starch is the key!
I’m going to make this to mix up our weeknight meals a little. I know my family will love it. Thanks! Looks amazing!!
I know they will too 😉 Thank you!
This looks amazing! I’ll be making this!!
Woohoo! Glad to hear!
This looks really good. I love the fact that it’s gluten free. I have been looking for recipes like this.
I bet!
I love chicken and cashews so I need to try this!
Lauren
Seems like the dish for you, lol.
Cashew chicken is my mom’s favorite – gotta show her this! She’s gluten free too!
Just like my momma!
Looks so yummy! Good thing I just bought chicken today!
Woohoo! Dinner inspo!
One of my favorite dishes! I can’t wait to try it!
Woohoo! You’ll love it even more now 😉
So when you said you didn’t yet have a wok, but had “the trusty iron”, I immediately pictured a clothes iron. First thought: “I don’t judge her for that. Girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.” Then I clicked the link to check and discovered you meant iron skillet. 🤣
If you become a regular SS reader, you’ll know I call my cast iron THE iron!
This looks Yummy! It’s hard to find good recipes with really good instructions. You made it so simple! I pinned it on Pinterest to try it later!
Well thank you for thinking so!
This looks like Pei Wei! I need to try it.
Not sure what that is, but o-k!
I’m seriously so hopeless in the kitchen but this looks so good I could cry. Honestly, might have to pass this recipe off to my dad and see if he can make it for me the next time we do family dinner because it sounds so so good.
Hahaha, it’s not too hard! Give it a try; you’ll be surprised 😉
This is my go to dish when I eat out but I’ve never thought I could replicate it at home. Until now! Definitely going to try this. Thanks for sharing!
Yes you can!! (And it will be so much healthier!)
So this looks fabulous! I didn’t have a lot of chicken while in Finland and I miss it!
Time to whip some up then!
This looks so good! I love Chinese food!
Right? One of the best cuisines!
Thanks for this recipe. I love chinese food but don’t tend to make it myself. Will give this a try.
So much better to make it at home!
This looks really good and I’ve been gluten, dairy, and soy free since 2005. A must try!
Then you need some good Chinese food again!
This looks delicious! Pinning for later.
Thank you so much!
This looks so yummy! I recently discovered Coconut Aminos and love it.
A soy allergic life-savor!
My daughter is allergic so we rarely have anything with cashew in it but this makes me want to make and try this today itself ! haha ! I’m going to tell my friends so they can make it for us 😉 haha. Super yumm. My mouth is watering.
Thank you!