Chinese
Cashew Chicken
Chicken is stir-fried with celery, garlic, and a light soy sauce, then folded with roasted cashews. It tastes savory and a little sweet, with a crisp nut against tender chicken.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Celery stays crisp if it only cooks a couple of minutes.
- A cornstarch slurry thickens the sauce without cream.
- Cashews are stirred in off the heat so they do not scorch.
- Cutting the chicken small makes the 165°F check easy to hit evenly.
Ingredients
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Instructions
- 1
Toss the chicken with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and the cornstarch.
- 2
Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing.
- 3
Cook the chicken until the thickest piece reaches 165°F, about 6 minutes. Move it to a plate.
- 4
Add the celery, garlic, and ginger to the skillet and cook 2 minutes.
- 5
Stir in the chicken broth, oyster sauce, remaining soy sauce, brown sugar, and black pepper. Simmer 1 minute, until the sauce thickens.
- 6
Return the chicken to the skillet, then turn off the heat and fold in the cashews and scallions.
Pro tips
- Slice the celery on a bias so it cooks evenly.
- If the sauce looks thin, simmer it 30 seconds longer before the chicken goes back in.
- Serve over rice so the extra sauce has somewhere to go.
Easy substitutions
- chicken thighs
- chicken breasts, still cooked to 165°F
- cashews
- roasted almonds
- oyster sauce
- extra soy sauce plus a pinch of sugar
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a covered skillet over medium heat until the chicken is hot, adding a spoon of water if the sauce is tight.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 406
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 16 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Moderate · Stovetop · Dairy-Free, High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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