• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Recipes
    • Easy Dinners
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast and Brunch
    • Thai
    • Gluten-free
    • Vegetarian

Inquiring Chef

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Easy Dinners
  • About
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home > Recipes > Easy Dinners

    Sticky Cashew Chicken

    Published: Apr 19, 2021 · Modified: Mar 15, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links.

    sticky cashew chicken
    sticky cashew chicken
    sticky cashew chicken

    chicken and rice in a black bowl with chopsticks

    Better than takeout and faster too! A sweet, savory sauce coating tender chicken and crunchy cashews make Sticky Cashew Chicken a weeknight winner. 

    Happy Monday! It’s such a busy week over here. My sister-in-law is in town (Ellen!!) for Molly and Clara’s birthday festivities. They’re turning seven - how can it be!? There will certainly be lots of sugar consumed this week, but we’re also planning on Crispy Pork Carnitas, Spring Cobb Salads, and a few of these that I have tucked into the freezer. We’re also having the house painted this week which is so intimidating. Choosing a color you’ll be looking at for years is a lot of pressure.

    Hoping you are enjoying some spring sunshine wherever you are, and if you need something to make for dinner this week, I’ve got you. This Sticky Cashew Chicken is definitely a new household favorite. I put “sticky” right there in the title so that you know what you’re getting - a rich sauce that cooks down and completely coats tender bites of chicken. And those cashews? They’re toasted in the pan a bit too - it gives them so much flavor and crunch.

    toasting cashews in a wok

    Ingredients for Sticky Cashew Chicken

    • Honey, Low-Sodium Soy Sauce, Hoisin Sauce, Ketchup, Rice Vinegar - These ingredients come together to make a sweet, savory, sticky sauce. I test all of my recipes with Trader Joe’s Low-Sodium Soy Sauce, but if you’re using regular soy sauce just reduce the amount by about 1 Tablespoon so the sauce isn’t overly salty.  See below for more details!
    • Cooking Oil - I use avocado and grapeseed oil as my basic cooking oils. Vegetable oil is great too. I don’t recommend using olive oil since the olive flavor can come through here and doesn’t really work with the Asian flavors. 
    • Cashews - I usually start with raw cashews since they’ll get toasted in oil before cooking, but even roasted cashews benefit from some extra time in the pan - they’ll get warm and extra crunchy.
    • Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast - Chop this into bite-sized pieces. 
    • Cornstarch - This helps the chicken to get crisp and thickens the sauce. 

    adding sauce to chicken in a wok

    stirring chicken and sauce in a wok

    About that Sauce...

    The sauce for Sticky Cashew Chicken is packed with flavor, but it’s super simple too. Honey and Hoisin sauce for sweetness, soy sauce for savory flavor, ketchup and rice vinegar give it just the right amount of tart to balance things out. All of these ingredients are staples for Asian-inspired recipes, so if you don’t already have them, they’re worth grabbing - you’ll find so many different uses for them once they’re in the pantry / fridge.

    And then there’s my new favorite “secret” technique for adding sauce. This is a method I found when I was testing Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry (another great takeout fake-out recipe if you’re looking for one). It’s so simple. Just add the rich sauce in two parts - no need to measure it out, just estimate. Add the first half of the sauce with the chicken until it thickens up and completely coats those tender bites. Then add the second half of the sauce near the end of cooking and just let it simmer until warm, but not super thick.

    The result is “sticky” sauce coating the chicken and plenty of extra sauce leftover to spoon over rice. Try it on this recipe or on any of your favorite stir-fry recipes!

    eating chicken and rice with chopsticks

    Possible Variations

    • Make it Gluten-Free - This recipe is easily gluten-free! Use Tamari instead of soy sauce and be sure to grab gluten-free Hoisin sauce - Kikkoman makes a good version. 
    • Make it Vegetarian - Try this with cubed tofu. Be sure to press out as much liquid as possible before cooking the tofu so you get that great, golden crust and the tofu really soaks up plenty of sauce.

    What to Serve with Sticky Cashew Chicken

    • How to Cook Jasmine Rice
    • Easy Roasted Broccoli
    • Crispy Baked Spring Rolls
    • Baked Crab Rangoon
    • Herb Roasted Vegetables
    • How to Make Light and Fluffy Cauliflower Rice

    Favorite Tools

    • Anchor 3-Piece Glass Mixing Bowls
    • Whisk
    • 6-inch Global Knife
    • Cutting Board
    • Wok or Saute Pan
    • Slotted Spoon 
    • Splatter Screen for Cooking
    • Wok Spatula

    chicken and rice in a black bowl

    chicken and rice in a black bowl with chopsticks
    Print Recipe
    4.41 from 5 votes

    Sticky Cashew Chicken

    Better than takeout and faster too! A sweet, savory sauce coating tender chicken and crunchy cashews make this stir-fry a weeknight winner.
    Be sure to add the sauce in two increments - the first will thicken and coat the chicken and the second will stay saucy so you have plenty to spoon over rice.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time30 mins
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Asian
    Keyword: chicken dinner, easy dinner, easy, weeknight-friendly, fakeout takeout, family friendly, stir fry
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 508kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $10.00

    Equipment

    • Mixing Bowls
    • Wok or Saute Pan

    Ingredients

    Sauce:

    • ¼ cup Honey
    • ¼ cup Low-Sodium Soy Sauce (sub Tamari for gluten-free)
    • ¼ cup Hoisin Sauce
    • 2 tablespoon Ketchup
    • 2 tablespoon Rice Vinegar (sub red or white wine vinegar)

    Stir Fry:

    • 3 tablespoon Cooking Oil
    • 1 cup Cashews
    • 1 ½ lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, chopped into bite-sized pieces
    • 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
    • Cooked rice, for serving

    Instructions

    • Whisk together all ingredients for sauce. Set side.
    • Toss chicken with cornstarch until evenly coated. Set aside.
    • Heat a saute pan or wok over medium heat. Add oil and when oil is shimmering, add cashews. Saute cashews until just starting to turn golden, about 2 minutes (watch carefully to prevent burning). Use a slotted spoon to remove cashews from oil and set aside.
    • To remaining oil in the pan, add chicken and saute until chicken is just barely starting to cook on the outside, about 2 minutes. Add half the sauce and continue cooking together until sauce thickens and really coats the chicken, 3 to 4 minutes more.
    • Pour remaining sauce over chicken and bring to a simmer. Cook for a minute or two more, until chicken is cooked through.
    • Remove pan from heat and stir in cashews.
    • Serve chicken over rice. Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 508kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 1079mg | Potassium: 926mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 91IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg

    *This post contains affiliate links*

    Related

    « Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread
    Instant Pot Tex Mex Chicken and Brown Rice Stew »

    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

    Welcome! We're Jess and Frank. Since 2010, we have been serving up easy, original recipes here on Inquiring Chef.

    More about us →

    Latest Recipes

    • a baked frittata on a marble countertop
      Vegetable Frittata
    • miso vegetable soup in a grey bowl
      Miso Vegetable Soup
    • lemongrass chicken and rice on a white tray
      Lemongrass Chicken
    • cauliflower baked ziti in a white oval baking dish
      Vegetarian Baked Ziti with Cauliflower

    Trending Recipes

    • hand holding a chocolate chip cookie with a bite out of it
      Crispy and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
    • stir fry over rice in a white bowl with chopsticks
      Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
    • square image overnight oats in mason jars with berries on top
      Mason Jar Overnight Oats
    • beef and broccoli stir fry on a white plate with chopsticks
      Beef and Broccoli Ramen Stir-Fry

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Follow us on Instagram and Pinterest

    Contact

    • Email Us

    Copyright © 2023 Inquiring Chef