Name: 30-Minute Cashew Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs – cut into small chunks; 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup cornstarch; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon paprika; 3/4 cup cold water; 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil, for frying. Enough to form a thin layer in your pan.; 1 cup cashew halves; 1 cup white rice, cooked according to package directions; Sliced green onions, optional for garnish; 1/2 cup hoisin sauce; 1/4 cup soy sauce – I prefer low-sodium; 2 tablespoons white vinegar; 1 tablespoon sriracha – optional, for spice; 1/4 cup white granulated sugar; 3-4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 teaspoons minced or grated fresh ginger

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

Better than take-out, healthier than take-out, AND ready in under 30 minutes?! 30-Minute Cashew Chicken is a family friendly weeknight meal that everyone will be requesting again and again. The easy sticky sauce uses pantry staples and it all cooks in just one skillet!

Cashew chicken with white rice in a bowl and text overlay

Ingredients You’ll Need for this Cashew Chicken:

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
Breading: Flour, Cornstarch, Salt, Paprika
Oil for frying
Cashews
Sticky Sauce: Hoisin Sauce, Soy Sauce, White Vinegar, Sriracha (optional for spice!), white granulated sugar, garlic and ginger

Breaded and browned chicken on a paper towel

How to make 30-Minute Cashew Chicken:

Start by making the batter. Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, and paprika together in a medium bowl. Place half of the flour mixture in a small bowl. To the remaining half in the medium bowl add the cold water and mix to form a batter.
Mix up the sauce. Whisk the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sriracha, sugar, garlic, and ginger together. Set aside.
Dredge and fry the chicken. Heat oil over medium heat in a medium-large skillet or pan. The oil is ready when a drop of water sizzles upon adding. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture, then dip and coat in the batter. Add the battered chicken to the hot oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side. Use a thermometer or cut open a piece to ensure it is cooked through. Remove cooked chicken and drain on a paper towel lined plate. I cooked all the chicken in two batches using a medium-large skillet. Drain excess oil from skillet.
Combine the chicken and sauce. Add all the chicken back to the pan and add the sauce and cashews. Stir and cook for 2-4 minutes over medium heat until desired consistency is reached. The longer it cooks, the stickier and thicker the sauce will be.
Serve. Serve over rice and with a sprinkle of sliced green onions. Enjoy!

What Should I serve it with?

Cooked white rice is the classic option and my favorite! But it’s also great with quinoa or cauliflower rice for a healthier spin!

Can I eat this as leftovers?

The Cashew Chicken can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for about 4 days. The chicken will lose some of its crispness and become slightly soggy. This is normal. If that doesn’t bother you, you can just reheat in the microwave. But, if you want to crisp it up again then I recommend tossing it into a skillet to heat it back up.