This Asian-Style Garlic Chicken with Cashews is a quick and flavour-packed stir-fry that's perfect for weeknight dinners. Tender pieces of chicken are cooked in a rich, savoury garlic sauce with crunchy cashew nuts for added texture and taste. With just a handful of simple ingredients and 30 minutes from pan to plate, it's a fuss-free dish that delivers bold Asian-inspired flavour in every bite.
If you've tried my duck in garlic sauce, you'll already be familiar with the rich garlicy sauce that is central to the recipe! This recipe for Asian-style garlic chicken with cashews takes that same delicious sauce and pairs it with tender chicken and crunchy cashews.
While the duck version involves frying duck breasts separately and adding them to the sauce just before serving, this garlic cashew chicken version follows a slightly different method. Here, the chicken is browned in a pan to sear it and lock in the juices before being finished off in the garlic sauce. This method allows the chicken to soak up the full flavour of the sauce while still remaining juicy and succulent.
This chicken with garlic sauce is very much a stir-fry style recipe, which means that once the prep is done, it comes together in no time, making this garlic cashew chicken perfect for a speedy midweek meal.
I like to brown the cashew nuts for a few minutes to add crunch, then soften the onions (any any harder vegetables) before searing the chicken. The remaining vegetables and the sauce ingredients are stirred in after the chicken has been seared, and then steamed for a few minutes to allow them to soften and absorb the delicious flavors from the sauce.
Serve the cashew chicken and garlic sauce with a dish of fluffy white rice or spoon it over a pile of tender noodles. Optionally garnish with chopped spring onions or a scattering of sesame seeds.
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Why you should try this garlic cashew chicken
- Quick and easy. Once the prep is done, this garlic chicken stir-fry cooks in around 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy nights when you want to get a delicious meal on the table without spending hours in the kitchen.
- Big on flavour. The garlic sauce is savoury, with a subtle sweetness, and packed with bold Asian-inspired flavours.
- Great contrasting texture. The softness of the chicken pairs beautifully with the crunch from the nuts and the crispness of the vegetables.
- Family-friendly. There's no chilli in this recipe, making it mild enough for the whole family to enjoy. However, for those of you who enjoy a bit of heat or an extra kick of garlic, it's easy to customise.
- Better than takeaway. This chicken and cashew stir-fry is made with fresh ingredients in your own kitchen, in the time it takes to order a takeaway and wait for delivery. Plus, it's lighter on the wallet!
Recipe information
Prep time: Around 15 minutes - just to cut up the chicken, prepare the vegetables and combine the sauce ingredients.
Cooking time: Around 25 minutes to toast the cashews, soften the onions, sear the chicken and simmer the sauce and vegetables.
Yield: This garlic cashew chicken stir-fry will serve 4 people.
Ingredients for garlic cashew chicken
**You can find the exact ingredient quantities on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**
- Chicken breast fillets. These should be cut into bite-sized pieces. You can substitute with skinless, boneless chicken thighs if you prefer. However, the thighs will take a few minutes longer to cook, so bear this in mind if you use them.
- Cashew nuts. These are unsalted cashew nuts. We don't want to be introducing extra salt into this dish. The cashews will be toasted in a dry pan to brown and crisp them.
- Vegetables. You can use your own choice of vegetables. I used onions, capsicum (red bell pepper), green beans, carrots, mushrooms and bean sprouts. You will need roughly one cup of chopped vegetables per person. Use extra for larger appetites - there's enough stock to allow for this.
- Stock. This is chicken stock, which I made using stock cubes and boiling water. I you have fresh chicken stock, by all means use that.
- Garlic. As much or as little garlic as your taste allows. This is called garlic chicken for a reason!
- Vegetable oil (not pictured). This is used to soften the harder vegetables. You can use any neutral-flavoured vegetable oil; I like to use rapeseed or sunflower oil.
Sauce ingredients
The sauce ingredients should be combined in a small bowl, ready to be added to the stock. They are:
- Oyster sauce
- Dark soy sauce
- Chinese 5-spice powder - I like to use Schwartz brand, but you could use your own particular favourite brand.
- Rice wine vinegar - substitute with any white fruity vinegar.
- Brown sugar
- Tomato paste (or tomato puree) - which is concentrated tomatoes.
- Cornflour - to thicken the sauce.
Helpful tip. Whenever I buy bean sprouts to use in a salad, I transfer any leftover bean sprouts to a plastic bag and store them in the freezer. They stay fresh for ages and are perfect for adding to stir-fries. No more throwing away bean sprouts that have turned slimy! The bean sprouts in the above image came directly out of my freezer.
Instructions
Preparation
Whenever I'm making a stir-fry, I like to do all the preparation up front. Once you get started cooking, everything goes quickly and having everything prepared in advance makes things a lot easier.
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- Peel the onions, cut them in halves or quarters depending on size, and separate them into petals.
- Deseed the capsicum, remove the inner membrane and cut into slices.
- Peel the carrots and cut them into batons.
- Top and tail the green beans and cut them into 2-inch lengths.
- If using stock cubes for the stock, place them in a jug and stir in 2 cups of boiling water.
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Make the stir fry
Step 1: Place the cashew nuts into a dry frying pan and stir them over medium to high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they turn brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Step 2: Add a splash of vegetable oil to the pan and stir-fry the onions, carrots and capsicum for about 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.
Step 3: Push the vegetables to one side and add the chicken pieces. Stir them for 3 to 4 minutes until they are completely white on all sides.
Step 4: Return the cashews to the pan and add the remaining vegetables (green beans, bean sprouts and mushrooms). Pour in the stock.
Step 5: Stir in the sauce ingredients and turn the heat down to simmer.
Step 6: Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the vegetables are cooked but still crispy, and the sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally as the garlic chicken simmers.
Garnish with sesame seeds or chopped green onion (spring onion) before serving.
Tips for a successful outcome
Here are my top tips to ensure your Asian-style cashew chicken in garlic sauce always turns out perfectly:
- Keep your eye on the cashews. Once they start to brown, they can go from golden to burnt in the blink of an eye. Stir them often so they brown on all sides.
- Instead of stir-frying the onions, I like to turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. I find the onions and other vegetables soften more easily this way (with less effort on my part).
- The chicken does not have to be completely cooked through when it is being seared. The idea is to seal the outside of the chicken to retain the juices. The chicken will complete cooking once the sauce is simmering.
- If you are making a large batch you may find it easier to transfer the onions and other vegetables to a plate before searing the chicken. Add them back as soon as the chicken has turned white.
- For the final step of simmering the chicken in the garlic sauce, you need the heat to be on a strong simmer (but not strongly boiling). Stir the sauce occasionally to ensure the cornflour in the sauce does not settle on the pan and form lumps.
Serving suggestions
My favourite way of serving this garlic cashew chicken is spooned over a bed of thin Chinese-style noodles. If you've got time, these Chinese stir-fried noodles would be ideal, but even plain cooked noodles taste delicious. There's lots of sauce for them to soak up!
The other way to serve it is spooned over a bowl of fluffy white rice. Once again, time permitting, you might like to try this easy Chinese fried rice or even this spicy mushroom fried rice.
Hubby's favourite (not really my taste at all) is to spoon it over a mound of chips (or french fries)! If you like the sound of eating this with chips, you might like to try serving it with these salt and pepper chips.
And I have to admit it, but I enjoy eating it with a crusty bread roll to mop up all the delicious garlic sauce.
Variations
As far as varying the recipe goes, I've already mentioned that you could use whatever vegetables you prefer.
Broccoli would be good to use, as would sugar snaps, baby corn or sliced pak choi. If you prefer a milder taste, try swapping the onions with sliced leeks or even shredded cabbage.
You can also use whatever protein you prefer. Just bear in mind that different protein will cook at different times, and you may also need to alter the way of cooking it. For instance, if I were to make this recipe with slices of beef steak, I would be inclined to marinate the slices of beef in the sauce ingredients before frying them.
To add a bit of heat, add one or two chopped chillies along with the onions when you are softening them.
Equipment
These are the main items of equipment you will need to make this garlic chicken and cashew stir fry:
- Large frying pan, wok or saute pan. You could also use a saucepan, but I find it more convenient to make stir-fries in a shallower pan as it makes it easier to stir the food around to get it evenly cooked.
- Sharp knife and chopping board. Used for cutting up the vegetables and chicken.
- Spatula or silicone spoon for stirring.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat them gently in a saucepan until piping hot. You could also reheat them in the microwave.
The garlic cashew chicken freezes well. Once cooled, pack it into a suitable freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.
When you're ready to eat it, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat as above.
I have to mention that hubby likes to take a container of this garlic cashew chicken when he goes on one of his fishing expeditions. He takes a frozen container from the freezer, and by the time he's ready to eat it, it's defrosted enough for him to tip it into a saucepan and reheat on his little camping stove!
FAQ
Absolutely, in fact the flavours improve on standing. Make it up to 3 days ahead, store in a covered container in the refrigerator and reheat in a saucepan on the stove.
To save time and effort, you could also prep the ingredients in advance and keep them in lidded containers in the refrigerator for a few days. Don't store fresh chicken n the refrigerator for longer than three days.
No, not at all. There is no chilli in the dish. If you wanted to add some heat, you could add a few chopped chllies to the onions when you are softening them.
I wouldn't advise it. The salt on the cashews might make the dish overly salty. I recommend using raw or unsalted roasted cashews.
Save for later
If you would like to make this Asian-style cashew chicken stir fry, why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Related recipes
Visit my Asian-inspired recipes page for other delicious recipes. Here are a few using chicken that you might enjoy:
📋The recipe
Asian-style garlic chicken with cashews
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Large frying pan OR
- Wok OR
- Saute pan
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping Board
- Spatula
Ingredients
Chicken and vegetables
- 1 pound / 450 grams skinless chicken breast fillets or boneless, skinless thighs
- ¾ cup / 100 grams unsalted cashew nuts
- 1 large onion peeled, quartered and separated into petals
- 1 large capsicum (red bell pepper) Deseeded, membranes removed and sliced
- 1 large carrot Peeled and cut into batons
- 4 ounces / 113 grams green beans Topped and tailed and cut into 2" lengths
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 4 - 6 mushrooms sliced
- 3 cloves garlic minced or finely chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock or use 2 chicken stock cubes dissolved in 2 cups of boiling water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for softening the vegetables
Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree (tomato paste)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Garnish (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 1 spring onion (green onion) finely sliced
Instructions
Preparation
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.1 pound / 450 grams skinless chicken breast fillets
- Peel the onions, cut them in halves or quarters depending on size, and separate them into petals.1 large onion
- Deseed the capsicum, remove the inner membrane and cut into slices.1 large capsicum (red bell pepper)
- Peel the carrots and cut them into batons. Top and tail the green beans and cut them into 2-inch lengths.1 large carrot, 4 ounces / 113 grams green beans
- Wipe the mushrooms with a paper towel to remove any dirt and slice them thinly. Peel and mince the garlic.4 - 6 mushrooms sliced, 3 cloves garlic
- If using stock cubes for the stock, place them in a jug and stir in 2 cups of boiling water.2 cups chicken stock
- Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, 2 tablespoons tomato puree (tomato paste), 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder, 2 tablespoons cornflour, ½ teaspoon salt
Make the stir-fry
- Place the cashew nuts into a dry frying pan and stir them over medium to high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they turn brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.¾ cup / 100 grams unsalted cashew nuts
- Add the vegetable oil to the pan and stir-fry the onions, carrots and capsicum for about 5 minutes until the onions turn translucent.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Push the vegetables to one side and add the chicken pieces to the pan. Stir them for 3 to 4 minutes until they are completely white on all sides. You could transfer the vegetables to a plate before searing the chicken. Add the vegetables back once the chicken has turned whiite.
- Return the cashews to the pan and add the remaining vegetables (green beans, bean sprouts and mushrooms). Pour in the stock.1 cup bean sprouts
- Stir in the prepared sauce ingredients and turn the heat down to simmer.
- Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the vegetables are cooked but still crispy, and the sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally as the garlic chicken simmers.
- Garnish with sesame seeds or chopped green onion (spring onion) and serve with Chinese noodles or rice.1 teaspoon sesame seeds, 1 spring onion (green onion)
Notes
- Keep your eye on the cashews. Once they start to brown, they can go from golden to burnt in the blink of an eye. Stir them often so they brown on all sides.
- Instead of stir-frying the onions, I like to turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid. I find the onions and other vegetables soften more easily this way (with less effort on my part).
- The chicken does not have to be completely cooked through when it is being seared. The idea is to seal the outside of the chicken to retain the juices. The chicken will complete cooking once the sauce is simmering.
- If you are making a large batch you may find it easier to transfer the onions and other vegetables to a plate before searing the chicken. Add them back as soon as the chicken has turned white.
- For the final step of simmering the chicken in the garlic sauce, you need the heat to be on a strong simmer (but not strongly boiling). Stir the sauce occasionally to ensure the cornflour in the sauce does not settle on the pan and form lumps.
- Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat them gently in a saucepan until piping hot. You could also reheat them in the microwave.
- The garlic cashew chicken freezes well. Once cooled, pack it into a suitable freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- When you're ready to eat it, allow it to defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat as above.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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Rosalind says
Superb!
Words fail me, it was delicious!
VJ says
Wow! Thank you! We enjoyed it, but until I get feedback I'm never quite sure 🙂