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Cashew chicken is one of my all-time favorite takeout dishes — and this homemade version is even better. It’s quick, flavorful, and every bite has that perfect balance of tender chicken, crisp veggies, and crunchy toasted cashews.
The secret is in the marinade: a simple velveting technique using egg white, cornstarch, and a pinch of baking soda. It makes the chicken incredibly juicy and gives it that classic Chinese restaurant texture. Toss everything in a savory, silky sauce and dinner’s ready in under 30 minutes.
If you love dishes like Chinese orange chicken or sesame chicken, this one will definitely earn a spot in your weeknight rotation.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Chicken marinade ingredients
- Chicken breast or thighs: Cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Baking soda: Just a pinch helps tenderize chicken breast for that restaurant-style texture. If you’re using thighs, you can skip it — just marinate for flavor and coating.
- Cornstarch: Helps the chicken brown and adds a light, silky finish.
- Soy sauce: Adds seasoning and depth right from the marinade stage.
- Egg white: Coats the chicken and locks in moisture while cooking.
- Chinese cooking wine: Adds flavor that makes it taste like your favorite takeout. Shaoxing wine is ideal, but dry sherry or broth works too.
- White pepper and sugar: A small amount of each rounds out the flavor without overpowering.
Sauce Ingredients
- Water or chicken broth: Forms the base of the sauce. Broth adds a bit more flavor.
- Oyster sauce: Rich and slightly sweet — it gives the sauce body.
- Soy sauce: Adds another layer of umami and color.
- Sesame oil: Just a little adds a lovely nutty aroma.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce so it clings nicely to the chicken and vegetables.
Stir-fry Ingredients
- Cashews: Use toasted, unsalted cashews for the best texture and balance. If you’re toasting them yourself, keep a close eye — they brown fast.
- Vegetable oil: Choose a neutral oil with a high smoke point for stir-frying.
- Garlic and ginger: Fresh and finely minced — they bring essential flavor and fragrance.
- Bell peppers: Red and green, cut into chunks. Slightly crisp peppers add color and contrast.
- Green onions: Added at the end for a bit of freshness and mild onion flavor.
See printable recipe card below for the full ingredients list and quantities.
How to make cashew chicken
A. Velvet and cook the chicken
Start by rinsing the cut chicken in cold water, agitating it gently with your hands. Drain it thoroughly using a fine-mesh strainer, then squeeze out the excess moisture — the chicken should be as dry as possible before marinating. Add the marinade ingredients to the bowl: baking soda (if using breast), cornstarch, soy sauce, egg white, Chinese cooking wine, sugar, and white pepper. Mix everything well, then let the chicken marinate for 15–20 minutes.
Once marinated, cook the chicken in batches in a hot skillet or wok with a little oil. Avoid overcrowding — this helps it sear and stay tender. Cook for 5–6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
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6B. Mix the sauce
While the chicken marinates, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Set it aside — it’s ready to go once the stir-fry starts.
C. Stir-fry and assemble
In the same wok, add a little oil if needed and stir-fry the bell peppers and onions for 2–3 minutes until slightly tender but still crisp. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
Give the sauce a quick stir, then pour it into the wok. Let it simmer and thicken slightly — it only takes a minute or two.
Return the cooked chicken to the wok and toss everything together with the sauce. Stir in the toasted cashews and green onions just before serving.
Serve hot over steamed jasmine rice.
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12Recipe tips
• Velveting matters: If using chicken breast, include baking soda in the marinade to keep it tender. For thighs, you can skip it — they’re naturally more forgiving.
• Dry the chicken well: After rinsing, draining thoroughly helps the marinade stick and prevents splattering during frying.
• Fry in batches: Don’t overcrowd the pan — it helps the chicken brown properly instead of steaming.
• Toast cashews gently: If not pre-toasted, toast them quickly in a dry pan or oven. They burn fast!
• Don’t overcook the sauce: Once it thickens and coats the ingredients, take it off the heat to keep everything glossy and fresh.
FAQs
Yes! Chicken thighs stay juicy and don’t require velveting. Just marinate them with the other ingredients for flavor and texture.
Dry sherry or mirin work well. If avoiding alcohol, use low-sodium chicken broth for a milder but still flavorful option.
You can prep the ingredients (chop the veg, mix the sauce, marinate the chicken), but it’s best stir-fried fresh. Leftovers are still tasty but lose a bit of crispness.
Always use unsalted cashews — toasted if possible. Salted ones will make the dish too salty overall.
More Asian chicken recipes
If you enjoyed this cashew chicken, you might also love these easy takeout-style favorites:
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below — I’d love to hear how it turned out for you!
Cashew chicken (better than takeout!)
Ingredients
For the chicken marinade
- 1 pound chicken breast or chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
For the sauce
- 1/3 cup water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the stir-fry
- 1 cup toasted cashews unsalted
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger fresh, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
- 3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
Instructions
- Rinse the cut chicken in cold water, then drain well using a fine-mesh strainer to remove excess water.
- Add the chicken to a bowl with baking soda, cornstarch, soy sauce, egg white, Chinese cooking wine, sugar, and white pepper. Mix to coat and set aside to marinate for 15–20 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until fully combined.
- If using raw cashews, toast them in a dry pan, oven, or air fryer until golden. Set aside.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and cook the chicken in batches for 5–6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Set aside.
- In the same pan, sauté the chopped onion and bell peppers for 2–3 minutes until slightly tender.
- Add minced garlic and ginger and stir for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the sauce and let it simmer for 1–2 minutes until it begins to thicken.
- Return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat everything in the sauce. Add cashews and green onions.
- Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.
Notes
- Skip the baking soda if using chicken thighs — they stay juicy without it.
- Don’t crowd the pan when cooking the chicken; batch cooking gives the best color.
- Cashews toast quickly! If you’re doing it yourself, keep a close eye on them.
- Once the sauce thickens, remove from heat to keep it glossy and smooth.
- If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water or broth to loosen it slightly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was such a quick and easy recipe, and absolutely delicious!!!!!
so great to hear! thank you for sharing 🙂
This was so easy but so yummy! Definitely going on my list of rotation dinners!
Thanks! Glad you liked it 🙂