Healthy cashew chicken stir fry is the best clean eating Chinese food takeout recipe that you’ll ever have! It’s easy to make and is packed with healthy ingredients like peppers, cashews, and served over cauliflower rice!
If you are looking for the perfect meal to serve during the week, this is the meal for you. Did we mention your family and friends will also think you ordered this from Chinese takeout? It’s that good.
Growing up, it was such a special occasion for us to get Chinese food. I used to beg my mom and dad to order it for us because it was always one of my favorites, and every once in a while they would order us the salty, deep fried goodness that was cashew chicken, lemon chicken, General Tsos, and so on.
Those memories will forever live in me! Just like my longing for that delicious Chinese food…
So we created a healthy cashew chicken recipe without all the added ingredients like traditional Chinese takeout. This healthier takeout meal is so delicious because you can really make it to your liking. Want more sauce or more spice? Add in more flavor! Want to cut back on sodium? Use a reduced sodium soy sauce.
There are only a handful of ingredients in this recipe and it tastes just like your traditional Chinese takeout except this is healthy take out. Trust me on this one! Everyone is going to love it.
Healthy Chinese Takeout
Need to throw dinner together in twenty minutes but don’t want to just order take out? I’ve got the perfect solution with this healthy Chinese takeout: healthy cashew chicken.
One bite into this saucy Chinese takeout and you’re going to be impressing guests for the rest of your life!
Ingredients in cashew chicken
The ingredients in this healthy cashew chicken are simple, can all be found in the grocery store, and are easy to throw together.
Cashew chicken ingredients
- chicken breasts
- red bell pepper
- broccoli
- garlic
- ginger
- water chestnuts
- cashews
Chinese sauce ingredients
Make healthy cashew chicken
Healthy cashew chicken is actually so easy to make. Don’t let the ingredient list fool you – it’s actually just a bunch of ingredients mixed together for the sauce.
First up, dice your chicken breasts into bite size pieces. You’ll do the same for the broccoli and the peppers and then set them aside.
Prepare the sauce next by whisking together all of the ingredients. You’ll then set them aside until you’re ready to add into your chicken mixture.
In a hot pan heat 1 tbsp oil, cook your chicken breasts until almost all the way cooked. Take them out and then add 1 tbsp oil to the pan and throw the bell pepper and broccoli in.
When it’s almost all the way cooked, add in the garlic and ginger. Then stir in the sauce and let it thicken. Once it starts to thicken, stir in the chicken and cashews. Cook for a few more minutes until thickened.
Serve over rice or cauliflower rice!
How to store leftovers
While we don’t think there will be many healthy cashew chicken leftovers, we’re providing a bunch of ideas for how to properly store leftovers just in case.
To store leftovers in a safe manner, make sure all food comes to room temperature or luke warm before packaging up.
Once its at the appropriate temperature, use glass storage containers or plastic tupperware to put the rest of the food in. Seal them properly with a tight lid and place in the refrigerator.
Leftovers will be good for up to three days. Discard after three days.
In order to reheat, take out of refrigerator and place into microwave-safe container or heat on stove.
Enjoy!
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment below and let me know how it was! Also tag @erinliveswhole on Instagram and use the hashtag #erinliveswhole so I can see it and feature you!
Here are some other similar recipes that you may also like!
Healthy Cashew Chicken
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Healthy cashew chicken stir fry is the best clean eating Chinese food takeout recipe that you’ll ever have! It’s easy to make and is packed with healthy ingredients like peppers, cashews, and served over cauliflower rice!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 2 cups roughly chopped broccoli
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup water chestnuts
- 3/4 cup cashews
Sauce
Instructions
- Make sure your chicken and veggies are chopped and ready to be cooked. Set aside.
- Prepare the sauce by whisking together all of the ‘sauce’ ingredients in a small bowl. Set it aside.
- In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp oil.
- Cook your chicken breasts until almost all the way cooked, about 5 minutes, turning a few times.
- Once mostly cooked, take the chicken out of the pan and set aside.
- Add 1 more tbsp oil to the pan and throw the bell pepper and broccoli in.
- After sauteing for 3-4 minutes, add in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 more minute.
- Stir in the sauce and let it thicken.
- Once it starts to thicken, stir back in the chicken, and add the cashews and water chestnuts.
- Cook for a few more minutes until thickened.
- Serve over rice or cauliflower rice! Sprinkle with more cashews and sesame seeds.
- Category: dinner, gluten-free
Keywords: healthy takeout, chinese takeout, cashew chicken, healthy chinese
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mary says
This was really delicious! I made it with a few substitutions because it’s what I had on hand. I used coconut aminos, red cabbage in place of the broccoli since I didn’t have any. I used ACV since I didn’t have rice wine vinegar, and avocado oil since i didn’t have sesame. It was sooooo good! I hope make it again with broccoli and water chestnuts too next time! Thank you!
★★★★★
Erin says
Love to hear that Mary! Thank you so much for sharing, I am so glad that you liked it.
Maddie Cantrell says
Love love love. So tasty and makes just enough to portion out for the week! ?
★★★★★
Erin says
Love you gal!! Thank you for the comment!
Katie says
I made with chicken thighs and more bell peppers + onion instead of broccoli and it was delish!
★★★★★
Erin says
LOVE that! Going to try chicken thighs next.
Maggie says
Just made this tonight for the week. Hands down one of my FAVORITE recipes! I did not have bell peppers or water chestnuts, so subbed baby corn and mushrooms instead. The sauce is SO flavorful & the honey just coats each veggie & piece of chicken. The added crunch from the cashew is BOMB! Makes the entire dish! Thank you for sharing!
★★★★★
Erin says
This comment made my entire day! Thank you for sharing!
Alison says
Made this for dinner and can’t get enough!! So so good!??
★★★★★
Madison Cantrell says
Made this recipe 2x in 3 weeks…. it’s a winner. Made 1 with soy sauce, made 1 with coconut aminos in place of soy sauce. Couldn’t tell a difference. Love it!
Thanks Erin!!
★★★★★
Randi says
Can I use white wine vinegar or plsIn vinegar??
Erin says
Yes!
Alison says
I made this for dinner tonight and it is so yummy! Simple, easy, fast, and delicious!
★★★★★
Erin says
Thanks for sharing Alison!!
Autumn says
So so good!! This definitely hit my Chinese craving! It was super easy to make and didn’t take long at all. Highly recommend!
★★★★★
Erin says
Aw, YAY! So glad that you like it.
Katie says
Not a broccoli fan so I used a green pepper instead & it turned out delicious!! Will definitely be making this recipe often!!
★★★★★
Katie says
SOO good! This was my first time trying one of your dinner recipes (always baking) and it was amazing. I’m not much of a chef but it turned out perfect and my boyfriend loved it. I didn’t have sesame oil & used tahini in place of it, and used liquid aminos instead of soy sauce. We had it over brown rice.
So delicious! Thank you!
★★★★★
Whittney says
Delicious! A tad too sweet for my taste, so next time I’ll reduce the honey by half and add a little salt. But it’s a keeper!
Erin says
Great weeknight recipe! Also love that you can add in any frozen veggies you want. Great staple meal!
★★★★★
Marguerite Adzick says
OBSESSED with this recipe. Made more than needed, froze it, and ate it throughout the week. It’s so delicious and doesn’t make you feel like you’re eating bad chinese food – love!!
Olivia says
SO easy and simple! My parents were overjoyed when me (19) made them dinner for once and they LOVED IT!! Might take up this cooking thing more now 🙂 water chestnuts were great crunch and the sauce was perfect
★★★★★