This delicious cashew chicken and broccoli stir-fry is tossed with a zesty stir-fry sauce and can be ready to go in just 30 minutes!
So quick, so easy, and always SO GOOD. ♡
This cashew chicken broccoli recipe is here for you on busy weeknights when you need to get a healthy and delicious meal on the table in a snap! It’s made with a simple chicken and broccoli stir-fry, tossed with lots of toasted cashews, fresh garlic, ginger, and scallions. Then everything is brought together with a perfectly-balanced savory sauce that’s sweetened with a hint of honey. Serve it all up over rice, noodles, quinoa or whatever sounds best, add a drizzle of sriracha if you’d like some heat, and dinner can be on the table and ready to enjoy in 30!
That said, as much as I love this recipe served sizzling hot out of the skillet, I have to say that the leftovers are absolutely fantastic too. And while I’m partial to the chicken broccoli and cashews combo, this recipe is endlessly flexible if you’d like to swap in whichever protein, veggies or nuts that you love best. So please feel free to customize and make it your own.
Alright, let’s get to stir-frying!
Cashew Chicken and Broccoli Ingredients
Before we get to the full cashew chicken recipe below, here are a few notes about the ingredients that you will need:
- Chicken: You will need either boneless skinless breasts or thighs, which we will cut into bite-sized pieces, season with sea salt and white pepper, and sauté in peanut oil (or your choice of oil).
- Broccoli: Feel free to save a step here and purchase a 12-ounce bag of pre-chopped broccoli florets. Or, of course, you’re welcome to buy a stalk and chop your own.
- Cashews: You will just need basic toasted (not raw) cashews for this stir-fry.
- Scallions: We will chop and add the white parts to the sauté and then sprinkle the green parts on top as a garnish.
- Fresh garlic and ginger: Feel free to mince or grate the fresh garlic and ginger.
- Stir-fry sauce: Made by whisking together chicken stock (or vegetable stock), oyster sauce, reduced-sodium soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, white pepper and cornstarch.
- Toasted sesame seeds: We’ll add these as a garnish for some extra crunch and sesame flavor.
Potential Recipe Variations
Here are a few other variations on this cashew chicken recipe that you’re welcome to try:
- Use a different protein: Stir-fry a different protein (such as beef, pork, shrimp, or tofu) in place of the chicken.
- Use different veggies: Swap in some different stir-fry-friendly veggies in place of (or combined with) the broccoli, such as asparagus, bean sprouts, bok choy, carrots, green beans, onions, snow or snap peas, zucchini etc.
- Use different nuts: Use walnuts or almonds or another favorite type of nut (or seeds) in place of the cashews.
- Make it spicy: Add your favorite hot sauce (such as Sriracha), fresh chiles, or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Make it gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oyster sauce, soy sauce, and dark soy sauce.
More Favorite Stir-Fry Recipes
Looking for more simple stir-fry recipes to try? Here are a few of our faves:
- Coconut Lime Chicken and Broccoli
- Japchae (Korean Noodle Stir-Fry)
- Saucy Thai Curried Peanut Noodles
- Pineapple Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
- Thai Basil Beef Noodle Stir-Fry
Cashew Chicken and Broccoli
- Prep Time: 13 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Description
This delicious cashew chicken and broccoli stir-fry is tossed with a zesty stir-fry sauce and can be ready to go in just 30 minutes!
Ingredients
Stir-Fry Ingredients:
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced into bite-sized pieces
- fine sea salt and white pepper
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
- 4 cups (12 ounces) broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (with white and green parts separated)
- 1 cup toasted cashews
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prep the sauce. Whisk all of the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl (or shake them together in a mason jar) until combined. Set aside.
- Sauté the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and a tiny pinch of white pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan or wok over high heat. Add the chicken and sauté, tossing occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to a clean plate and set aside.
- Sauté the veggies. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the broccoli florets and the white parts of the scallions and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cashews, garlic, ginger and sauté for 1-2 minutes, until the broccoli reaches your desired level of tenderness.
- Combine. Add the sauce and cooked chicken to the pan and toss for 1 minute, or until the sauce has thickened and evenly coated the chicken and veggies.
- Serve. Serve immediately over rice or noodles, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and the green parts of the scallions. Enjoy!
I love this reciepe. I change veggies as what i have. Carrots mixed oriental veggies snow peas. It’s all good
This was delicious, thank you for sharing the recipe. The whole family enjoyed it. Really tasty and one I’d make again. I used Quorn instead of chicken to make it vegetarian which worked really well.
Thank you for sharing your recipe ideas and I look forward to trying more of them out.
This was so delicious. I subbed green beans to avoid the broccoli hate club that is my family, and it was so delicious.
Delicious! Made this dish tonight and it was devoured. I added bokchoy too. Thanks for the recipe, I will be making again.