Better than Takeout Cashew Chicken

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By Alex

• Aug 03, 2026 • 0 Comments •

4.8

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Servings

4 People

This homemade Cashew Chicken is way better than takeout! Tender chicken is stir-fried and tossed with a luscious garlic sauce and cashews.

Better than take out in the comfort of your own home is the best! Combine this dish with Egg Rolls, Fried Rice and some Wontons for a complete dinner.

Homemade Cashew Chicken

Chinese take out is one of America’s favorites with good reason. It is a comfort food that is jam packed with flavor and diversity. The chicken is tender, the cashews are crunchy and the sauce is the perfect combination of sweet and zing. You have to try this tried and true recipe!

Coating the chicken in the cornstarch creates a nice crisp crust and will also thicken the sauce. The sauce has the perfect balance of sweetness with saltiness and bit of zing from the garlic. If you want more kick you can add red pepper flakes to the sauce. The different combinations of textures will more than satisfy. The chicken is tender with a light crust. The cashews add a bit of crunch and the sauce is creamy smooth. We like to serve it with rice and vegetables.

Ingredients in Easy Chicken Cashew

Simple ingredients come together to make this tangy, with a hint of spicy cashew chicken. Everything is easy to find in your local grocery store. No need to go to a specialty store.

Chicken: Skinless boneless chicken breasts.
Salt and Pepper: To taste
Cornstarch: This acts as a coating and thickener for the sauce.
Olive Oil: To stir fry the chicken in.
Soy Sauce: You can either use low sodium or regular.
Chicken Broth: For the sauce.
Garlic Cloves: Adds a bit of a kick and a ton of flavor.
Brown Sugar: Provides a bit of sweetness to the sauce.
Hoisin Sauce: Classic sauce used in many asian dishes.
Sesame Oil: Helps with the flavor and cooking.
Whole Cashews: Unsalted are best, you can use pieces if those are easier to find.

Making Better than Takeout Cashew Chicken

This better than take out is actually quite easy to make. All it takes is a bit of time and you’ve got cashew chicken that will taste amazing.

Cut: Dice your chicken breast into one inch pieces. Salt and pepper to taste.
Mix: Toss the chicken with the cornstarch mixture in a ziplock bag.
Stir Fry: Add olive oil to wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil gets to the smoking point then add the chicken in a single layer in batches. Cook each side until golden brown.
Sauce: In a small bowl whisk the soy sauce, chicken broth, garlic, brown sugar, hoisin and sesame oil.
Combine: Add to the pan with the cashews.Toss until the sauce has thickened.
Serve: Serve over rice with vegetables if desired.

Tips for The Best Cashew Chicken

This will come together fast so make sure you have everything ready to go. The extra time to prep everything before you start cooking will make all the difference.

Wok: If you don’t have a wok, no worries. You can use a large fry pan with the same success.
Chicken: Cut the chicken into the same sized pieces so they cook evenly. It is important that you do not overcook the chicken. It will turn rubbery instead of juicy and tender. Just brown each side and then begin adding the other ingredients. It will finish cooking in the sauce. You can also use chicken thighs cut up, use boneless skinless for easy preparation.
Roast the Cashews: If you bought your cashews raw, you will want to roast them to bring out their flavor. Place them on a sheet pan and put in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. They will crisp up as they cool.
Garnish: I like to cut up some green onions and add at the very end for a bit of flavor and color.
Serve: We love this over rice and some stir fried vegetables for a complete meal that is so scrumptious. You can also try cauliflower rice, quinoa or noodles to serve this cashew chicken over.
Vegetables: You can also stir fry bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and broccoli right in the wok after the chicken is done. Remove the chicken, stir fry the vegetables. When tender add the chicken back in and the sauce.

Storing Chinese Cashew Chicken

While cashew chicken is amazing the leftovers can be a little soggy. Especially the cashews! The flavor, however, intensifies as it melds together overnight.

Store: Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days in a well sealed container.
Reheat: To reheat you can use the microwave or add back to a pan and flash fry in the pan on medium high till heated through. This will help crisp up the chicken and nuts a bit.

More Better Than Takeout Favorites to Try

It is always a culinary success when I can make my favorite takeout meals at home. More often than not, they also taste better than the restaurants too. Save money and know exactly what is going into your favorite dishes by making them at home. When you are looking for a favorite, you have to try these first. They are all so good! You may never go out again!

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Spicy Paprika & Lime Chicken Tenderloins

These Spicy Paprika and Lime Grilled Chicken Tenderloins are a great addition to your BBQ repertoire. Take your taste buds to the Caribbean, Mexico or Spain on a little holiday! Can be cooked outdoors or on a stove. Paleo, Whole30, Keto, gluten-free.

Paprika & Lime Grilled Chicken Tenderloins

Whether you’re heating up the BBQ on a warm summer’s day or you need to give your skillet a bit of a workout, this is a fabulous chicken recipe that I know you will love.

My paprika lime chicken tenderloins are tender and juicy. The spices and citrus used in the marinade will take your taste buds on a little holiday to the Caribbean, Mexico or Spain – your pick!

I used chicken tenderloins because I find the meat more tender than the rest of the chicken breast and it’s easier to work with than the chicken thighs. You can use any chicken meat you like, just adjust the cooking time depending on the size of the pieces. This marinade will also work well with turkey, pork, quail, prawns and even beef.

What Are Chicken Tenderloins?

Still confused about what chicken tenderloins are? They are short, thin cuts taken from beneath the breast of the bird. You might find that some grocers will sell thinner slices of breast meat and call it chicken tenderloins or tender. They tend to be softer than chicken breast when cooked BUT should not be overcooked, they don’t need as long as the chicken breast.

Nutritionally speaking, they are the same as chicken breast meat – high in protein, minerals, low in calories and fat.

Make-Ahead Tip For Paprika Lime Chicken

The chicken tenderloins can be marinated ahead of time for an even more robust flavour; keep uncooked in the fridge for maximum of 3 days and freeze for up to 2 months and simply defrost overnight in the fridge before you want to use it.

More Delicious Chicken Recipes:

Description

Grilled paprika and lime grilled chicken tenderloins are great with any side dish and can be used in salads, tacos, and wraps. Can be cooked outdoors or on a stove.

Mix the marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Rinse the chicken and cut larger pieces in half.
Using your hands, rub the chicken with the marinade. Leave in the bowl, wrap with cling wrap and set aside in the fridge for at least one hour before grilling.
If using a grill plate or a skillet on your stove, heat one teaspoon of coconut oil until sizzling hot. Fry the chicken pieces for 4 minutes on each side and then remove to a plate to rest. Make sure not to overcrowd the frying pan or you will end up with too much meat juice and stewed rather than grilled chicken.
If using a BBQ, heat the plate to sizzling hot and either spray with olive oil or brush with coconut oil. Place chicken pieces on the plate with a little space in between and cook for 4 minutes on each side on medium/high heat with the lid on.
Remove cooked chicken to a serving plate and drizzle with lime juice before serving.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2-3 tenderloins
Calories: 331
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 783.6 mg
Fat: 16.4 g
Carbohydrates: 4.4 g
Fiber: 1.3 g
Protein: 41.3 g
Cholesterol: 131.4 mg

Keywords: Tenderloins, Chicken, Paprika, Lime, BBQ, Grilling, Low-Carb, Paleo, Whole30