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Need a quick dinner that tastes as good as a takeaway? This Cashew Chicken Stir Fry is so quick to make, no chopping and it’s coated in a delicious, instant, sticky sauce.
My Sticky Beef Mince Stir Fry has been so popular, I decided to try a chicken mince version to add to my 15 minute meals.
Just like beef mince, it’s really versatile – easy to cook with, ideal to freeze, tasty, healthy and great value too.
This Cashew Chicken dish is my new go-to 15 minute, zero fuss dinner with loads of fakeway-style flavours.
I hope you love it too! 🧡
Why you’ll love this Cashew Chicken recipe
⭐️ Quick, easy, ready in 15 minutes
⭐️ Delicious sticky sauce with a fakeaway vibe
⭐️ Good value, simple store cupboard ingredients
Cashew Chicken Ingredients
- Oil – Use sunflower or another flavourless oil here
- Cashew nuts – Make sure these are NOT snack-style, such as salted or coated etc. Just cashews in pure form
- Chicken mince – I like 5% but use whichever one you usually buy to your own taste or budget (or whatever your supermarket sells)
- Garlic and ginger – I use prepared tubes for this to speed things up, but if you prefer to use fresh that’s fine too
- For the sauce – This is made up of cornflour, soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, black pepper, chilli flakes and water
- To garnish – Sesame seeds (optional)
How to make Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
1. Toast the cashews in a dry large saucepan or frying pan until golden and stir frequently. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Heat the oil over a medium heat (use the same pan) and add the mince. Cook until browned (as per the recipe below) then add the ginger and garlic.
3. While it is cooking, make up the sauce with a cornflour slurry (see notes below).
4. Turn up the heat, add the sauce and toasted cashews. Stir well for another few minutes and serve with sesame seeds.
Substitutions
- Chicken breast – You can make this recipe with chicken breasts if you prefer. Slice them very thinly and pan fry it in the same way. It will have a different texture but will still be very good.
- Turkey mince – You can follow the same recipe using turkey mince if you prefer. If you’d like a beef mince version, follow this recipe here
- Gluten free – Find alternatives for the soy sauce (tamari) and oyster sauce if you want this to be gluten-free
More favourite 15 minutes recipes…
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Naan Bread Pizza {15 Minute Recipe}
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Chicken Quesadillas {15 Minute Meal}
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully in the microwave or on the hob before serving.
In the freezer This recipe freezes well. Just wait until it’s totally cold and then put it into a freezer proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating.
Top tipS
Break up the mince
As the meat is cooking in the pan, break it up with a wooden spoon so it cooks all the way through and gets to the right consistency.
Chilli flakes
If you’d like this dish to be a little spicier, you have the option of adding chilli flakes to it as it cooks.
How to make a ‘slurry’
This is a trick to thicken the sauce without ending up with floury lumps.
First you add cornflour to a small bowl, mug or jug, then use a little liquid from the sauce (a spoonful or two) to mix the cornflour into a paste consistency. Add that back into the sauce and stir.
Serving suggestions
This would be great with rice, noodles or/and vegetables on the side.
FAQs
Yes, you can leave the cashews out altogether if you’re nut-free.
Yes, you can use a meat free mince alternative cooked according to pack instructions, adding the sauce as usual.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Cashew Chicken Stir Fry {15 Minute Meal}
Ingredients
- 100 g Cashew nuts
- 1 tbsp Sunflower oil
- 500 g Chicken mince
- 4 tsp Garlic, See notes
- 3 tsp Ginger puree, See notes
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp Cornflour
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1/4 tbsp Black pepper
- Pinch of chilli flakes, Optional
- 100 ml Water
To garnish:
- Sesame seeds, Optional
Instructions
- Toast the cashews in a dry large saucepan or frying pan until golden, stirring frequently. Remove them from the pan and set aside.
- Using the same pan, add the oil over a medium high heat and add the mince. Break up the mince as it cooks with a wooden spoon.
- Cook the mince until browned all over (approx 5-7 minutes), then add the garlic and ginger. Cook for a further 5 minutes.
- While this is cooking, make up the sauce by putting the cornflour in a jug or bowl and gradually mixing in the soy sauce (this is called a 'slurry' – see notes). Add in the other ingredients and stir until smooth.
- Turn the heat up to high, pour in the sauce and add the toasted cashews.
- Stir well so everything is fully coated in the sauce, and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve over rice and vegetables, sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Quick, easy and very tasty.
Made this evening, so quick, easy and delicious. A brilliant Friday night fake away. Thanks for the recipe
Honestly one of the nicest fakeaways I’ve made myself. Having a small baby I need quick, easy meals and this is both of those things but it’s also absolutely delicious. 100/10 would recommend to a friend!
gorgeous!
Oh we have a VERY happy husband patting his belly saying this is a new favourite! Bravo!
Delicious thank you
Omg so easy and so good.