Description
Jessica’s Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken is a vibrant and flavorful one-pan meal featuring tender chicken breasts marinated in a savory-sweet sauce, roasted alongside colorful bell peppers, red onion, and crunchy cashews. This easy-to-make recipe combines Asian-inspired flavors, including soy sauce, honey, ginger, and sesame oil, and is perfect served over fluffy brown or white rice for a complete, satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Marinade & Sauce
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (or regular sesame oil)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
Vegetables & Protein
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into large chunks
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped into large chunks
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped into large chunks
- 1 red onion, chopped into large chunks
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews
To Serve
- Cooked brown or white rice
- Chopped fresh scallions or chives
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it reaches the right temperature for roasting the vegetables and chicken evenly.
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, and freshly grated ginger until well combined. This sauce will add a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors.
- Roast the vegetables: Arrange the chopped red, orange, and yellow bell peppers along with the red onion on a baking sheet. Pour half of the prepared sauce over the vegetables and toss them well to coat. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast for 15 minutes to soften and caramelize the veggies.
- Marinate the chicken: While the vegetables roast, place the chicken pieces in a bowl and cover them with the remaining half of the sauce. Let the chicken soak in the marinade to absorb the flavors.
- Add chicken and cashews to the pan: After 15 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Push the roasted vegetables to one side of the pan to create space. Lay the marinated chicken pieces evenly on the open side of the sheet and scatter the raw unsalted cashews alongside them.
- Roast chicken and cashews: Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast for an additional 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked (internal temperature should reach 165°F) and the cashews are lightly toasted.
- Combine and serve: Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Toss the chicken, vegetables, and cashews together on the pan to mix flavors. Serve the mixture hot over cooked brown or white rice, and garnish with chopped fresh scallions or chives and toasted sesame seeds for added crunch and aroma.
Notes
- You can substitute the chicken breasts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs for a juicier result.
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce alternative.
- Be sure not to overcrowd the baking sheet to ensure even roasting of the vegetables and chicken.
- Adjust the honey amount if you prefer a less sweet sauce.
- If you want extra heat, add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
