Description
This Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken recipe offers a deliciously tender and flavorful chicken dish cooked to perfection with a tangy and sweet sauce, enhanced by the crunch of cashews. Perfect for an easy, hands-off meal that pairs wonderfully with rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 4 pieces, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
Sauce
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Other
- 1 cup cashews
Instructions
- Coat the Chicken: Combine cornstarch and black pepper in a resealable food storage bag. Add the chicken pieces and shake well to evenly coat them with the cornstarch mixture.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces for about 2 minutes on each side until lightly golden. Transfer the browned chicken into the slow cooker.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, sweet chili sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, red pepper flakes, and cashews. Pour this sauce mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker, ensuring the chicken is well coated. For softer cashews, add them now; if you prefer crunchy cashews, add them just before serving.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours until the chicken is tender and cooked through, and the flavors have melded.
- Serve: Spoon the cashew chicken over steamed rice and serve warm. This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.
Notes
- For crunchier cashews, add them right before serving rather than during cooking.
- Can substitute chicken thighs for a juicier result but adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Serve with steamed white or brown rice for a complete meal.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to your preferred level of spiciness.
- Use low sodium soy sauce to control salt levels in the dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 cup)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
