30 Minute Cashew Chicken

I’m currently in the midst of an inner battle with myself:

Stay on keto for the holidays or indulge?

I’ve got grand plans for holiday cooking. I’m talking lists, Pinterest boards, research, recipes pulled from my family recipe boxes…all in preparation for holiday baking and cooking. There’s cookies, pies, candies, sweet treats, side dishes…none of which fit into this diet.

I think I’m going to continue with keto for now, but when it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’m definitely going to feast on some mashed potatoes and stuffing and pecan pie. YOLO, am I right?

Do you plan on sticking to your diet through the holidays, or taking a break? I feel like a lot of people take a break and then pick up after the New Year. Might not be a bad idea!

For the next few weeks, I’ll be making holiday-type stuff to take to work for my colleagues, but I’ll still be eating keto for dinner and lunch. Will I have to try the treats I make? Of course. But one bite never hurt anyone. As long as I’m doing the keto thing 95% of the time, I think I’ll be a-okay.

I’ve had a pretty busy weekend so far—so I’ve needed to make some quick-and-easy meals for next week. This one is just about as easy as it gets! From chopping to serving, you only need 30 minutes out of your day to make this delectable dinner. I’m a cashew fiend and have been searching for a good cashew chicken recipe, and this one fits the bill.

Use boneless, skinless chicken thigh for the best flavor. I can sing the praises of chicken thighs enough! They don’t dry out as quickly as breasts do, and they honestly just taste better. You need to cook off the sauce for a bit in this recipe, so using chicken thighs makes sense; you won’t get that dry-and-rubbery chicken like you would with breasts.

I served this meal on a bed of cauliflower rice, but you can serve it with regular or brown rice. Make sure to save plenty of room for toppings: scallions, sesame seeds, and extra soy sauce & cashews. Everything is better with toppings!

30 Minute Cashew Chicken

• Servings: 4
• Time: 30 mins
• Difficulty: Easy
• Print

A quick, savory stovetop version of classic Chinese takeout.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1″ pieces
• 2 TBS. sesame oil
• 1 TBS. olive oil
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1 white onion, cut into chunks
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 3 green onions, sliced (save green slices for topping)
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• salt
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 TBS. rice wine vinegar
• 1 TBS. sambal oelek (chili garlic sauce/can use Sriracha)

Directions

1. Heat a large pan (no oil) over medium heat. Add cashews and toast for 1-2 minutes. Set cashews aside.
2. Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic powder and 1 tsp. ground ginger. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil & olive oil in large pan. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add onion, bell pepper, and green onions to skillet along with remaining sesame oil, ginger, sambal oelek, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
4. Pour in soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. Stir. Cook mixture for 10 minutes until sauce is reduced by half. Stir in toasted cashews.
5. Serve with sesame seeds, green onion tops, and extra cashews.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Heat a large pan (no oil) over medium heat. Add cashews and toast for 1-2 minutes. Set cashews aside.

Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, garlic powder and 1 tsp. ground ginger. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil & olive oil in large pan. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes.

Add onion, bell pepper, and green onions to skillet along with remaining sesame oil, ginger, sambal oelek, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Pour in soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. Stir. Cook mixture for 10 minutes until sauce is reduced by half.

Stir in toasted cashews.

Serve with sesame seeds, green onion tops, and extra cashews.