Skip the takeout and let your slow cooker do all the work with this easy Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken recipe! Tender bites of chicken simmer in a rich, savory-sweet sauce that's packed with flavor, then are finished with crunchy cashews for the perfect texture.
It's an effortless weeknight dinner that's even better served over a bed of fluffy rice or noodles. With simple pantry ingredients and minimal prep, this homemade version is a family-friendly meal you'll want to add to your regular dinner rotation.
A while back, I found this amazing recipe on Pinterest that involved two of my favorite foods - cashews and chicken. This recipe is perfect because it is made in a slow cooker.
Making this dish is very very simple. Just put all your ingredients in the slow cooker and it does the job. You can serve this with a side of roasted broccoli and sticky rice for the perfect well-balanced Asian meal. It is a dish the whole family will love and appreciate.
Of course, you can also make this in an Instant Pot if you want or need dinner on the table in under an hour.
Why This Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken is Delicious
If you like softer cashews you can add them during the cooking process. However, if you want more of a crunch, add the crunchy cashews right before serving. I did both and then a sprinkling of green onions and sesame seeds to finish it off. The cashews are the best part!
This is one of the best meals I have ever eaten. I am getting back into my cooking mode lately. Making delicious food for you is something I truly enjoy.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did! This recipe reminds me of my Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken dish.
How to Make Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
A simple slow cooker meal is just what the doctor ordered. For this recipe, you need the following list of ingredients --
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
- 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil or you can use sesame oil if you prefer
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 4 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 4 Tablespoons ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup cashews
Combine the cornstarch and pepper in a Ziplock freezer bag. Add the chicken pieces. Shake to coat with cornstarch mixture.
Heat oil in the skillet over medium-high heat on the stove top. Brown chicken for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Place chicken in the slow cooker.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl -- soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sweet chili sauce sugar, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and cashews. Next, pour them over the chicken. If you are not a fan of cashews, you can swap them out for water chestnuts.
Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Serve this slow cooker recipe with a side of white rice, brown rice, or my favorite -- Fried Rice. You could even add some bok choy for more of an International flare.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and reheat the next day for another great meal.
Check out these other crockpot recipes
Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
This is the perfect chicken dish for a take on something totally different and delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, About 4 pieces
- 3 Tablespoons Cornstach
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 4 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 4 Tablespoons ketchup
- 2 Tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup cashews
Instructions
- Combine cornstarch and pepper in resealable food storage bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with cornstarch mixture.
- Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker.
- Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sweet chili sauce sugar, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and cashews in small bowl; pour over chicken.
- Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.
- Serve over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 340Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 1144mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 39g
Holy delicious slow cooker nom noms, Batman. I can't wait to make this. Cashews are my favorite nut.
@Jennifer, haha love your comment!! 😉
Thanks!
That sounds delicious. I love meals like this that I can make early in the day and let cook in my crock pot.
That looks amazing. We're eating less pork and beef, so I'm always on the lookout for more chicken recipes. Thanks for this.
That looks amazing! I don't have a slow cooker anymore, I will have to see if there is a way to try this without a slow cooker.
This looks delicious and I love the added crunch from the cashews. This is a must try for me.
What a lovely, but different recipe. This is something I would really enjoy. I will have to try it out! So different than anything I've ever made!
Wow, this looks amazing! I'm going to have to save this recipe because I need to make it asap. I honestly can't wait to try it. Yum!
Oh this look delicious. I will try this receipe this week. Thanks for sharing.
Now this sounds awesome. I'd love to try making this for my boyfriend and I one of these night.
I have never tried cashews with chicken before! It sounds so delicious, I will have to try it out.
That looks yummy! I wonder if my kids would like this!
Looks great. I'm always looking for new slow cooker recipes.
I love using my slow cooker to make dinners! This sounds like a great recipe to try, Cashew chicken is is one of our favorite dinners.
I am putting this on my list of things to make right now! We love dishes like this!
Cashew chicken is one of my favorite restaurant dishes! If it's this easy to make in the slow cooker, I'm sold!
I love to use my slow cooker. It is a great way to have a delicious meal ready when you get home from work. I will be trying this recipe on the weekend.
This looks like a delicious dish. I use my slow cooker a few times a week. I will have to give this recipe a try. I think it wil be a big hit in my house.
I will have to get the ingredients i need to make this tomorrow for dinner. I am always looking for new slow cooker recipes to try.
this dish looks amazing. i love entrees that have nuts in them. yum
I could eat cashews all day long! This recipe looks absolutely mouth watering!
My hubby LOVES cashews and chives. The photos are so appetizing and your slow cooker cashew chicken recipe looks amazing so I'm definitely going to try making this for my family.
I need to try this because Cashew Chicken is one of my favorite things to get at P.F. Changs.
This cooked way faster than 3-4 hours. I turned it down to warm after 2 hours and by 3 hours it had started burning. Just an FYI for everyone I would keep an eye on it while cooking it.
One question about the Cashews... are they raw or roasted used in this recipe?
They are raw
So, I'm guessing about 1/3-1/2 cup of green onions? As a garnish after it's cooked? It's not in the ingredients, just in the picture.
Yes. The green onions are just for garnish.