Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken Recipe

I created a Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken that pairs pantry staples with one unexpected ingredient to deliver restaurant quality results at home.

I’ve been chasing the perfect takeout swap for awhile and when I finally got a Crockpot Cashew Chicken that hit different, I nearly yelled. Using boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts with crunchy unsalted roasted cashews gives it this weirdly addictive combo of tender and crisp.

There’s a saucy thing going on that i still can’t fully explain, it tastes richer than you expect and you might find yourself seconds deep before noticing. This Cashew Chicken Recipe has flaws i’ve learned to live with, but it also has that one move that makes regular weeknights suddenly interesting.

Ingredients

• Main protein, fills you up, it’s savory and can be lean or juicy
• Creamy cashews add crunch, healthy fats, and a touch of sweetness
• Soy sauce gives salty umami depth, use low sodium to cut salt
• Hoisin brings thick sweet savory notes, adds rich complex flavor
• Rice vinegar adds bright tang, cuts richness and lifts the whole dish
• Brown sugar lends caramel sweetness, helps balance salty and sour flavors
• Garlic and ginger give warmth and zing, big on aroma and bite
• Cornstarch slurry thickens sauce fast, makes a glossy coating that clings

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 to 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 1 cup unsalted roasted cashews
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water (for slurry)
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced
• 3 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• Sesame seeds for garnish, optional
• Salt and black pepper to taste

How to Make this

1. Pat the chicken dry, cut into 1 to
1.5 inch pieces if you like bite size, season with salt and black pepper; if you want more flavor quickly, heat the sesame oil in a skillet and brown the chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side, scraping any browned bits into the slow cooker.

2. In a bowl whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, chicken broth, minced garlic, grated ginger, and the tablespoon of toasted sesame oil; add the crushed red pepper flakes now if you want a little kick.

3. Place the chicken and the sliced yellow onion in the slow cooker, pour the sauce over everything so it’s evenly coated.

4. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165 F.

5. Add the sliced red bell pepper about 30 to 45 minutes before the end of cooking so it stays a bit crisp, not mushy.

6. About 15 minutes before serving mix the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons of water until smooth, stir the slurry into the slow cooker, switch to high and let it cook 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.

7. Stir in the roasted cashews and most of the sliced green onions, cook another 3 to 5 minutes so the cashews warm but keep some crunch; taste and adjust salt and black pepper.

8. Serve over steamed rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds and the remaining green onions, add extra crushed red pepper if you like heat.

Equipment Needed

1. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
3. Mixing bowls, at least one big for the sauce and a small one for the cornstarch slurry
4. Whisk or fork for mixing the sauce
5. Skillet for quick browning of the chicken, optional but tasty
6. Slow cooker
7. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring
8. Tongs or a slotted spoon to move the chicken and peppers
9. Rice cooker or pot with lid for steaming rice
10. Instant read thermometer to make sure the chicken hits 165 F

FAQ

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Cashews: swap with 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts or almonds for similar crunch and flavor, or use 1 cup roasted sunflower seeds if you need a nut free option (note peanuts are legumes not tree nuts).
• Hoisin sauce: if you don’t have it mix 3 tbsp oyster sauce + 1 tbsp brown sugar + 1 tbsp soy sauce, or use 1/3 cup plum sauce or teriyaki sauce as an easy stand in.
• Rice vinegar: use equal parts apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar; if you only have lemon juice use about 2/3 the amount since it’s more acidic.
• Cornstarch: swap 1:1 with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch for a clear glossy sauce, or use about 4 tbsp all purpose flour mixed with cold water for a thicker, slightly cloudier finish.

Pro Tips

– Brown the chicken first if you can, even just a couple minutes per side, it gives way more flavor than tossing it in raw. Thighs forgive overcooking more than breasts so if you’re nervous use thighs, but if you use breasts watch em or theyll dry out.

– Keep crunchy things crunchy. Toast the cashews in a dry pan for a minute or two before adding them, and stir them in only at the end so they warm but dont go soggy. Same with the bell pepper add it late so it still has a bite.

– For a glossy thicker sauce dont dump all the slurry in at once, mix the cornstarch with cold water till smooth then add little by little while stirring, let it hit a simmer so it actually thickens. If its still thin you can scoop the sauce into a skillet and reduce it fast to concentrate flavor, works great.

– Taste and tweak near the end, low sodium stuff can make it bland so add salt or a splash of soy if needed, or a tiny bit more sugar or vinegar to balance sweet and tang. Fresh ginger or a squeeze of lime at the end brightens it up, dont skip the final taste check.

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken Recipe

Recipe by James Level

0.0 from 0 votes

I created a Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken that pairs pantry staples with one unexpected ingredient to deliver restaurant quality results at home.

Pin

Servings

4

servings

Calories

717

kcal

Equipment: 1. Cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
3. Mixing bowls, at least one big for the sauce and a small one for the cornstarch slurry
4. Whisk or fork for mixing the sauce
5. Skillet for quick browning of the chicken, optional but tasty
6. Slow cooker
7. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring
8. Tongs or a slotted spoon to move the chicken and peppers
9. Rice cooker or pot with lid for steaming rice
10. Instant read thermometer to make sure the chicken hits 165 F

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 to 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

• 1 cup unsalted roasted cashews

• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

• 1/3 cup hoisin sauce

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 2 tablespoons water (for slurry)

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 1 small yellow onion, sliced

• 3 green onions, sliced (for garnish)

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

• Sesame seeds for garnish, optional

• Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

• Pat the chicken dry, cut into 1 to
• 5 inch pieces if you like bite size, season with salt and black pepper; if you want more flavor quickly, heat the sesame oil in a skillet and brown the chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side, scraping any browned bits into the slow cooker.
• In a bowl whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, chicken broth, minced garlic, grated ginger, and the tablespoon of toasted sesame oil; add the crushed red pepper flakes now if you want a little kick.
• Place the chicken and the sliced yellow onion in the slow cooker, pour the sauce over everything so it's evenly coated.
• Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165 F.
• Add the sliced red bell pepper about 30 to 45 minutes before the end of cooking so it stays a bit crisp, not mushy.
• About 15 minutes before serving mix the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons of water until smooth, stir the slurry into the slow cooker, switch to high and let it cook 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Stir in the roasted cashews and most of the sliced green onions, cook another 3 to 5 minutes so the cashews warm but keep some crunch; taste and adjust salt and black pepper.
• Serve over steamed rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds and the remaining green onions, add extra crushed red pepper if you like heat.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 410g
• Total number of serves: 4
• Calories: 717kcal
• Fat: 27.5g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Polyunsaturated: 5g
• Monounsaturated: 15g
• Cholesterol: 190mg
• Sodium: 750mg
• Potassium: 830mg
• Carbohydrates: 31g
• Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 13g
• Protein: 78g
• Vitamin A: 750IU
• Vitamin C: 38mg
• Calcium: 30mg
• Iron: 2.7mg