An easy Crock Pot Cashew Chicken recipe made with clean ingredients for a wholesome meal. This easy recipe turns out tasting like your favorite authentic takeout, and is simple to meal prep in bulk.
For my fellow Chinese food lovers, this easy slow cooker cashew chicken recipe is simple to prepare and just as tasty as takeout!
It features an easy sauce made with fresh ingredients, tender chicken and snappy vegetables for an all star dinner recipe. Enjoy it with steamed white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a complete meal!
The best part? My version is perfect for all kinds of eaters, including those with dietary restrictions. I make it gluten-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free and paleo friendly, and have included ingredient substitutions for options otherwise.
This easy dump-and-go slow cooker recipe couldn’t be any easier. Simply toss all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and you’re ready to go!
Also try my Crock Pot Mongolian Beef if you’re into Asian-style dinner recipes!
Let’s discuss the wholesome ingredients for this easy recipe!
Ingredients for Crock Pot Cashew Chicken:
Boneless Chicken Thighs: The star of the show! Boneless chicken thighs remain tender during the cooking process and serve as the high protein main event. While chicken breast works too, they become dry and chalky during the cooking process.
Onion and Fresh Garlic Cloves: Adding a big canvas of flavor, onion and garlic are all star players in any savory dinner recipe.
Fresh Ginger: Ginger adds a subtle kick of heat and unique flavor that can’t be easily replicated.
Coconut Aminos: Similar to soy sauce, coconut aminos bring rich umami flavor, but they also add natural sweetness for a sweet and savory sauce. Coconut aminos are found next to the soy sauce at the grocery store.
Rice Vinegar: Brings a little tangy flavor for a sour element. You can also use fresh lime juice, rice wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar here.
Fish Sauce: While optional, fish sauce adds rich flavor and saltiness. Skip it if you don’t have it on hand.
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, Regular Flour, or Corn Starch: Used to thicken the sauce. I use gluten-free all-purpose flour, but tapioca flour, regular all-purpose flour, and corn starch all work.
Red Bell Pepper and Broccoli: Some fresh vegetables to bring a refreshing element to the main dish and some fiber and micronutrients. Green bell peppers work too.
Raw Cashews: The main ingredient in any cashew chicken recipe! We need raw cashews to bring a soft nutty crunch to the dish.
Sea Salt: Season to taste using salt and black pepper.
Recipe Customizations:
- Swap the coconut aminos with ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce and 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup or brown sugar if you don’t need the recipe to be soy-free.
- Add in your favorite vegetables. Carrots, zucchini, bok choy, cauliflower, green beans, and snap peas are all great options.
- For a little kick of spice, add red pepper flakes.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s make this slow cooker cashew chicken recipe!
How to Make Crock Pot Cashew Chicken:
Add the chopped chicken thighs, onion, garlic, ginger, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, and fish sauce to your slow cooker and give everything a big stir. Secure the lid and cook on high heat for 2 hours, or until the chicken pieces are tender and cooked through.
Stir in the flour until combined, then stir in the chopped broccoli, red bell pepper, and cashews. Cook on low heat for 30 more minutes.
For low heat, cook for 4 to 5 hours, and add the veggies in when there is one hour of cook time remaining. Taste the chicken for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to your personal taste.
Serve cashew chicken with white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice, and enjoy! You can sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions on top of the finished product if you’d like.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze this easy crockpot recipe in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Recipe Tips:
- For crunchy cashews, you can toast the cashews in a skillet or roast them in the oven and add them in just before serving.
- For thicker sauce, use 3 tablespoons of flour.
And that’s it! The next time you’re craving takeout, set up this easy crockpot cashew chicken recipe!
It makes enough to feed a big family, or prepared multiple meals in advance for an excellent meal prep option.
If you enjoy making slow cooker dinner recipes, also try out these reader favorites!
More Slow Cooker Recipes:
- Crock Pot Chicken and Apples
- Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken
- Crock Pot Shredded Korean BBQ Beef
- Slow Cooker Asian Beef Short Ribs
- Crock Pot Chicken Birria Tacos
- Slow Cooker Pork Roast
- Crock Pot Chicken Stew
Enjoy your favorite Chinese takeout in the comfort of your own home!
Crock Pot Cashew Chicken Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 to 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs chopped
- ½ yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger peeled and grated
- ¾ cup coconut aminos*
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tsp fish sauce optional
- 2 Tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour regular all-purpose flour, corn starch, or tapioca flour
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 large crown broccoli chopped into florets
- ⅔ cup raw cashews
- 1 tsp sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the chopped chicken thighs, onion, garlic, ginger, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, and fish sauce to your slow cooker and give everything a big stir. Secure the lid and cook on high heat for 2 hours, or until the chicken pieces are tender and cooked through.
- Stir in the flour until combined, then stir in the chopped broccoli, red bell pepper, and cashews. Cook on low heat for 30 more minutes.
- Note: For low heat, cook for 4 to 5 hours, and add the veggies in when there is one hour of cook time remaining. Taste the chicken for flavor and add sea salt and black pepper to your personal taste.
- Serve cashew chicken with white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice, and enjoy!
P.S. -I made it again last night- it is possible to overcook this meal. Had a neighbor stop by to get car help when I was going to put supper on.
Even though I had turned the heat on my crockpot to low for the 90 minutes hubby was helping- the chicken and broccoli got too soft losing the perfect texture cashew chicken is known for.
Thank you for sharing this, Annie! I’ve noticed the timing is key for this recipe, too. I sometimes find it is easier to make it on the stove top to avoid any texture issues, although it adds a little bit of labor to the prep. 🙂
Oh my- but this is fabulously delicious.
I did add a rib of celery- just because I had it and love it.
Have had a hankering for a comfort food on this really cold day. But feeling rather lazy and wanted EASY!! The prep is snap and crockpot cooking doesn’t get easier. Smells absolutely delicious!!
Thanks Julia, for another winning meal. Definitely far better priced than going to our local Chinese Restaurant and getting growled at by the owner who behaves as though the world owes her a living Ang charges that way. Don’t even get a thank you there. Hubby thanked me a half dozen times for making it.
I love the idea of adding celery! This is a fabulous idea for anyone who has it…I always need to find placements for celery because it comes in such a large bunch, so here we go! So happy to hear you found the recipe easy to prepare and that your husband enjoys it too. Much love, Annie!