Paleo Mango Cashew Chicken

Mango cashew chicken made in only 30 minutes! This soy-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free take on cashew chicken is clean, healthful, and better than takeout!

Does cashew chicken remind you of all those nights you sauntered up to Panda Express at 9:38pm and ordered yourself a 2-entrée meal with fried rice and a side of chow mein because there was no way in hells bells you’d be able to choose between the two after your brain experienced 12 hours-worth of mind meld college lecture, and using your think tank always makes you haaaaangry so you’d need As Much Food As Possible (AMFAP) to enjoy while watching 5 episodes of Dexter prior to passing out in a PE food coma only to wake up the next day and do it all over again?  Cause that’s what it reminds me of. And yes, that was the longest run-on sentence in history of The Roasted Root, hashag thanyouverymuch.

Cashew chicken may remind me of my college days of Chinese takeout, but haste: this recipe is clearly on the healthful side of takeout fakeout. First, there’s nothing fried, over-oiled, MSG’d, or HFCS’d about it. And then we add the mango. Because mangos are scrambunctious. And in season. And they’re 5 for $5…we never pass up the 1:1 deal.

This Cashew Chicken plus a side salad (all feeding times require greenery!  Never skip a green is my motto < – – – that’s actually not my motto, but Kermit the Frog would be proud) will do wonders for your week night eating.

The recipe is quicker than quick to put together. When you’re fungry (Note: fungry is NOT “fun” and “hungry” put together. That is not what that word means) and you need AMFAP ASAP, this recipe is your jam. I made this meal in about 5 seconds flat. And by that, I mean 30 minutes.

You can do this any ol’ night of the week and still have time to watch 5 episodes of Dexter.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups fresh mango, chopped
• 1 cup cashews
• 1/3 cup coconut aminos*
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened creamy almond butter
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together the coconut aminos, orange zest, maple syrup, almond butter, and chili garlic sauce until well combined. Set aside.
2. Add olive oil to a large wok or frying pan and heat to medium.
3. Add the carrot and sauté until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the bell pepper and garlic and sauté another 3 minutes
5. Add the chopped raw chicken and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Increase the heat to medium high and add the liquid aminos sauce and continue cooking, stirring frequently, allowing the mixture to come to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
7. Add the chopped mango and cashews. Stir well and cook just until heated through.
8. Serve the cashew chicken over cauliflower rice.

*You can replace aminos with low sodium soy sauce if you’re okay with the recipe not being paleo