Chinese takeout is one of my biggest guilty pleasures. On extra lazy nights, my go-to is one of two things: pizza or takeout. Both so yummy and both so satisfying!
Howevvvver, there is a caveat to this! I always feel kinda gross and heavy afterwards. My skin feels greasy after eating the greasy Chinese food, and I’m always so dang thirsty from all that sodium.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I will continue to order takeout every now and then because #balance and #takeoutisstillbae. BUT – if you want the classic takeout flavors with a much, much healthier spin, I’ve got you covered!
I can say this with TOTAL and complete honesty – this cashew chicken tastes so much like the takeout classic that it will completely wipe out that craving and not leave you wanting the “legit” version – promise!
It’s crazy flavorful and – most importantly – it’s saucy. A lot of the time, when you make Chinese food at home, it doesn’t have that delicious, flavorful sauciness that you know and love from your local takeout joint.
BUT – thissss. This is super saucy, the chicken is tender, the broccoli has a yummy crunch, and the cashews have softened a bit from the sauce (which I LOVE). It’s honestly just heaven, you guys.
So, let’s talk details here real quick. All that’s in the stir fry itself is chicken and broccoli, and then at the end when we’re adding the sauce, we also throw in the cashews and water chestnuts. Speaking of the sauce…here’s what we’ve got:
- Coconut aminos
- Broth (veggie or chicken – either works)
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Sesame oil
- Arrowroot powder
SO GOOD, PEOPLE.
Arrowroot powder is a thickener like cornstarch, but it’s whole 30 approved and cornstarch isn’t. I actually prefer the texture of a sauce or soup thickened with arrowroot versus cornstarch, but that’s just me!
Whole 30 Cashew Chicken
This whole 30 and paleo approved cashew chicken will satisfy even the WORST takeout craving!!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the stir fry
- 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and diced into bite sized pieces (about 2.5 pounds after trimmed)
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 head broccoli, chopped into small florets
- 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- Sliced green onions (optional garnish)
For the sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup veggie or chicken broth
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled finely minced*
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
Instructions
- Add some avocado oil (or other high heat oil – coconut would work) in a large skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add your chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and just cooked through. Remove to a plate
- In the same pan your chicken cooked in, add some more oil and then add your broccoli and onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the veggies have softened but the broccoli still has some bite.
- Meanwhile, make your sauce: whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl and set aside
- When your veggies are almost ready, add your chicken back to the pan and then add your sauce. Cook for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened and the garlic/ginger has had a chance to soften a bit. Won’t take more than a minute or two!
- Stir in your cashews and water chestnuts, season to taste, and serve!
Notes
Optional topping is sliced green onions. I like to serve this over cauliflower rice!
*Ginger tip: freeze it! I always have ginger in my freezer. It makes it last forever, AND it makes it easy to peel and mince or grate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6
- Calories: 416
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 544 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 175 mg
If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and tag @thegarlicdiaries so I can see!
Thanks for posting! Tried this out tonight and it was a fast favourite. I anticipate this recipe will become a go-to for me!
Yay! So glad this recipe was hit for you, Courtney!
Hello Annie I was looking for a nice coconut aminos recipe and stumble upon this recipe. It was really delicious :D I replace the cashews with more mushrooms and it still turned out awesome
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