Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
This Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken is full of flavor. All of the work is done in the slow cooker for an easy quick chicken dinner that can be prepped in minutes. Tender homemade cashew chicken topped with crunchy cashews.
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EASY CASHEW CHICKEN RECIPE
People think that just because I have a food blog that I’m an amazing cook who has dinner perfectly plated on a perfectly set table every night of the week. Oh, I wish that was the case.
I have flops. This week alone I tried five recipes and only two I can say were worth keeping. I misread recipes. I forget entire ingredients.
My son twists the knob on the oven to BROIL and next thing you know dinner is burnt.
I will say that since I do cook a lot, I’ve learned tips and tricks along the way to know what works and what doesn’t.
My friend always tells me that she’s intimidated to have me over for dinner. Oh please. If I didn’t have to cook it, it will be the best meal I’ve ever tasted.
I realize by saying that is sounds like I hate cooking which I don’t. I just don’t love getting a dinner on the table every night that will most likely elicit a complaint from at least one child.
I do love trying new recipes. I do love making cookies in the middle of the day just because I’m craving a bite of dough. I do love making something that as soon as I taste it, I know will be a family favorite. THAT…I love.
RICE VINEGAR VS RICE WINE VINEGAR
The key difference between rice wine vinegar and rice vinegar lies in the fermentation process. Rice wine vinegar is made by fermenting rice wine, while rice vinegar is directly produced from fermented rice. They are not the same but can be used in place of each other although the taste might be slightly different. Rice vinegar is a tad sweeter than rice wine vinegar used in this recipe.
This recipe is SO, SO easy. It’s seriously prepped in ten minutes for those busy weeknights! You will love it. You can use chicken breasts if you want. The savory sauce ingredients are super simple.
LOW-CARB
For a low-carb option serve over cauliflower rice.
CAN I MAKE THIS IN THE INSTANT POT?
Yes. See notes in the recipe below.
OTHER CHICKEN RECIPES
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Chicken Parmesan Roll Ups
- Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
- One-Pan Creamy Chicken and Spinach
- Chicken Salad
- Baked Chicken Chimichangas
- Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole
Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or canola oil
For the sauce:
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger, (see note)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup cashews
Instructions
- For the chicken: Combine the flour and black pepper in large Ziploc bag. Add the chicken and shake to coat with flour mixture. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker.
- FOR THE SAUCE: Note: If you like it really saucy over rice, consider doubling the sauce. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken. Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours. Add cashews and stir. Serve over white rice.
- INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS: Combine sauce in step two and add to the instant pot. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Lock the lid and turn valve to "sealing". Set the manual/pressure cook button to 6 minutes on high pressure. Turn the valve to venting. After pressure has released, remove the lid. In a small bowl, make a slurry with 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Stir into the instant pot and turn on the Sautee function for 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add cashews and stir. Serve over rice. Garnish with green onions or chopped cilantro if desired.
I don t use much ginger either. Trader Joe’s sells frozen ginger.; cubes in a little tray – great to always have on hand.
Love love love. Halved the recipe and made 3 portions. Sweet, nutty and on point. Thank you x
You’re welcome!
I wish I had read the comments before making this. A great, easy recipe idea and I can see it being very tasty but I too doubled the sauce and found this inedibly salty. I also found the cooking time too long. I cooked on low for the longer end of the 4-5 hours because I doubled the recipe (4 lbs of chicken) and the chicken was falling apart — not in a good way but in a stringy, mushy way like it was trying to be pulled pork for sandwiches. Not exactly appetizing over rice. I added some orange juice and molasses per Internet suggestions to cut saltiness, and rinsed my salted cashews before adding them — but it’s still too salty. I really hope the unseasoned rice and broccoli I’m serving it with will balance out the flavor.
Hello! Would the cooking time be the same for chopped chicken breasts? I plan on making this for tomorrow’s dinner with, oh dare I say… Coconut Jasmine rice 🙂
It would definitely not be as long for cut up chicken. Probably about an hour less depending on your slow cooker.
I just recently discovered your website and immediately found several recipes I wanted to try. Cooking used to intimidate me a great deal and I am always on the lookout for easy recipes. I am so happy to report that this cashew chicken (which is one of my favorite dishes) is not only easy but so tasty. I agree with another reviewer that doubling the sauce was a bit salty for me, so I appreciate the suggestion to use part water…however, my husband and kids loved it as is. I will definitely make this again. Many thanks to The Girl Who Ate Everything!
I doubled the sauce so I’d have enough to pour over rice and HOLY COW, it was ridiculously salty. I even used low sodium soy sauce. Next time I’ll do 50% soy sauce and 50% water. Other than that it was very good and easy. I did brown the chicken first although I’d like it try not doing that next time to see if it makes a difference.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! Im already dreaming about when I can make it again! You have so many terrific recipes and I know they will be an instant hit whenever I make one. Thank you!
Aww. Thank you Heather.
I’ve seen cashew chicken recipes before but have never attempted any as they all seemed too much of a hassle.. this one looks a lot simpler in terms of ingredients and looks so good! I wonder if ground ginger works just as well? I tend to buy ground just in terms of that it lasts longer and easier to use..:/
Yes, I would totally use ground. I’m with you on that…
I do not have a slow cookery (unfortunately)… Do you have any suggestions as to how i could make this recipe without one? Thank you!
You could bake it as well. I would assume 30-45 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees would work.
Oh! and I wanted to pass along my ginger hint. It freezes well and is easy to grate frozen. I buy a piece of ginger, peel it and cut it into 2″-4″ chunks, put it in a labeled zipper bag, and when I need fresh ginger just pull a piece out.
We had this tonight for dinner and it was delicious! My sauce wasn’t very thick so I added a little cornstarch and it was just right. Thanks for the yummy crockpot recipe!
First of all love your blog! Thank you for being such a trusted source for wonderul recipes.
For this recipe, is there a subsitute for rice wine vinegar? I don’t have it and can’t see it at my store.
Thanks!
Caroline,
Any vinegar will do. Red wine vinegar or just white is fine…
Do you think this would work with bone-in chicken?
I’m sure it would work!
Made this for the group I cook for on Mondays – it was a BIG hit! Loved it!!
The last three posts are obviously advertisements. Delete ’em! Jackasses!
Or you can freeze a root. It’s easier to grate while frozen too:)
I found this recipe on pinterest and mqade it tonight with a side of bok choy and broccoli with basmatti rice. I’m confessing to already digging into the crockpot to try it. Very yummy! Thanks!
Just wanted to let you know, that you can buy fresh ginger and freeze it. Just make sure to cut it into chunks. Take out one chunk, let thaw for a few minutes, scrape away skin with spoon or knife, then grate what you need. If there is any left just throw back into the freeze. It last a long time this way.
Loved this! I cut the thighs in half or thirds because I like smaller pieces and used fresh ginger (I always keep ginger in the freezer, just cut off what I need. The piece I used from the freezer was from over a year ago and it was just as fragrant as fresh!) and it was AMAZING. Added a tiny bit of honey at the end and a bit of water to it about 3/4 of the way through cooking because the sauce seemed to be getting a little too thick and it was really perfect in the end. Very rarely does a recipe come out perfectly the first time and this was one of the few!
Sorry that posted twice. The test might mention that the 2 words have to be written as a single word (no space).
You can also keep fresh ginger in a jar or container peeled and cut into pieces and covered with sherry to preserve it. Remove and cut up as much as you want to use.
You can also chop up fresh ginger in usable size pieces and put in a jar with sherry. It will keep for a long time.
i made this last night and just ate the leftovers (only because i made a ton) for lunch. delicious! i love your recipes. that is all. =) – danielle
I completely relate to everything you said! My daughters are older, so this sauce will be yummy over a shredded rotissere chicken from Costco and some rice! (That’s how your cooking morphs when your kids are at 2 different schools.) :p Thx! Luv your blog & made the salted carmel cupcakes last night… fantastic!
I don’t love thigh meat but it was wonderful. So flavorful. It was a little spicy, next time I may cut the red pepper flakes a bit.
This looks really yummy! I wish I could make things like this but I don’t think my hubby would be too thrilled. Oh well! I love listening to pandora when I cook too!! Lately I’ve been cranking up my good old Johnny Cash station hehe
This looks delicious! I love slow cooker recipes too.
I made this last night using breast tenderloins which worked well. Looked beautiful and my husband and his friend loved it. For me it was a little too salty. I had to triple the sauce because my slow cooker is large and it would’ve been too dry. I would try maybe replacing some or all of the soy with hoisin sauce or thinning out a little with chicken broth to cut the salt. I topped with sliced green onions before serving which I think added to the flavor. Needs tweaking but definite possibilities.
I made this for dinner today. Delicious. I think the browning adds to the flavor. I don’t love thigh meat but it was wonderful. So flavorful. It was a little spicy, next time I may cut the red pepper flakes a bit.
I’m all about fresh ginger, I store it in the freezer and just grate what I need with my microplane. Then I throw it back in the freezer until next time.
Thanks for a great recipe.
I literally *just* saw a cashew chicken recipe on another food site today. That version used condensed soup and was baked. I love that this version is whipped up in the crock-pot and has no icky soups! And I am always looking for new recipes to try with chicken thighs since they are usually cheaper than breasts and *someone* in my house doesn’t particularly care for them!
Thanks Christy!!! you’re awesome.
You should absolutely use fresh ginger . Just tear off a chunk, take home and freeze (undo not need to peel) just grate straight into recipes. Fresh ginger is the best! (or frozen) no pastes, or powder.
@Karen, You’re totally right. I’ll update my source!!!
Totally my recipe first!!! 🙂 I love this one and it remains one of my favorites to this day. here is the original link: http://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/2009/12/day-336-cashew-chicken.html
The six sisters changed it to breasts but I prefer the thighs.
When I buy fresh ginger, I too just break off a smallish piece but then I freeze what I don’t use. You just have to peel the ginger completely then toss in a freezer bag in your freezer until you need it again. Then instead of chopping just grate the amount you need (no need to thaw either) and toss back in the freezer, it will last a couple months this way.
YUMM!! If you do decide to buy some fresh ginger i’ve got LOTS of recipes and things to do with it! {we are mildly obsessed with ginger in my house these days!!} Its actually a natural pain killer…so if you need something to take the edge off…just boil slices in water and drink the tea!!
CHeers
~ Jillian
http://www.hersplitends.com
Ginger tea is really healthy. Adding a bit of honey makes your tea tastier.
The everyday’s cooking is the most difficult job of a woman (or a man).
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Sounds delicious!!! I love cashew chicken!!
Sounds yummy! My hubby not fond of chicken thighs either, but they are so much cheaper and in a dish like this he prob won’t notice.
Cashew chicken is one of my favorite dishes. I will definitely have to try this. i am not sure about my kids, though. If nuts even touch their food they don’t want it and not because they are allergic. At least I know how to keep their paws off my ice cream and my brownies. 🙂
Whenever I have to buy fresh ginger for a recipe I just break off about a 1 inch piece of ginger off the big ginger roots in the store. They weigh it like other produce and it usually comes to about 20 cents. You don’t have to buy the big root!
I totally agree with everything you said! I was telling some friends of mine recently that I can’t make a very basic dish and they both said ‘but you can make anything!’ And there are days when the last thing I want to do is cook. But I’m always up for making cookies just to have a bite of dough 😉
I must say that I hate slow cooker recipes where you have to brown the food before putting it in the slow cooker. I have made some without actually doing that and they were fine. This one though, I may give a try. Thanks for the ginger tip too!
Other people said they’ve made this without browning and I agree that I’m not sure the browning changes the end result they much.
Actually the best way to ALWAYS have fresh ginger on hand is to buy a piece, peel it and place i freezer bag and freeze. Next time you need it, si ply pull out, grate desired amount and put back in freezer. Grating while frozen is very easy.