Crispy Asian-Style Cashew Chicken Recipe

Why You’ll Love This this Crispy Asian-Style Cashew Chicken

This crispy cashew chicken gives you that perfect restaurant-style crunch without the deep fryer drama, because to be truthful, nobody wants oil splattering all over their kitchen.

The combination of tender chicken coated in hoisin sauce and wheat germ creates this amazing golden crust that stays crispy even when you toss it with the glossy teriyaki sauce.

Plus, with snap peas, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots adding all that satisfying crunch, every bite feels like a little celebration of textures and flavors.

Ingredients List

You’ll be amazed at how simple this ingredient list really is, considering how restaurant-worthy this dish turns out.

• 1 1/3 cups uncooked long-grain rice (brown if you prefer)
• 1 2/3 cups water or chicken stock
• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Hoisin sauce
• Wheat germ or breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1/4 cup cashews, chopped in pieces
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil (or veggie oil)
• 1/2 lb snap peas
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and quartered
• 1 (8 ounce) can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Lemon wedge

A few ingredient notes worth mentioning:

• The wheat germ coating is actually the secret healthy hero here, packed with vitamin E and fiber instead of just empty carbs from regular breadcrumbs.
• Using brown rice bumps up the fiber content greatly, though white rice works just fine if that’s what you’ve got.
• All those canned vegetables might seem a bit processed, but they’re actually loaded with nutrients and way more convenient than fresh when you’re juggling a busy weeknight.
• The cashews bring healthy fats and protein to the party, making this dish more filling and nutritionally balanced than your typical takeout.

Step by Step Directions

This crispy cashew chicken recipe delivers restaurant-quality results with a simple step-by-step process that takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. For the best flavor, consider using freshly ground spices with an electric spice grinder to enhance your homemade teriyaki and hoisin sauce blends.

• Prepare the rice: Cook 1 1/3 cups long-grain rice in 1 2/3 cups water or chicken stock according to package directions.
• Prep the chicken: Rinse and dry 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts with paper towels, then coat thoroughly with hoisin sauce.
• Coat and cook chicken: Roll hoisin-coated chicken in wheat germ or breadcrumbs until well covered, then brown in a veggie oil-sprayed frying pan until cooked through.
• Crisp the chicken: Let chicken cool slightly, cut into bite-sized pieces, spread on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes until crispy.
• Toast the cashews: Add 1/4 cup chopped cashews to the cookie sheet during the last 3 minutes of baking time, then set both aside and keep warm.
• Make the sauce: Whisk together 1 cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce, 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until well blended.
• Cook the vegetables: Heat 2 teaspoons sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add 1/2 lb snap peas and cook for 3 minutes until tender-crisp, then stir in drained water chestnuts and bamboo shoots.
• Combine and thicken: Add sauce mixture to vegetables, cook until boiling and thickened while stirring frequently.
• Final assembly: Fold in the crispy chicken pieces, sprinkle with toasted cashews, and serve immediately over hot rice with lemon wedge garnish.

Substitutions and Variations

• Sauce adjustments: More teriyaki sauce makes it sweeter, extra hoisin adds depth, or a splash of sriracha brings the heat if your family can handle it.
• Shortcut version: Those frozen breaded chicken nuggets I mentioned? They’re not traditional, but sometimes convenience wins over authenticity, especially on a Tuesday night when everyone’s hangry.
• Gluten-free option: Use tamari instead of teriyaki sauce and coat your chicken in crushed rice crackers or gluten-free breadcrumbs – because dietary restrictions shouldn’t mean missing out on crispy goodness.

Additional Things to Serve With This Dish

This dish is pretty complete on its own, but a few extras can turn it into a proper feast.

• Steamed edamame – Sprinkle with coarse salt and let everyone pop those little green gems while they wait for dinner, because sometimes we need something to keep our hands busy.
• Asian cucumber salad – Thinly sliced cucumbers dressed with rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar cut through all that crispy, saucy richness like a palate cleanser between bites.
• Pot stickers or dumplings – Whether you buy them frozen or feel ambitious enough to make them from scratch, they’re the perfect little pockets of joy alongside this main dish.
• Hot and sour soup – A small bowl as a starter adds that restaurant atmosphere to your home dining room, plus the tangy broth prepares your taste buds for what’s coming.
• Jasmine tea or green tea – Because sometimes water just doesn’t feel special enough, and the subtle floral notes complement Asian flavors without competing for attention.
• Fortune cookies – Sure, they’re not authentically Chinese, but they make everyone smile and give you something sweet to end on, even if the fortunes are wonderfully ridiculous.

Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)

Getting this dish right isn’t rocket science, but a few tricks will save you from the kitchen disasters that haunt us all.

• Don’t skip the paper towel step – Wet chicken plus coating equals a soggy mess that falls off faster than your motivation on Monday morning, so pat those breasts completely dry before you even think about the hoisin sauce.
• Make your coating station systematic – Set up hoisin sauce in one shallow dish, wheat germ or breadcrumbs in another, because trying to juggle everything at once just leads to coating your countertops instead of your chicken.
• Cook the chicken all the way through in the pan first – That final oven step is just for crispiness, not for finishing raw meat, and nobody wants to bite into rubbery chicken that’s still pink in the middle.
• Keep your oil hot but not screaming – If it’s smoking, it’s too hot and your coating will burn before the chicken cooks, but if it’s not sizzling when the chicken hits the pan, you’ll end up with greasy, sad results.
• Don’t overcrowd the vegetables – They need room to breathe and get that perfect tender-crisp texture, so if you’re doubling the recipe, cook the veggies in batches rather than cramming everything into one pan.
• Whisk that cornstarch mixture right before adding it – Cornstarch settles faster than your New Year’s resolutions, so give it a quick stir to avoid lumpy sauce.
• Have everything prepped before you start cooking – Once you begin the vegetable stir-fry, things move quickly, and scrambling to open cans while your snap peas turn to mush isn’t the atmosphere we’re going for.

Nutritional Facts

This hearty Asian-inspired dish packs plenty of nutrients alongside its bold flavors, making it a well-balanced meal that satisfies both your taste buds and nutritional needs.

• Protein powerhouse – Each serving delivers approximately 35-40 grams of high-quality lean protein from the chicken, supporting muscle maintenance and keeping you satisfied for hours.
• Complex carbohydrates – The long-grain rice provides sustained energy and essential B vitamins, with brown rice supplying additional fiber and nutrients if you choose that option.
• Heart-healthy fats – Cashews contribute monounsaturated fats, magnesium, and zinc, while sesame oil adds beneficial omega-6 fatty acids in moderation.
• Vegetable variety – Snap peas deliver vitamin C and fiber, water chestnuts add crunch plus potassium, and bamboo shoots provide additional fiber with very few calories.
• Moderate sodium content – Between the hoisin sauce, teriyaki sauce, and chicken broth, one serving contains roughly 800-1000mg of sodium, so consider low-sodium alternatives if you’re watching salt intake.
• Calorie count – A typical serving runs about 450-550 calories, making it a reasonable dinner option that won’t derail your daily goals.
• Micronutrient boost – The combination provides iron from the chicken, vitamin K from snap peas, and manganese from both the rice and cashews.
• Minimal saturated fat – Thanks to lean chicken breast and the cooking spray method, saturated fat stays low at around 3-4 grams per serving.

Fun “Did You Know?”

Ever wondered how cashew chicken became such a beloved dish despite cashews not being native to traditional Chinese cuisine?

I find it fascinating that this popular “Chinese” dish was actually created in American Chinese restaurants during the 1960s. The cashews were added to appeal to Western palates who enjoyed the nut’s buttery crunch and mild flavor.

Here’s another interesting tidbit: cashews aren’t actually nuts – they’re seeds that grow attached to cashew apples.

The labor-intensive harvesting process makes them one of the more expensive ingredients in this dish, but their unique texture makes them irreplaceable.