Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

This slow cooker cashew chicken is a flavorful, takeout-inspired dish made with tender chicken, crisp vegetables and a savory sweet sauce. Using the slow cooker makes it easy to enjoy homemade cashew chicken with minimal effort.

What is Cashew Chicken?

Cashew chicken is a popular Chinese-American dish made with tender chicken pieces, vegetables and roasted cashews tossed in a savory sauce. The dish is known for its combination of textures, including crunchy cashews, crisp vegetables and tender chicken.

While traditional versions are cooked quickly in a wok, this slow cooker cashew chicken allows the flavors to develop slowly while making preparation easier.

A crock pot is great. It saves time, creates tender meats and flavorful meals. The only issue I take with slow cooker meals is that sauces tend to be watery and sometimes need to be over seasoned to make up for lack of evaporation during the cooking process. But I have a fix for that.

Gather This

I know, I know- you are looking at this recipe list and it’s lengthy, but a lot of these slow cooker cashew chicken ingredients are things you likely have in your pantry. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.

• Chicken- I like to use boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use chicken thighs if you prefer.

How to Make Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken (Step-by-Step)

Making this takeout favorite couldn’t be easier! Just follow these simple steps!

1. Toss chicken in dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the corn starch, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add chicken chunks, tossing to coat.
2. Brown chicken. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Sift out chicken pieces, tapping off excess flour, and then add to the hot oil. Brown lightly, about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Chicken may not be fully cooked. Set aside.
3. Add sauce ingredients, veggies and chicken to slow cooker. Combine the garlic, celery, onion, bell pepper, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, garlic sauce, brown sugar, ginger, Chinese five spice powder and red pepper flakes, stir to combine and coat. Add the cooked chicken and set to low for 3 hours.
4. Add in broccoli and bean sprouts. Toss frozen broccoli and bean sprouts into the sauce, toss to coat, cover and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
5. Serve. Spoon over rice and garnish with cashews and scallions.

Tips for Best Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

While this recipe is straightforward and easy to whip up, I do have a few tips for success.

• Brown chicken first – Browning adds flavor and prevents the chicken from becoming too soft.
• Use low sodium soy sauce – This prevents the dish from becoming overly salty.
• Add cashews at the end – Adding cashews before cooking keeps them crunchy instead of soggy.
• Do not overcook – Chicken breast can dry out if cooked too long, so follow the cooking time carefully.

Serving Suggestions

Slow cooker cashew chicken is traditionally served over rice, but you can also pair it with other options that tickle your fancy.

You can also garnish with sesame seeds extra scallions or chili oil for additional flavor.

More Asian Inspired Dishes

Skip the takeout and make these asian-inspired dinners instead!

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Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken Recipe

4.67 from 15 votes

This slow cooker cashew chicken is better than takeout with tender chicken and savory sauce. An easy crockpot recipe for busy nights.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 3 hours hrs

Total Time: 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings: 4

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Equipment

• Large Cast Iron Skillet
• Slow Cooker
• Slow Cooker Liners
• Whisk
• Sifter

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fine black pepper
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut into bite size pieces
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Sauce:

• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 ribs celery sliced
• 1 sweet onion thinly sliced
• 1 bell pepper cut into thin slices
• 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• 3 tablespoons sweet chili garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger micrograted
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder optional
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup frozen broccoli florets
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
• 1 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup scallions sliced

Instructions

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 3 tablespoons corn starch, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1 teaspoon fine black pepper. Add the cut 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, tossing to coat.
• Heat the 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet. Sift out chicken pieces, tapping off excess flour, and then add to the hot oil. Brown lightly, about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Chicken may not be fully cooked. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the minced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 ribs celery, 1 sweet onion, 1 bell pepper, 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce, 4 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar, 4 tablespoons ketchup, 3 tablespoons sweet chili garlic sauce, b2 tablespoons light brown sugar, gated 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes.
• Pour the assemble sauce and cooked chicken into the bowl of a slow cooker and set to low for 3 hours.
• Toss the 1 cup frozen broccoli florets and 1 cup bean sprouts into the sauce, toss to coat, cover and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
• Evenly divide the 4 cups cooked jasmine rice and garnish with 1 cup cashews and chopped 1/2 cup scallions.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!

Notes

You can use raw, cubed chicken breast without breading, add to slow cooker with sauce and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and stir in before serving to thicken sauce. 

You can use up to 4 chicken breasts OR 8 boneless chicken thighs with the same amount of sauce and vegetables. The cooking time may increase due to the increase in volume, please check chicken doneness before serving. 

Storage: Save time on the day you serve Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken, by preparing the chicken and sauce the night before, placing them in separate containers in the refrigerator and popping into the slow cooker 3 hours before I was ready to serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. 

Freezing: Cashew chicken can also be easily frozen after being cooked. Place it in airtight containers for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 764 kcal, Carbohydrates: 89 g, Protein: 39 g, Fat: 28 g, Saturated Fat: 11 g, Cholesterol: 72 mg, Sodium: 1951 mg, Potassium: 1078 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 18 g, Vitamin A: 865 IU, Vitamin C: 32.3 mg, Calcium: 91 mg, Iron: 5 mg

Author: Chef Jessica Formicola

Calories: 764

Course: Main Course, Main Dish

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: cashew chicken recipe, chicken and cashews, crock pot cashew chicken, crock pot chicken recipes, crockpot chicken dinner, easy cashew chicken, homemade cashew chicken, slow cooker Asian chicken, slow cooker cashew chicken, sweet savory chicken, takeout-style chicken

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