Welcome to a culinary journey that brings the beloved flavors of Asian takeout right into your home kitchen, with the unmatched convenience of your slow cooker! Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with this incredibly easy and utterly delicious **Slow Cooker Crock Pot Cashew Chicken Recipe**. Forget the hassle of ordering in and the uncertainty of ingredient quality; now you can create a wholesome, flavorful, and satisfying meal that the entire family will adore, all with minimal effort.
There’s something uniquely comforting about a well-prepared cashew chicken, with its perfect balance of sweet, savory, and nutty notes. And when you can achieve that restaurant-quality taste using the “set it and forget it” magic of a slow cooker, it becomes an absolute game-changer for busy weeknights or relaxed weekends. This recipe transforms simple ingredients into a rich, aromatic dish that rivals your favorite Chinese restaurant, making healthy and convenient eating a reality.
Effortless Elegance: The Magic of Crockpot Cashew Chicken
In our quest for delightful yet manageable meals, we’ve fallen head over heels for the slow cooker, and incorporating Asian-inspired dishes like this Cashew Chicken has been a revelation. We understand the daily challenge of putting a delicious, home-cooked meal on the table, especially when life gets hectic. That’s precisely why recipes that deliver big on flavor with minimal fuss are our absolute favorites. Our blog, Tammilee Tips, is a testament to this passion, boasting over 160 crock pot recipes and topping over 750 recipes in total! Each one is crafted to make your culinary life simpler and more enjoyable.
This slow cooker cashew chicken recipe exemplifies everything we love about crockpot cooking: it’s incredibly easy, yields consistently tender chicken, and allows the flavors to meld beautifully over several hours, creating a depth that hurried cooking simply can’t achieve. Imagine coming home to the enticing aroma of a freshly made Asian feast, ready to be served. It’s the ultimate antidote to the dinner dilemma, offering a delicious alternative to expensive takeout.
If you’re looking to broaden your slow cooker horizons with more Asian-inspired delights or simply want to explore other chicken-centric crockpot meals, we have plenty of mouth-watering suggestions. Be sure to check out our Slow Cooker Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli Recipe for another fantastic “takeout at home” option. And for those who can’t get enough of chicken in the slow cooker, you’ll love our Slow Cooker Crock Pot Tequila Chicken and our popular Slow Cooker Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe. Each offers a unique flavor profile while maintaining the ease and comfort of slow cooking.
Why This Cashew Chicken Recipe Stands Out
What makes this slow cooker cashew chicken truly special? It’s the perfect harmony of simplicity and taste. The chicken cooks down to an incredibly tender texture, absorbing all the rich, complex flavors of the sauce. The vegetables add a pleasant crunch and nutritional boost, while the cashews introduce a delightful creaminess and nutty finish that defines this classic dish. It’s a complete meal that’s hearty, satisfying, and bursting with fresh flavors.
- **Ultimate Convenience**: Prepare it in the morning, and dinner is ready when you are.
- **Homemade & Wholesome**: Control your ingredients, reducing sodium and preservatives often found in takeout.
- **Family-Friendly Flavor**: A crowd-pleaser that even picky eaters tend to love.
- **Budget-Friendly**: More economical than frequent takeout orders.
- **Flexible Ingredients**: Easy to adapt with your favorite vegetables or protein.
Key Ingredients and Flavor Profile
The magic of this Cashew Chicken lies in its well-balanced sauce and fresh, simple ingredients. Here’s a quick overview of what makes this dish shine:
Main Ingredients:
- **Chicken Breasts**: Lean protein, cut into bite-sized pieces for even cooking and easy eating.
- **Carrots & Celery**: These vegetables add essential nutrients, a pop of color, and a subtle sweetness that complements the sauce.
- **Cashews**: The star of the show! Roasted and salted cashews add a crucial nutty flavor and wonderful texture.
- **Onion**: Aromatic base that deepens the overall flavor.
- **Olive Oil**: Used to coat the initial ingredients, ensuring they cook beautifully.
- **Soy Sauce, Salt, and Pepper**: The foundational seasonings that bring everything together.
The Irresistible Cashew Chicken Sauce:
This sauce is the heart of the recipe, a perfect blend of sweet, tangy, and umami. You’ll combine:
- **Soy Sauce**: Provides the rich, savory base.
- **Ketchup**: Adds a touch of sweetness and tang, giving the sauce its signature depth.
- **Brown Sugar**: Balances the savory notes with a caramel-like sweetness.
- **Ginger & Garlic**: Fresh aromatics that are quintessential to Asian cuisine, adding a zesty warmth.
- **Chili Flakes**: For a subtle hint of heat. Feel free to adjust the amount based on your spice preference—you can halve it for a milder flavor or add more for a kick!
- **Sesame Oil**: Delivers a distinctive nutty aroma and flavor.
- **Rice Vinegar**: Provides a crucial tanginess that brightens the sauce and cuts through its richness.
For an even richer flavor profile and added texture, consider incorporating water chestnuts for crunch or colorful bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange) during the last hour of cooking.
The Perfect Thickener:
Achieving that luscious, glossy sauce is simple with a cornstarch slurry:
- **Cornstarch**
- **Water**
This mixture is added at the end to transform the liquid into a wonderfully thick sauce that coats every piece of chicken and vegetable beautifully. Serve this delectable dish with steamed white rice or your grain of choice for a complete and satisfying meal.
Essential Equipment for Your Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
To make this recipe a breeze, you’ll need a few key pieces of kitchen equipment:
Crockpot/Slow Cooker: This is, of course, the star! We highly recommend using a slow cooker with a digital timer that automatically switches to a “warm” setting after the cooking time is complete. This feature is incredibly useful for ensuring your meal cooks perfectly without overcooking, giving you peace of mind whether you’re at work or running errands. It keeps your food safe and warm until you’re ready to eat. A 6-quart capacity is ideal for this recipe.
Saucepan: A medium-sized saucepan is essential for preparing the delicious sauce. It allows you to simmer and thicken the sauce to perfection on the stovetop after the chicken has cooked in the slow cooker, giving you ultimate control over consistency and flavor.
Cutting Board and Knife: For preparing your chicken and vegetables into uniform, bite-sized pieces.
Mixing Bowls: A couple of mixing bowls will be handy for combining the chicken and vegetables before they go into the slow cooker, and for whisking together your sauce ingredients.
Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
- **Don’t Overcrowd**: Ensure your slow cooker isn’t too full. This recipe is designed for a standard 6-quart slow cooker. Overfilling can lead to uneven cooking.
- **Chop Evenly**: Cut your chicken and vegetables into similar-sized pieces to ensure they cook at the same rate.
- **Adjust Spice**: The pinch of chili flakes is just a suggestion. If you love heat, add more; if you prefer it very mild, omit them.
- **Fresh Aromatics**: While powdered ginger and garlic can work, fresh minced ginger and garlic truly elevate the flavor of the sauce.
- **When to Add Cashews**: For optimal crunch, add the cashews during the last 30 minutes of cooking or even just before serving. Adding them too early can make them soggy.
- **Perfectly Thickened Sauce**: When thickening the sauce on the stovetop, gradually add the cornstarch slurry while stirring continuously. This prevents lumps and allows you to control the consistency. If it’s too thick, add a little water or chicken broth; if it’s too thin, make a bit more slurry.
More Delicious Crockpot Chicken Recipes to Explore
If you’re as passionate about easy, flavorful chicken dinners as we are, you’ll love these other popular crockpot chicken recipes from Tammilee Tips:
- Crockpot Gumbo: A hearty and spicy classic, made easy in your slow cooker.
- Crockpot Buffalo Ranch Chicken: Perfect for game day, sandwiches, or salads – a zesty, flavorful delight.
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings: A comforting, old-fashioned meal that warms the soul.
- Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken: Another fantastic Asian-inspired dish that’s incredibly popular.
- Crockpot Honey Mustard Chicken: Sweet, tangy, and super simple – a family favorite!
This Slow Cooker Crock Pot Cashew Chicken is truly a fantastic family dinner that promises ease and incredible flavor. We’re confident it will become a regular in your meal rotation!
Do you love recipes? Make sure to check out our extensive collection of copycat recipes (so you can recreate your restaurant favorites at home!), indulgent dessert recipes, and of course, many more amazing CrockPot Recipes.
For all our latest recipe posts and delicious inspiration, be sure to follow Tammilee Tips on MSN, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Slow Cooker Crock Pot Cashew Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Chicken Breast raw and cut into bite size cubes
- 2 Carrots chopped into bite size chunks
- 3 Celery chopped into bite size chunks
- 1 Cup Cashews roasted and salted
- ½ Onion large, cut into chunks and layers separated
- 2 T Olive Oil
- 1 t Soy sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste To taste
Sauce
- 2.5 T Soy sauce
- 1 T Ketchup
- 2 T Brown Sugar
- 1 t Ginger grated
- pinch Chili flakes
- 2 t Sesame Oil
- ½ t Garlic minced
- 1 T Rice Vinegar
Thickener
- 1 T Cornstarch
- 1 T Water
Instructions
- Combine chicken, onions, celery, carrots, olive oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and salt and pepper together and put into the slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 -3 hours.
- Remove the contents of the cooker and reserve any cooking juices that have accumulated on the bottom of the cooker.
- Return the chicken mixture back to the cooker.
- In a bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the Thickener ingredients (cornstarch and water). Mix until very well combined.
- In a saucepan, combine the sauce and the cooking juices together. Stir well and heat to boiling. Add the thickener, slowly by the tablespoon and stir until it thickens.
- Add the whole mixture to the cooker and stir to coat. Add the cup of cashews, stir and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.
Kitchen Tools
- Slow cooker
- Saucepan
Nutrition
Calories from Fat 225
This Crock Pot Cashew Chicken recipe was originally shared on January 18, 2016. Updated on March 25, 2020.