Ready to meet the newest addition to your line-up of easy weeknight dinners? Meet the Honey Sriracha Cashew Chicken Stir-fry. It is ready to get in your belly in only 20 minutes!
Creating This Healthy Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
When thinking of the best way to make this cashew chicken stir-fry, I knew I wanted to incorporate honey into the recipe comehow to balance out the spicy Sriracha. Something amazing happens when heat and sweet meet. It is like magic for your mouth. I love the flavor of the honey in this stir-fry. I am sure it would be good with regular old white sugar, but the aroma and the flavor of the honey in this is so good, I don’t know why you would risk missing out on it.
I tested it the first time with only three tablespoons of honey, but upping it to a quarter cup really made this a slam-dunk, perfect balance of hot and sweet, need to have it again and again, weeknight favorite material here folks kind of good.
I thought one tablespoon of Sriracha would be way too much, but the honey really mellows it, and I actually found myself wanting to put more on top. Really, it isn’t four alarm spicy. It’s more of a two or three alarm. My girls, who are pretty into spicy stuff as far as kids go, thought it was spicy, but they gobbled it up anyway. Then they each chugged a pint of milk. I think this is a win, win. If you’re afraid of the heat, that’s totally cool, just add a teaspoon to the sauce and then add more on top at the table.
I was reaching for a dozen eggs at the grocery store, and there was a weird little acrylic shelf on the outside of the cooler with a dozen or so bottles of Sriracha for sale. How freakin’ random is that? I honestly don’t get it. It was like the impulse shelf for random egg and Sriracha combos. Is this a thing? But seeing those bright red, shiny bottles of Sriacha tickled my fancy anyway. Call me impressionable. The bottle just went into my cart.
Actually, when I saw it I was also reminded that my brother polished off all the Sriracha when he was here for Thanksgiving. I served this sweet potato peanut soup, and being the teenage boy that he is, he thought it was cool to pour a cup of Sriracha on top. Apparently this is a thing too? Boys.
And finally, the chicken and cashews (arguably the stars of this stir-fry recipe). I have been wanting to do some sort of chicken and cashew thing here #ontheblog forever. I have been pushing it off for some sort of inspiration of how to make it into a recipe. So when I saw that shiny new bottle of Sriacha right there between me and the eggs, I was all, “That’s Random. Wait. Sriacha, I need that! Boys are weird. Sriracha, the chicken and cashew thing! That’s what it needs!”
Yes, sad but true this is how my little pea brain functions. And here you have it. Sweet, hot, chicken, cashews, 20 minutes. Yumtastic. Glad to meet you. Now get in my belly.
Questions:
Do you get sucked into impulse buys from endcaps and store displays?
Do you like hot and sweet together?
Parents, do your kids eat spicy food?
More Healthy Stir-Fry Recipes:
Clean Eating Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Hoisin Pork and Pepper Stir-Fry
Healthy Maple Tahini Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry
Tofu and Pepper Stir-Fry with Cashews
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PinDescription
Gluten-free and healthy chicken stir-fry recipe. It is my new favorite weeknight diner because it’s ready in 20 minutes and I love the sweet heat from the Sriracha sauce.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry or Shao Shing cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha, or to taste
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons avocado oil or organic canola oil, divided
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger root
- 6 cups chopped green cabbage
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 3 scallions, sliced or 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- ½ cup chopped cashews, preferably roasted unsalted
Instructions
- Stir honey, sherry, vinegar, sriracha and salt in a small bowl.
- Heat 1tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Swirl around the bottom of the wok. Add the chicken in a single layer, and let cook, undisturbed until browned on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking stirring once or twice, until no longer pink on the outside, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Remove the chicken from the skillet or wok with a spatula and set aside on a plate. NOTE: The chicken will continue cooking in a later step.
- Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the skillet or wok and return to high heat. Add garlic and ginger, and stir fry until fragrant but not browned about 30 seconds. Add cabbage, and stir to coat with the garlic and ginger. Stir in the sauce. Cover cook until the cabbage is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir broth and cornstarch together in a small dish and stir into the chicken, cabbage mixture. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add the chicken and any accumulated juice from the plate and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and the cabbage is tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in scallions or cilantro and cashews.
Notes
63 mg Cholesterol, 11 g Added Sugar
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 340 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 26 g
Keywords: cashew chicken, healthy cashew chicken
This recipe looks like it has a great balance of flavors. My family can’t get enough of weeknight stir frys. We haven’t done one with cashews, so I’ll have to change things up a bit and give it a try! Plus, honey is one of the best ingredients ever!
The thing about stir-fries that I love is that once you gather up the ingredients, they come together so quickly. I am glad this one appeals to you Rachel. Thanks for stopping by.
Love hot & sweet together and alas, my daughter doesn’t do spicy – not sure if this will be too tricky for my husband but I’m sure as heck making this very soon. Pinning now.
Thank you for pinning Deanna. I hope you like it!
girrrrl YES! sweet & spicy is so my thang, and this looks like the perfect easy weeknight dinner, I’m loving it! pinned 🙂
Thank you so much my dear, and for pinning.
I made it last night and it was delicious!
Woot! So glad you liked it Joanne. Thanks for reporting back.
This looks AND sounds absolutely delicious. How can I not give it a try!?? 🙂 And endcaps are the enemy! They always suck me in. EVERY TIME!
Thank you Meg. And I know right? about the endcaps… I end up with all sorts of stuff I never intended to buy. What is wrong with me that I can’t see through the marketing ploy?
I can’t ever get enough of sriracha, so this delicious stir fry is definitely something that I need to make!
My husband is a veritable sriracha freak, so he would have to agree with you for sure Thalia.
What a great recipe! Sounds like a great way to use Cabbage..can’t wait to try it. 🙂 Love you blog by the way!
I am always looking for ways to use cabbage at this time of year. It is one of the only “seasonal” veggies we get that lasts all winter long.
This recipe is calling my name!
I think we have to have it again tonight. It keeps calling my name too! Thank you for coming by Kalyn. Have a happy and healthy holiday!
You had me at Sriracha. Prepped this ahead and made it tonight- was super fast and easy and my 5-year-old gobbled it up!
I love hearing that the kiddos like this too. Thanks for reporting back Michelle.
I was wondering if roasted peanuts could be used instead of the cashews? I love cashews but I’m having a no spend month so I can only use what I have on hand. Thanks.
Totally fine to do that. Good for you! Good luck this month. 🙂
What a lovely recipe, love your photography!
Alice
Thank you so much for the compliment. Have a great day!
Yum! I made this tonight for a quick dinner. Subbed leek for scallions because that’s what was in the fridge. I loved the final consistency of the sauce – not too runny and not too thick. Thanks!!!
That’s awesome that you enjoyed it Ann. I love it when readers report back about recipes! Thank you.