Quick and easy Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken and Vegetables is the answer to tonight’s dinner dilemma. It’s a one pan meal that tastes just like it came from your local takeout restaurant!
One pan cashew chicken is loaded with fresh broccoli florets, red and yellow peppers, onion, creamy cashew nuts, and chunks of tender chicken breasts all perfectly seasoned and roasted in the oven. Everything is coated in a glossy glaze made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, chili garlic sauce and a few other ingredients. The glaze keeps everything moist and clings to the chicken beautifully while the cashews get all golden. It’s sweet, spicy, sticky and crispy all at the same time.
Sheet pan meals are popular for hectic weeknights because of the simple prep and easy cleanup. Dinner is done easy with this cashew chicken stir-fry dinner since everything comes together quickly on one sheet pan and it all bakes in your oven in about 20 minutes. It’s a flavour-packed family friendly recipe that everyone will love.
Why You’ll Love This Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken Recipe
- Full of protein. The chicken and cashews in this recipe are protein-packed and will keep you feeling satisfied for a long time.
- Packed with a rainbow of veggies. Full of healthy, colourful red and yellow bell peppers and fresh broccoli that are good for you and will appeal to everyone.
- Delicious sauce. An Asian-inspired sweet and mildly spicy sauce coats all the ingredients and will make your mouth water.
- Super easy to make. Meal prep friendly baked cashew chicken recipe is fast and simple to prepare with everything cooking on one sheet pan and cleanup is a breeze.
- Better than takeout. Healthy and succulent, this homemade meal is family friendly and better than any fast food Chinese cashew chicken you would pick up.
Ingredients Needed to Make Cashew Chicken
(Ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post)
For the Sauce
- Soy Sauce – Adds a lot of flavour to the meal – use either low sodium soy sauce or regular.
- Rice Vinegar – Adds some acidity and a little sweet floral flavour.
- Sesame Oil – Adds nice sesame flavour to the meal.
- Honey – Adds sweetness and texture to the sauce.
- Ketchup – Adds thickness, sweetness and richness to the sauce.
- Chili Garlic Sauce – Made with chilies, garlic, salt and vinegar with a spicy and tangy flavour.
- Garlic and Ginger – Use fresh garlic and ginger and mince it fine.
For the Seasoning Mix
- Onion Powder and Garlic Powder – Seasonings to coat the chicken.
- Salt and Pepper – To season the chicken.
For the Vegetables, Chicken and Cashews
- Olive Oil – To coat the seasoned chicken which helps with browning.
- Broccoli – Use fresh broccoli for best results.
- Red and Yellow Bell Peppers – Add a sweet flavour and lots of colour to the meal.
- Onion – Balances nicely with the broccoli and peppers.
- Cashews – Use unsalted natural or roasted cashews.
- Chicken – Use boneless chicken breasts and cut them into small pieces.
- Cornstarch– Used to thicken the sauce and also for coating the chicken which keeps it moist and tender and allows it to crisp up a bit.
For Garnishes and Serving
- Sesame Seeds – Finishes off the sheet pan and adds more sesame flavour.
- Green Onions – Fresh onion flavour to garnish to the meal and add more colour.
- Steamed Basmati or Jasmine Rice – An option for serving.
How to Make This Asian-Inspired Chicken Sheet Pan Meal
(Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.)
- Whisk the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and mix the seasoning ingredients in a small bowl.Set aside.
- Spread vegetables and cashews on half the sheet pan. Season them, drizzle with oil and toss to combine.
- In a large bowl season the chicken pieces and toss to combine. Add cornstarch and toss again to combine. Drizzle with oil, toss again to combine.
- Spread the coated chicken pieces in one layer on the second half of the sheet pan.
- Bake for 15 – 17 minutes then remove pan from oven and brush the chicken with the two thirds of the sauce and drizzle remaining sauce over the vegetables and cashews. Return the pan to oven.
- Roast for an additional 5 – 7 minutes until the sauce thickens and caramelizes and chicken is cooked. Toss everything together then sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.
Frequently Asked Questions
No marinating time is required which makes this sheet pan chicken with cashews recipe quick and easy. The chicken pieces are simply seasoned and tossed in cornstarch and olive oil before baking on the sheet pan alongside the vegetables and cashews.
Yes you can replace chicken breasts with boneless chicken thighs. I use chicken breasts because it’s what my family prefers. Chicken thighs are equally good in this recipe and will definitely turn out moist and tender. You may have to add a few minutes to the baking time as chicken thighs can withstand a longer cooking time.
Cashew chicken is a Chinese-American recipe that combines stir-fried chicken with cashews in a thick sauce. This recipe is my take on the traditional Chinese chicken cashew recipe. I turned it into a convenient sheet pan recipe and baked it in the oven along with vegetables for a one pan meal.
This baked cashew chicken sheet pan meal is a meal in one but you can serve it with steamed basmati or jasmine rice (my favourite choice), noodles or scallion pancakes. To make it a really light meal, serve it in lettuce cups.
Tips and Variations for Cashew Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner
- Sheet pan. Don’t crowd the pan; use a sheet pan that is large enough to accommodate all the ingredients with some space between so everything cooks up and caramelizes evenly. If you need to double the recipe then it’s best to use two sheet pans.
- Make it gluten free. Use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce to make the meal gluten free.
- Make it vegetarian. Feel free to swap the chicken with cubed tofu for a meat free meal and if using tofu, make sure you line the sheet pan with parchment paper so it won’t stick.
- Use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Replace chicken breasts with the same weight of chicken thighs and increase the baking time slightly as chicken thighs command a longer cook time.
- Cut the chicken and vegetables in uniform pieces. Be sure and cut the chicken evenly into the recommended 1” to 1 ½” pieces and the vegetables into bite sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Cashews. Be sure and use unsalted cashews otherwise the dish will be too salty; both natural and roasted unsalted cashews will work for this recipe.
- Control the spice level. The chili garlic sauce in the recipe can be a bit spicy so use more or less to accommodate your family’s spice level but I recommend using at least ½ tablespoon for the flavour.
Meal Prep and Storage Tips
- Meal Prep: Ahead of time make the sauce, chop up the vegetables, chicken and green onions, measure the cashews and sesame seeds, and mix the seasoning mix. Store everything in separate containers in the refrigerator until you need to cook it.
- Store: Leftover cashew chicken can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 - 4 days in an airtight container. Reheat leftovers in the microwave.
- Freeze: Cool the cashew chicken, freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When needed, thaw in refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave. The texture of the vegetables and crispness of the chicken will soften, but the flavour will still be superb.
If you like sheet pan meals then try these:
- Sheet Pan Teriyaki Shrimp Veggies
- Sheet Pan Maple Dijon Apples and Pork
- Sheet Pan Harissa Veggies with Halloumi
- Pan Roasted Chicken, Tomatoes and Peppers
Recipe
Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken and Vegetables
This quick and easy Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken and Vegetables is a one pan meal that tastes just like it came from your local takeout restaurant.
Ingredients
Sauce
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1-2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce to desired spice level
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
Seasoning Mix
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetables, Chicken and Cashews
- 6 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 small head broccoli cut into florets
- 1 red bell pepper cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 medium onion sliced in thick wedges
- ¾ cup unsalted roasted cashews
- 2 - 3 boneless chicken breasts approximately 500g, cut into 1” to 1½” pieces
- ¼ cup cornstarch
For Garnish and Serving
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 4 green onions sliced
- Steamed basmati or jasmine rice optional for serving
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a large rimmed sheet pan by greasing with oil or line it with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl whisk together the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ketchup, chili garlic sauce, garlic and ginger. Set aside.
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In a small bowl mix the seasoning mix ingredients: onion powder, granulated garlic powder, salt and pepper.
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Spread broccoli, peppers, onions and cashews on the sheet pan and sprinkle with about one third of the seasoning mix. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil then toss to combine. Push the vegetables and cashews to one half of the sheet pan.
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Into a large bowl add chicken pieces and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mix and toss to combine. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss again to combine. Drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss again to combine. Spread the seasoned and coated chicken in one layer on the other half of the sheet pan.
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Roast for 15 - 17 minutes until the chicken is lightly cooked and the vegetables are tender. Remove pan from the oven, leave oven on. Give the sauce another whisk, then brush about two thirds of the sauce on the chicken pieces. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the vegetables and cashews.
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Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast for another 5 – 7 minutes until the sauce thickens and caramelizes and the chicken is cooked through. Remove pan from the oven and toss all the ingredients together. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with steamed basmati or jasmine rice, if desired.
Recipe Notes
- Don’t crowd the pan; use a sheet pan that is large enough to accommodate all the ingredients with some space between so everything cooks up and caramelizes evenly. If you need to double the recipe then it’s best to use two sheet pans.
- Use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce to make the meal gluten free.
- Swap chicken with cubed tofu for a vegetarian meal and if using tofu, make sure you line the sheet pan with parchment paper so it won’t stick.
- Replace chicken breasts with the same weight of chicken thighs and increase the baking time slightly as chicken thighs command a longer cook time.
- Cut the chicken evenly into the recommended 1” to 1 ½” pieces and the vegetables into bite sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
- Use unsalted cashews otherwise the dish will be too salty; both natural and roasted unsalted cashews will work for this recipe.
- The chili garlic sauce in the recipe can be a bit spicy so use more or less to accommodate your family’s spice level but I recommend using at least ½ tablespoon for the flavour.
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