Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken Recipe
This Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken recipe is a quick and flavorful meal featuring tender chicken thighs roasted with colorful bell peppers and onions, all coated in a savory, slightly sweet hoisin-based sauce and topped with crunchy roasted cashews. Perfect for a simple weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup, it can be served over rice, quinoa, or in lettuce cups for a versatile, crowd-pleasing dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Vegetables
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 1 cup roasted unsalted cashews
- 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
- Fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish)
Binding and Coating
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Sauce
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Coat Chicken with Cornstarch: Toss the bite-sized chicken thigh pieces with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch until they are lightly and evenly coated. This helps create a crispy texture when baked.
- Arrange Chicken and Vegetables: Spread the coated chicken pieces on the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to enhance roasting. Arrange the sliced red, green, yellow bell peppers, and red onion evenly around the chicken.
- Roast Initially: Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, flipping the chicken and stirring the vegetables halfway through to ensure even cooking and slight browning.
- Prepare the Sauce: While the chicken roasts, whisk together the low sodium soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small saucepan. Bring this mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat for about 2 minutes.
- Thicken the Sauce: Add the cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water) to the simmering sauce and stir continuously until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency. Remove from heat.
- Coat Chicken and Vegetables: Remove the sheet pan from the oven and pour the thickened sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Gently stir everything together on the pan to evenly coat all ingredients with the sauce.
- Add Cashews and Finish Roasting: Sprinkle the roasted unsalted cashews evenly on top of the chicken and veggies. Return the pan to the oven and roast for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and the cashews are golden and toasted.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle sliced green onions and fresh cilantro leaves over the dish for a fresh, vibrant finish. Serve warm, ideally over rice, quinoa, or wrapped in lettuce cups.
Notes
- Serve this dish warm over steamed rice, quinoa, or in crisp lettuce cups for a delightful variation.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheated gently before serving.
- For extra spice, increase the amount of crushed red pepper flakes or add a splash of sriracha to the sauce.
- To make this dish gluten-free, ensure the soy sauce used is gluten-free tamari or similar.
Keywords: cashew chicken, sheet pan dinner, easy chicken recipe, hoisin sauce chicken, roasted cashew chicken, weeknight dinner, one pan meal
Find it online: https://mixitwitjoe.com/sheet-pan-cashew-chicken-recipe/
