Kitchen @ Hoskins

No added oil! Skip takeout and make this easy instant pot cashew chicken for a quick weeknight dinner or meal prep for the week. Simply serve over plain white or brown rice.

This cashew chicken recipe is too simple!!!

Perfectly cooked chicken and buttery crisp cashews coated in a thin silky, sweet ginger garlic sauce that is awesome to be spooned over white rice and you have a delicious, healthier restaurant quality meal. 

All made in your Instant pot, YESSSSS. 

Another Instant pot win!!!! 

Check out this easy, peasy Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice 

How to make amazing cashew chicken in instant pot? 

Dump. Cook. Simmer. Eat. 

As easy as that. Seriously one of the simplest recipes out there. 

1. Chop onion, ginger, garlic and measure sauces and sugar. 
2. When Instant pot is hot, dump all ingredients, stir and cook in manual for 5 minutes.
3. Release pressure 
4. Bring to a boil in saute mode,stir in cornstarch slurry and let boil for 30 seconds. 
5. Spoon over white or brown rice and eat

I told ya… easy peasy. 

Click here for easy Instant pot dinners

Instant pot cashew chicken v/s skillet cashew chicken 

• No added oil. You just dump all ingredients into the instant pot, cook for five minutes, release pressure. simmer for a minute with a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce slightly. So much healthier than than greasy cashew chicken stir fry from a takeout container. 
• Dump it and forget it. So much easier than standing in front of the stove with a hot skillet or wok. 
• Chicken cooks so tender and perfect in the Instant pot. ‘Tis a pressure cooker after all. 
• Chicken cooks in the sauce, adding so much of flavor. 
• The Instant pot cashew chicken makes a saucy cashew chicken that is perfect served with rice. You don’t need to make chow mein/fried rice. 

Instant Pot Chicken Parmesan Pasta – All the flavors of classic chicken parmesan made into a one pot, comforting meal. 

How to meal prep cashew chicken ? 

Make easy instant pot cashew chicken. Let cool completely. In the mean time, cook white or brown rice using your favorite cooking method. 

Place rice into meal prep containers and divide chicken over rice, spooning sauce over the chicken. Close and place in refrigerator for the week. Microwave until hot before eating. 

Check out more Lunch Box Recipes

Can we add any vegetables into this easy cashew chicken recipe? 

Absolutely! 

Choices – Green bell peppers, asparagus, broccoli, broccoli stems….. 

1. Set instant pot to saute mode. Add a tablespoon oil (sorry peeps this is essential when adding veggies). Add your vegetable of choice, stir occasionally and cook for 2-4 minutes, until crisp and slightly cooked. Remove onto a plate and then proceed with the recipe as given.
2. If you wish to cook your veggie further, you can add the veggie back into the dish before adding the cornstarch slurry (in step 4) or add along with cashews and scallions and give a good toss. 

OR simply serve easy instant pot cashew chicken with white rice and steamed broccoli/green beans. 

Love chicken dinners ? Click here for more Chicken recipes

Print Recipe

3.75 from 4 votes

Easy Instant Pot Cashew Chicken

No added oil! Skip takeout and make this easy instant pot cashew chicken for a quick weeknight dinner or meal prep for the week. Simply serve over plain white or brown rice. 

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time7 mins

Total Time12 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: 3

Author: Maria Doss

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces (500 grams)
• 1 cup diced onion pieces (cut into1-inch discs) (refer notes)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (not packed)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons chinese cooking wine (Shaosing wine)
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (less or more as per taste)

Additional ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons water
• 3/4 cup roasted cashews
• 2 scallions or green onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

• Have all ingredients chopped and measured. 

  Set instant pot in saute mode. 
• When hot, press cancel, add all ingredients (except additional ingredients) and give a stir to mix everything. 
• Close pot and lock lid (with valve set to seal). Set Instant pot to 5 minutes in manual mode. 

  When done, release pressure immediately.  
• Open lid, press cancel and then to saute mode. 

  Stir together cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add to the Instant pot. Stir well, let it come to a boil and let cook for 20-30 seconds. Turn instant pot off, stir in roasted cashews and scallions. 
• Spoon over plain white or brown rice and pack into meal prep containers.

  (This easy instant pot cashew chicken makes a thin sauce that is perfect to be served with white/brown rice). The sauce will thicken slightly as it cools. 

Notes

1. Onion - cut onion into 1-inch discs, seperate layers and then measure 1 cup. 

2. Chicken - I have chosen to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs since it cooks super tender and also adds so much flavor when compared to boneless, skinless chicken breasts. But, you can use breasts instead. 

3. Shaosing cooking wine can be found in all Asian grocery stores. If you cannot find it, then mirin may be used instead (reduce brown sugar to 1 to 1 and 1/2 tablespoons)

4. To add veggies:

(Choices - Green bell peppers, asparagus, broccoli, broccoli stems..... ) Set instant pot to saute mode. Add a tablespoon oil (sorry peeps this is essential when adding veggies). Add your vegetable of choice, stir occasionally and cook for 2-4 minutes, until just cooked. Remove onto a plate and then proceed with the recipe as given.

You can add the veggie back into the dish before adding the cornstarch slurry (in step 4) if you wish to cook your veggie further or add along with cashews and scallions and give a good toss. 

OR simply serve easy instant pot cashew chicken with white rice and steamed broccoli/green beans. 

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