If you’re craving a delicious and nutty dish, look no further than this Crockpot Cashew Chicken! Packed with tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and a sweet-savory sauce made with red bell pepper, this recipe will have you skipping the takeout and making your favorite meal at home in your slow cooker.
Key Ingredients for the Chicken:
- Chicken Tenderloins: Cut into bite-sized pieces (chicken breasts or thighs work too).
- Cornstarch: Coats the chicken to create a crispy texture.
- Vegetable Oil: For frying, you can use canola, peanut, or sunflower oil.
- Vegetables: Red bell pepper and scallions to enhance flavor and color.
Key Ingredients for the Sauce:
- Soy Sauce: Lite or low-sodium works well.
- Ketchup: Adds sweetness to the sauce along with brown sugar.
- Seasonings: Garlic, black pepper, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds.
- Cashews: For a delicious, nutty crunch.
How to Make Crockpot Cashew Chicken:
- Coat the Chicken: Coat each piece of chicken in cornstarch. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken—just a quick sear for color, no need to cook it through.
- Prepare the Sauce: In the slow cooker, add the browned chicken, chopped red bell pepper, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, pepper, ginger, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds. Stir well to combine.
- Cook: Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on low in the slow cooker. Add cashews, stir, and cook until fully incorporated.
- Serve: Top with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice and enjoy!
What to Serve with Crockpot Cashew Chicken:
- Rice: Serve over a bed of rice for a filling meal.
- Side Dishes: Consider fried green beans or a simple broccoli salad for a well-rounded meal.
Tips & Tricks:
- Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Cashews: Add them just before serving to keep them crunchy.
- Spicy Kick: Spice things up with red pepper flakes or sriracha.
- Chicken Thighs: You can swap tenderloins for thighs for added flavor.
Enjoy your homemade Crockpot Cashew Chicken with minimal effort and maximum flavor!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients (Serves 4):
- 2 lbs chicken tenderloins, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 cup cashews
- 3 scallions, sliced
Instructions:
- Prepare the Chicken: Coat the chicken pieces with cornstarch. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and quickly brown on all sides (no need to cook through, just add color).
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Move the browned chicken into the slow cooker and add the chopped red bell pepper.
- Make the Sauce: In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, black pepper, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds.
- Cook: Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and add the cashews. Stir well to combine. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours until tender.
- Garnish & Serve: Garnish with sliced scallions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Serve the chicken over rice for a complete meal.
Nutrition (per serving):
- Calories: 434 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Protein: 41g
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.05g
- Cholesterol: 97mg
- Sodium: 2525mg
- Potassium: 924mg
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 15g
- Vitamin A: 855 IU
- Vitamin C: 30mg
- Calcium: 47mg
- Iron: 3mg
I’ve reorganized the steps slightly and polished the phrasing for clarity and flow. Let me know if you need any more adjustments!
