I must admit… I’ve never had cashew chicken at a Chinese restaurant so I don’t know what it’s “supposed” to taste like. I saw a lot of pictures of cashew chicken going around Pinterest, and they looked good. Rather than clicking on the link to discover the recipe probably called for a can of soda, I decided to experiment and create my own cashew chicken recipe.
This is one of the few recipes that I’ve liked on the first try. The flavors blend really well together with the yummy garlic, ginger, and touch of sweetness from the maple syrup. And the lettuce as a wrap is the perfect crispy complement to the sweet and savory chicken.
This recipe has quickly become a family favorite at our house!
Chicken Stir Fry in a Wrap
We do a lot of stir-fries because they’re an easy and healthy weeknight meal. This recipe is similar to a stir fry, except it’s a handheld version (kind of like a taco). If you’re used to the Chinese takeout version, you’ll notice a few differences in this recipe. The best cashew chicken starts with real food ingredients!
Instead of a premade oyster sauce or hoisin sauce, we’re making our own garlic sauce here. Instead of low-sodium soy sauce, I like to use tamari or coconut aminos as the base. They have the same flavor but without the soy. And instead of starting off with vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet, I opt for coconut oil.
If you can’t find bibb lettuce then iceberg, romaine, or another leaf lettuce will work. I like the buttery crunch of bibb lettuce and feel like it holds up nicely for a makeshift wrap.
Chicken Options
I frequently use boneless skinless chicken breasts in recipes like this. I usually have some on hand and they’re a quick and easy protein source. Chicken thighs are also a good option and have a juicier flavor thanks to their fat content.
You can likely find organic chicken at your local grocery store, but I usually find pasture-raised meat options are cheaper from local farmers. If you don’t have a good farmer’s market in your area then there are healthy online options that will ship the meat right to your door!
Most cashew chicken recipes call for breading the chicken first before you saute it. I haven’t found this step necessary. It’s faster to skip the breading since I don’t have to cook the chicken in batches this way. And it’s an easy way to skip out on unhealthy grains.
Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wrap Recipe
Servings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP butter (or coconut oil)
- 1 lb chicken breasts (or thighs, diced)
- ½ cup cashews
- 4 large leaves bibb lettuce
Sauce
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup tamari (or coconut aminos)
- 3 TBSP maple syrup
- 2 TBSP rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
- 2 TBSP arrowroot powder
Instructions
- In a large skillet or wok, melt the butter or coconut oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring frequently until cooked through.
- Add the sauce ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and stir together.
- When the chicken is cooked add the sauce to the skillet.
- Cook and stir over medium heat and allow the sauce to thicken.
- Once the sauce is thickened, stir in the cashews.
- Let the finished cashew chicken cool slightly and serve in lettuce leaves.
- Garnish with scallions or green onions if desired.
Nutrition
Notes
More Recipes Like This
Looking for some more easy dinner recipes? Here are some more of our favorite Chinese food copycats!
- Asian Lettuce Wraps (like P.F. Chang)
- Easy Yum Yum Sauce Recipe
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Chinese Chicken Stir Fry
- Paleo Kung Pao Chicken
Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!
Ever made cashew chicken? Do you like lettuce wraps? Share below!
I can’t imagine there would be a can of soda in other Chicken Cashew recipes?????
This looks insanely yummy!!! I want to make this for dinner Monday night!
I doubled the recipe and doubled all the ingredients but it ended up not working out.
The coconut aminos and maple syrup never really evaporated so it never got thicken nor coated the chicken. It almost seemed like it got watery-er.
Made this tonight. Delicious! I used Tamari sauce, as I didn’t have the coconut aminos.
I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious.My whole family loved it.The 2 boys and I eat grain free and had the wraps I made brown rice for my husband…he loved this also.Thank you so much for this sight and all your sharing…sometimes it is so nice to get in get out and eat.This was done in 15 minutes.God bless.
Just made this tonight and it was delicious! I may cut the salt just a tad next time, but there were no leftovers, which is a good sign… my husband commented several times how much he enjoyed the meal too. I appreciate your recipes and am making only your recipes this whole week. Will make sure to comment on the others as I make them. Thanks!
This was so easy and delicious! I used bragg’s liquid aminos and didn’t use all the salt. Will definitely make again!
This was delicious. Made everything as written. Will be definitely making this again and again, especially with how easy it is. Thank you!
So glad I’m on your email list! Made this recipe the other night and it was delish! Of course like I do with many things, I added some twists. My wife wanted more cruchy, so I added celery and bamboo chutes. Also added raisins and diced apple near the end. THEN, topped off and dressed with a little Greek yogurt! All wrapped in a large leafed lettuce. It was awesome!
Excellent! Made this for supper, so good ! Used half butter and half coconut oil
I made this tonight for supper and it was absolutely delicious! I didn’t have cashews, but subbed walnuts (sauteed in butter). I also threw the thin sliced onions into the skillet to saute lightly just before adding the sauce & honey (yes, I subbed honey). I know it will be good next time when I have all the proper ingredients! Thanks for sharing your inspirational recipe.
That looks delicious and easy to make. Your post is very timely as I defrosted some chicken thighs last night and was going to make chicken tikka but that’s more work so now I’ll be making cashew chicken!
Do you think we could use honey vs maple syrup?