Description
Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken: Tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and savory sauce simmered to perfection. Easy, comforting, and perfect for busy nights.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (900g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup (150g) unsalted cashews
- 1 red bell pepper, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- ½ cup (120ml) low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 4 green onions, sliced
- Cooked white rice
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Sauce In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes until thoroughly combined. Take a moment to taste the sauce and adjust sweetness or heat according to your preference.
- Step 2: Prepare the Chicken Pat the chicken thigh pieces dry with paper towels—this helps them brown better. Season lightly with black pepper. For an optional flavor boost, you can briefly brown the chicken pieces in a skillet with a tablespoon of oil before transferring to the slow cooker, though this step isn’t essential for delicious results.
- Step 3: Assemble in Slow Cooker Place the chicken pieces in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the chopped onions and bell peppers on top, then pour the prepared sauce over everything, ensuring all pieces are coated. Don’t stir yet—this layering helps the vegetables cook properly while the chicken remains tender in the flavorful sauce.
- Step 4: Cook Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. The chicken should be tender enough to easily pull apart with two forks when done. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking as this releases accumulated heat and can extend cooking time by 20-30 minutes.
- Step 5: Thicken the Sauce When there’s about 30 minutes of cooking time remaining, make your cornstarch slurry by whisking 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until smooth. Stir this mixture into the slow cooker, then add the toasted cashews. Replace the lid and continue cooking for the final 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened to a glossy consistency.
- Step 6: Final Touches Once cooking is complete, gently stir to ensure everything is evenly coated in the thickened sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Scatter sliced green onions over the top just before serving over steaming rice for a restaurant-quality presentation.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 450 calories per serving
- Sugar: 12 grams
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 grams
- Saturated Fat: 5 grams
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 grams
- Trans Fat: 0 grams
- Carbohydrates: 25 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Protein: 30 grams
- Cholesterol: 140 mg