Cashew Chicken (A 30-Minute Noodle Bowl!)
A quick and easy recipe for spicy cashew chicken noodle bowls. This one-pan (mostly) stir-fry features bite-sized pieces of chicken cooked in a skillet with a colorful medley of fresh vegetables, including bell peppers and zucchini. A savory, spicy, and slightly sweet sauce is made with chicken broth, tamari, grated ginger, and honey, then thickened with tapioca starch. The stir-fry is finished with roasted cashews for crunch and served over a bed of tender rice noodles.
Ingredients
- For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 3 Tablespoons low-sodium tamari
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon tapioca starch
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- For the Stir Fry:
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2-3 Tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 cup green onion, white parts only
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2/3 cup roasted cashews
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to the package directions.
- While the noodles cook, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and the white parts of the green onions and sauté for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
- Add the cubed chicken and cook on each side for 3-4 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Add the chopped bell peppers and zucchini to the skillet. Sauté for an additional 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Pour the prepared sauce into the pan with the chicken and vegetables. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.
- Stir in the roasted cashews and the green parts of the onions.
- Drain the cooked rice noodles and serve the stir-fry over the noodles.
Notes
- This is a quick and healthy one-pan meal (for the stir-fry) that comes together in about 30 minutes, making it perfect for a busy weeknight.
- The sauce is thickened with tapioca starch, which makes the dish naturally gluten-free when paired with rice noodles and tamari.
- The cashews are added at the very end of the cooking process to ensure they remain crunchy.
- The spice level can be easily adjusted by reducing the amount of black pepper and red pepper flakes.
Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/spicy-cashew-chicken/