This recipe is made so much simpler with the use of the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker! Chicken is served in a unique and delicious sauce, with bell peppers, green onions, and cashews. Serve it over a bed of rice for a yummy dinner.
Recipe Origins
Though you’ve seen it on many Chinese takeout menus, Chicken with Cashew Nuts (or Cashew Chicken) is not a Chinese Dish (sound familiar, crab rangoons?)
Instead, this now beloved Chinese-American recipe was created in 1963 by David Leong, the owner of Leong’s Asian Restaurant in Springfield, Missouri.
Leong was a Chinese immigrant who came to the United States in 1940. Like many Chinese immigrants, he knew that opening a restaurant was his best chance for success in the USA (in the early 20th century, the amount of Chinese restaurants in the USA quadrupled in a decade).
The opening of Leong’s first restaurant was delayed by a month after 10 sticks of dynamite were thrown into the restaurant to destroy it. But after the restaurant finally opened, customers were blown away by the food!
Leong wanted to cook Cantonese food to represent his heritage but was worried the recipes wouldn’t be well received in Missouri. Instead, he blended his two cultures. At the time, chicken fried steak was very popular in Missouri, so Leong capitalized on the idea.
He created a recipe in which he cut up chicken into small nuggets, breaded, and fried them. Then, he coated them in a delicious sauce and served them with cashews. Suddenly everyone was enjoying his creation, and the country was raving about Cashew Chicken.
Even McDonalds visited Leong begging for his recipe… a year later they released their now-classic chicken nuggets.
These days, even Hong Kong has Chicken with Cashew Nuts on the menu, though it is clear that the recipe originated in none other than Springfield.
This recipe today takes the delightful cashew chicken but makes an instant pot version instead! The chicken may not be fried in this recipe but you’re going to love it all the same.
Why Make this Recipe
- “Takeout” Taste without the Price: We looove ordering takeout chinese in my home, but sometimes it can get expensive! This recipe makes enough to feed 4 while being so much more affordable than ordering from a restaurant.
- Instant Pot: I love using my Instant Pot because it takes the guesswork out of cooking chicken. I love that I can put the lid on and walk away while this dish cooks!
What Do I Need to Make this Recipe
Ingredients
- Produce: Broccoli, red pepper, green onions, garlic, ginger
- Pantry Staples: Olive oil, all purpose flour, chicken broth
- Sauces and Oils: Hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil
- Cashews: Unroasted, unsalted
Tools
- Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Broccoli
Open your Instant Pot and pour 1 cup of water into the liner. Insert your steamer basket or trivet, and place the broccoli inside.
Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn it to steam for 2 minutes. When the cook cycle is up, remove the lid and set the broccoli aside.
Step 2: Cook the Chicken
In a small bowl, coat the chicken pieces in 1 tbsp flour. Mix until the chicken is fully coated.
Add olive oil to the liner of the pot. Turn the pot to SAUTE, and add the chicken pieces. Saute the chicken until the outside is browned on all sides.
Step 3: Pressure Cook
Turn off the SAUTE function and add chicken broth into the pot. Use a spoon to scrape up any brown bits stuck on the bottom of the pot.
In a small separate bowl, mix hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger together in a bowl. Pour into the IP.
Add the red bell pepper into the pot as well.
Put the lid on the pot and turn the pressure to HIGH. Cook for 6 minutes with a 6 minute Natural Pressure Release. After the 6 minute Natural Pressure Release, perform a Quick Release to release the rest of the steam. Open the lid.
Step 4: Thicken the Sauce
In a small bowl, mix 3 tbsp flour with 6 tbsp water. Whisk until the flour dissolves completely.
Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE and bring the sauce in the pot to a simmer. Pour the water and flour mixture into the instant pot. Allow it to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
Step 5: Add Finishing Touches and Enjoy
Once the sauce has thickened, add the reserved broccoli, cashews, and chopped green onions into the pot. Mix to combine. Serve over rice and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- This recipe is best served fresh, but will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
- If you want breaded/fried chicken for your Chicken with Cashew Nuts Recipe, this may not be the best recipe for you. Fried chicken tends to get soggy in the Instant Pot, so this is best for grilled chicken lovers.
- If you want really crispy cashews, you can toast them before starting the recipe. To do this, turn the pot to SAUTE and dry saute the cashews over the heat until they start to brown.
Recipe FAQs
What Else Can I Add to Cashew Chicken Sauce?
Other great additions would be:
- Sweet chili sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Brown sugar
- Red pepper flakes
- Ketchup
- Or anything else that sounds good!
How Can I Serve Cashew Chicken?
Cashew chicken can be enjoyed in many ways. Some of my favorites are:
- Over white rice
- Plain
- Over lettuce
What Other Vegetables Can I Add to this Recipe?
The vegetables in this recipe are merely a suggestion. If you want to add other veggies, you are more than welcome to do so! Just make sure to check if they are sturdier or more delicate vegetables. Veggies like red peppers can be pressure cooked with the chicken, but more fragile veggies (like broccoli) should be pressure cooked beforehand.
- Water chestnuts
- Edamame
- Onions
- Kale
- Anything else that sounds good to you!
Did you enjoy this recipe for Chicken with Cashew Nuts? If so, don’t forget to check out these other recipes, which I picked out just for you:
- Instant Pot Ramen Noodles
- Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli Recipe
- Dim Sum Chicken Feet
- Chinese Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken with Cashew Nuts
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups/Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 head Broccoli, chopped into florets
- 1 ½ lb Chicken breast, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 4 tbsp all purpose flour, divided
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 ½ tbsp Hoisin sauce
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- 2 tsp Garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp Ginger, grated
- 1 Red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 ½ cups Cashews
- ½ bunch green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Open your Instant Pot and pour 1 cup of water into the liner. Insert your steamer basket or trivet, and place the broccoli inside. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn it to steam for 2 minutes. When the cook cycle is up, remove the lid and set the broccoli aside.
- In a small bowl, coat the 1.5 lb bite-size chicken pieces in 1 tbsp flour. Mix until the chicken is fully coated.
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the liner of the pot. Turn the pot to SAUTE, and add the chicken pieces. Saute the chicken until the outside is browned on all sides.
- Turn off the SAUTE function and add ¼ cup chicken broth into the pot. Use a spoon to scrape up any brown bits stuck on the bottom of the pot.
- In a small separate bowl, mix 1 ½ tbsp hoisin sauce, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 2 tsp garlic and 1 tsp ginger together in a bowl. Pour into the Instant Pot.
- Add 1 red bell pepper into the pot as well.
- Put the lid on the pot and turn the pressure to HIGH. Cook for 6 minutes with a 6 minute Natural Pressure Release. After the 6 minute Natural Pressure Release, perform a Quick Release to release the rest of the steam. Open the lid.
- In a small bowl, mix 3 tbsp flour with 6 tbsp water. Whisk until the flour dissolves completely.
- Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE and bring the sauce in the pot to a simmer. Pour the water and flour mixture into the instant pot. Allow it to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
- Once the sauce has thickened, add the reserved broccoli, 1 ½ cups cashews, and ½ bunch of chopped green onions into the pot. Mix to combine. Serve over rice and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is best served fresh, but will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days
- If you want breaded/fried chicken for your Chicken with Cashew Nuts Recipe, this may not be the best recipe for you. Fried chicken tends to get soggy in the Instant Pot, so this is best for grilled chicken lovers.
- If you want really crispy cashews, you can toast them before starting the recipe. To do this, turn the pot to SAUTE and dry saute the cashews over the heat until they start to brown.
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