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Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken Recipe

Name: Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 255 min
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or chicken thighs) (cut into large pieces); ¼ cup all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon black pepper; 1 Tablespoon canola oil; ¼ cup soy sauce; 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar; 2 Tablespoons ketchup; 1 Tablespoon brown sugar; 1 garlic clove (minced); ½ teaspoon ground ginger; ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes; ½ cup cashews

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Published: November 28, 2020Author: Camille Beckstrand

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Our Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken is an easy crockpot recipe that is definitely better than takeout. Breaded chicken with a complimentary delicious sauce!

This slow cooker cashew chicken recipe is a huge time saver and perfect for a weeknight meal!

It is filled with flavor that the whole family will love. I would even dare to say that this recipe is even better than an actual Chinese take out recipe!

Other great Asian dishes to try are our Korean Beef and Rice, Easy Baked Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe, and you cannot forget our Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe!

Ingredients Needed For Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken Recipe:

Boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast tenders
All-purpose flour
Soy Sauce
Ketchup
Brown Sugar
Cashews
Rice Wine Vinegar
Ginger
Garlic
Red Pepper Flakes
Canola Oil
Black Pepper

Need a dish that’s not spicy? Try our Slow Cooker Sticky Garlic Chicken!

How To Make Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken:

Start by cutting the chicken into pieces. Make them bite-sized but not too small.

raw chicken in bite-size pieces on a cutting board

Grab a large Ziploc bag and combine all-purpose flour and black better. Add chicken to the Ziploc bag.

Shake the bag well to coat the chicken with the flour mixture making sure all pieces are covered.

Next, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

cooking chicken on a skillet with a spatula

Place the chicken in the skillet and cook it for about 2 minutes on each side or until it is golden brown. Then place the chicken in a slow cooker.

In a small mixing bowl, mix together soy sauce, wine vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Then pour the mixture over the chicken.

pouring sauce over browned chicken in slow cooker

Cover the slow cooker and cook the chicken on low for 3 to 4 hours. Then add the cashews, serve, and enjoy!

This recipe is great served over white rice!

Cashew chicken served over rice in a bowl

BONUS: If you have someone who loves sauce, you can double the sauce ingredients and make sure there is extra to drizzle over your chicken.

What vegetables could I add to this recipe?

This dish is easy to serve with vegetables on the side or you could throw some in the slow cooker.

Zucchini Squash
Yellow Squash
Cherry Tomatoes
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Red and Green Bell Peppers
Red Onion
Sweet Potatoes
Red Potatoes
Potato Fingerlings

Any of these vegetables would be delicious with the these vegetables mixed in, but you could also serve them separately. They also pair nicely with rice, which is what we serve this chicken over.

Related recipe: Short on time? Try our Instant Pot Cashew Chicken instead!

Could I leave out the cashews?

The cashews in this recipe add the perfect amount of taste and texture. However, you could easily make this recipe without them.

I highly recommend making it with the cashews, but it would be just a s delicious without the cashews. You could also use almonds.

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Here are a few tips when making this easy crockpot recipe:

You can substitute the flour with cornstarch. However, if you plan to do so you will need to cut the amount in half.
Don’t have canola oil? Feel free to use what you have in your pantry. Here is a great list of canola oil alternatives from Better Homes and Gardens.
Feel free to add vegetables to the crockpot with the chicken if desired. Great options would be bell peppers, broccoli, celery, and carrots. Chop vegetables before adding to the crockpot.
Not a fan of chicken breast? Try adding chicken thighs instead.

cashew chicken on a plate with rice and a large serving spoon

Can I Freeze Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken?

If you want to freeze your Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken, prepare the recipe as written below. Make sure you allow it to cool before putting it in a freezer bag.

You can also use a freezer-safe container. Make sure if you are using bags they are freezer safe and remove as much air from the bags as possible.

What you can also do is follow the recipe to brown the chicken and make the sauce mixture and add to a freezer bag. Then, when you are ready to cook it, just add it all to your slow cooker.

Other great Asian recipes to try:

Serves: 6