Name: Paleo Cashew Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into small pieces); 1/2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot flour or corn starch; 4 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil (divided); 1 head broccoli (cut into small, even size florets (about 1 1/2 -2 cups)); 1 small onion (diced); 3/4 cup raw cashews; 3 tablespoons black sesame seeds; 1/4 cup cilantro (chopped); 1/2 cup coconut aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce or tamari); 1/4 cup chicken broth; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 2 cloves garlic (mashed); 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (grated (or ground ginger)); 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

The Cashew Chicken Sauce

Of course, the sauce is the star of this recipe, and it’s very easy to make. I recommend using a blender to mix it all up, if you have one, because I feel like the flavors really come together well. If you don’t have one, or don’t feel like using it, you can simply whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and call it a day!

To make the sauce, you need the following ingredients:

Coconut aminos: I love using coconut aminos in this recipe because it’s gluten-free, and contains less sodium than soy sauce. However, soy sauce/tamari will give the sauce more flavor, since it has a stronger flavor than coconut aminos. If using soy sauce, I recommend looking for low sodium soy sauce.

Chicken broth: You can use any broth you like, I use chicken since we are already using chicken in this recipe.

Maple syrup: The maple syrup will offset some of the saltiness and add just the right about of sweetness.

Garlic: Fresh garlic is always best, so if you have it, I recommend using it! Otherwise, you can substitute for 1 1/2 teaspoons of granulated garlic powder.

Ginger: I also really love using fresh ginger in this recipe, because it does make a difference with the flavor panel. That said, if you don’t have it, feel free to use ground ginger. Just don’t skip the ginger, it really tastes so delicious in this recipe!

Red pepper flakes: I like my cashew chicken a touch spicy, so I add just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. You can omit it all together, or even add more, depending on your spice level preference.

Salt & pepper: Salt and pepper to taste!

How to make this Paleo Cashew Chicken

To make this dinner in under 30 minutes, it’s pretty simple!

The first think you need to do is chop the chicken into small cubes, then toss them in either tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, or corn starch. This is really helpful so that the chicken does not stick to the pan when cooking it, and also helps the sauce adhere to the chicken and not just slide off.

Next, cook the chicken in the skillet for about 5-8 minutes total, then transfer the chicken to a plate. Note, the chicken won’t be completely cooked at this point, but that’s ok. It will eventually get cooked once you return the chicken to the skillet later.

The next step is to saute the broccoli and onion in the same pan, and while that is cooking, prepare the sauce!

To prepare the sauce, simply whisk together/blend the sauce ingredients and set it aside.

Then it’s time to return the chicken to the skillet, add the sauce, and coat everything well.

Add cashews on top, along with sesame seeds and cilantro, and plate your meal!

I love serving this meal on a bed of white rice, but you can definitely enjoy it alone or with some extra veggies!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and rating below! And since I practically live on Instagram, be sure to tag me in your creations so I can see them and repost on my IG stories! Enjoy! xx