Toasted cashews, snow peas, carrots and juicy chicken in a garlicky cashew sauce – pair with rice for a super simple take-out style Easy Cashew Chicken Meal Prep!
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You know how the grocery store very conveniently places all the magazines and candy right there in the checkout line, so you can not avoid seeing them? Not to toot my own horn, but I’m never really tempted by the candy. I’m so much more likely to grab a coffee drink, 5-hour energy, or maybe some mints. Maybe.
On this particular day, it was the magazines that got me. ALWAYS the food magazines. And somehow it never fails that I gravitate towards the most expensive ones. You know, like $9.99 or $12.99 or perhaps I’ve possibly paid $14.99 before but it was a TIME special edition for a long flight, okay? These are the best magazines, for they have little to no advertisements. They’re basically books.
Inspiration for this Easy Cashew Chicken Meal Prep
A few weeks ago I spontaneously grabbed the newest America’s Test Kitchen magazine: One Pan Dinners; The Best Fuss-Free Meals for Your Sheet Pan, Dutch Oven, Skillet, Roasting Pan, Casserole and Slow Cooker (– an affiliate link to the book version!). I’ve been needing more practice with one pan dishes anyway. It was a great choice. No regrets. Worth it.
So, as my second creation from this tasty one-pot magazine (the first was a Mexican Chicken & Rice Skillet mmmm), I tried out the Cashew Pork with Snow Peas and Carrots. I modified a few things during my testing:
- I don’t eat pork, so I switched it up to chicken breast. Mistake! Not fatty enough. Could be more delicious. Chicken thighs the second time. SO MUCH BETTER.
- I don’t have any mirin, and I didn’t really want to buy any since I’ve never used it before and I rarely see it in recipes. So I left it out. During a second test, I added some rice wine vinegar to make up for the loss (mirin is rice wine… so that’s close right?? It tastes like it’s close).
- Reduced the amount of cornstarch and changed how it’s added – still saucy with a third of the cornstarch.
- Speaking of sauce, it’s way easier to just shake it up in a jar. You should try it.
- Threw in a couple of my favorite Asian style condiments for extra flavor (Sambal Oelek ❤️!)
- Served with rice (white or brown). Perfect for meal prep!
P.S.: Above meal prep photo is from when I made the recipe with boneless skinless chicken breast and served with brown rice. Not quite as good as chicken thighs, but still decent.
Other meal prep ideas from Project Meal Plan:
- Meal Prep Spicy Chicken and Asparagus Rice Bowls
- How to Turn Cheese and Crackers into DIY Adult Lunchables
- Meal Prep Ground Turkey Snap Pea Stir Fry Rice Bowls
Easy Cashew Chicken Meal Prep
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Description
Toasted cashews, snow peas, carrots and juicy chicken in a garlicky cashew sauce – pair with rice for a super simple take-out style meal prep!
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup unsalted cashews
- 2 tablespoons oil (I use avocado oil but vegetable or EVOO will work)
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch chunks
- 4 ounces snow peas (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch strips
- 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water, whisked together in a small bowl
- salt/pepper
For the sauce:
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Sambal Oelek (chili garlic sauce)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Combine sauce ingredients in a mason jar and shake until well mixed. You can also whisk ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Add cashews to a 12-inch non-stick skillet over low heat. Toast the cashews, tossing occasionally, for 6-8 minutes, or until they become fragrant and slightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Heat oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon each). Cook until browning and cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Add all veggies to the pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the snow peas become bright green and the onions begin to turn translucent.
- Add chicken, cashews, and sauce to the skillet. Stir until sauce begins to simmer and chicken and veggies are well coated.
- Whisk the water and cornstarch briefly to re-mix, then add to skillet and stir occasionally. The sauce should thicken over approximately 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve with your favorite kind of rice, or by itself! Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Equipment
OXO 9-Inch Silicone Head Tongs
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Pint Sized Wide Mouth Mason Jars
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4-cup Pyrex round glass containers
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Inspired by Cashew Pork with Snow Peas and Carrots from One-Pan Dinners, America’s Test Kitchen Magazine, page 12.
It is very possible to make this entirely in one-pan, however I don’t have a large enough non-stick skillet, so I prefer to use my Dutch Oven to avoid splatter messes. I still toast the cashews in a 10-inch non-stick skillet.
Nutrition information estimated with My Fitness Pal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: about 2 cups
- Calories: 417
- Fat: 21g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Protein: 36g
Keywords: meal prep, cashews, cashew chicken, make ahead, main dish, chicken
Thank you so much for checking out the Easy Cashew Chicken Meal Prep recipe (and making it to the bottom)! Be sure to use #projectmealplan on social media if you make this recipe! And follow me on Pinterest for meal inspiration every single day.
Hey, I'm Danielle. I made Project Meal Plan because being prepared and saving time are my favorite things. It doesn't hurt that I LOVE cooking and photography too. 
[…] Meal Plan recommends pairing this Easy Cashew Chicken Meal Prep with rice for a delicious take-out style meal! She suggests shaking the sauce in a jar that can be […]