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These chicken noodles are wrapped in a dreamy cashew butter sauce. Better still, they couldn’t be easier to make!
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Cashew Stir Fry Sauce
The sauce for this stir fry is nothing short of drinkable. The key ingredient is cashew butter, which creates the base of the sauce and not only offers a ton of cashew flavour, but it all helps create a smooth, creamy sauce.
Where can I find Cashew Butter?
You’ll find it next to the peanut butter in most supermarkets.
Can I make this sauce ahead of time?
You sure can! Just tightly store in the fridge then bring to room temp before needed. It’ll last 2-3days.
Process shots: gather ingredients (photo 1), add to mixing bowl (photo 2), whisk until smooth (photo 3).
Cashew Chicken
So a lot of the cashew flavour will come from the butter, but we’re also going to add in some whole cashews, just for good measure. I like to fry them off first for two reasons:
- Flavour – Frying the cashews will intensify their flavour.
- Oil – By frying them you’ll infuse the oil, which you can then recycle and fry the chicken in.
What cut of chicken to use?
I prefer using chicken thigh because it’s juicier and more tender than breast. It also doesn’t dry out as easily. If I’ve only got breast, I usually take it out of the pan after it’s fried, then add it back in at the end, just so it doesn’t dry out by the time all the veg has cooked. In both cases though it’s most important that you’re using boneless skinless meat.
Process shots: add cashews to hot oil (photo 1), fry until deep golden then remove (photo 2), add chicken to leftover oil (photo 3), fry until no longer pink (photo 4).
Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Alongside the chicken & cashews, we’re also going to add some noodles, cabbage, carrot, spring onion and beansprouts.
What kind of noodles to use?
I recommend using thick noodles, just because the sauce can be quite thick and tends to clump up if you’ve got really fine noodles. I typically use dried noodles and cook/soak them as per packet instruction. Here I’ve used Udon noodles.
Tips for making a great stir fry
- Prepping Veg – Ensure you have all the veg prepped and ready to go before starting, just so it’s ready to quickly hit the pan when needed.
- Cooking Veg – Stir fries need to happen over high heat, so make sure the wok/pan is smoking hot before you start adding anything in. Cooking veg low and slow makes it limp and too soft.
- Order of Veg – Different veg will cook at different rates, so just make sure you add the more dense/firm veg in first (i.e cabbage/carrots) and place the softer veg in towards the end (spring onion/beansprouts).
Process shots: add carrot and cabbage to cooked chicken (photo 1), fry until softened (photo 2), add noodles and cashew sauce (photo 3), toss to coat (photo 4), add beansprouts, spring onion and toasted cashews (photo 5), toss to coat (photo 6).
Serving Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
To serve, I usually hold back some cashews and spring onion to use as garnish. From there, just tuck in and enjoy!
What can I do with leftovers?
If there are leftovers just tightly store in the fridge, then stir fry again until the chicken is piping hot, using a dash of water to loosen up the sauce if needed.
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these chicken cashew butter noodles shall we?!
How to make Cashew Chicken Stir Fry(Full Recipe & Video)
Cashew Chicken Noodle Stir Fry
These chicken noodles are wrapped in a dreamy cashew butter sauce. Better still, they couldn't be easier to make!
4 from 2 votes
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Servings (click & slide): 2
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Asian
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Calories per serving: 950kcal
Author: Chris Collins
Cost per serving: £4 / $5
Equipment:
Small Mixing Bowl & Whisk (for cashew sauce)
Wok or Large Skillet & Wooden Spoon (for stir fry)
Bowl or Pot & Tongs (for cooking/soaking noodles)
Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
See AlsoTurnip and Potato Soup
Ingredients (check list):
Cashew Sauce
- packed 1/4 cup / 2.8oz / 80g Cashew Butter (see notes)
- 3-4 tbsp Water
- 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 packed tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 2 tsp Sesame Oil
- 1 large clove of Garlic, finely grated/minced
- 1/4 tsp Chilli Flakes, or to spice preference
Chicken Noodles
- 2 boneless skinless Chicken Thighs, sliced into thin strips (7oz/200g total)
- 5oz / 100g dried Noodles, (here I use Japanese Wheat Udon noodles)
- 1 cup / 100g Cabbage, shredded/finely sliced
- 1 cup / 100g Beansprouts
- 1/2 cup / 80g whole Cashews
- 2 large Spring Onions, thinly sliced
- 1 large Carrot, thinly sliced into matchsticks (5oz/100g total)
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- Salt & White Pepper, to season chicken
Instructions:
In a small mixing bowl add cashew butter, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, chilli flakes & 3 tbsp water. Whisk until smooth. It'll split at the start, then it will come together.
Cook noodles to packet instruction (usually requires soaking or quickly boiling). Season sliced chicken with a pinch of salt & pepper.
Heat up 1 tbsp oil in a wok or pan over high heat. Add in cashew nuts and fry for a few mins until deep golden. Remove from the pan and leave the oil in there. Add in chicken and fry until every part turns from pink to white. Add in carrot and cabbage and continue to fry until they soften slightly.
Turn heat down to medium and add in drained noodles alongside the cashew sauce. Toss until the noodles are coated (add in another tbsp water if you need to loosen up the sauce). Add in most of the cashews and spring onion (save some to garnish) and all of the beansprouts. Toss until everything is combined then serve up and enjoy!
Quick 1 min demo!
Notes:
a) Cashew Butter - You'll find this in most supermarkets next to peanut butter. The brand I use is 'Meridian'.
b) Chicken - I like using thigh because it's juicier and more tender than breast. It also doesn't dry out as easily. If you've only got breast, I usually take it out of the pan after it's fried, then add it back in at the end, just so it doesn't dry out by the time all the veg has cooked.
c) Can I sub the chicken? - You can take out the chicken and just add 7oz/200g more veg! Just cook them in order of texture (i.e firmer veg goes first as they take longer to cook).
d) Calories - Whole recipe divided by 2.
Your Private Notes:
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Nutrition:
Nutrition Facts
Cashew Chicken Noodle Stir Fry
Amount Per Serving
Calories 950Calories from Fat 499
% Daily Value*
Fat 55.4g85%
Saturated Fat 14.071g70%
Trans Fat 0.051g
Polyunsaturated Fat 12.399g
Monounsaturated Fat 23.478g
Cholesterol 136mg45%
Sodium 1360mg57%
Potassium 1299mg37%
Carbohydrates 74.2g25%
Fiber 9.6g38%
Sugar 18.27g20%
Protein 47.21g94%
Vitamin A 8706IU174%
Vitamin C 26.6mg32%
Calcium 124mg12%
Iron 6.46mg36%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition is based on the absence of salt unless stated as a measurement in the ingredients. Cost is worked out based on ingredients bought from UK supermarkets, then divided by the number of servings. In both instances these values are just for guidance. Please check out my FAQ Page for more info.
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