Tender chicken cooked in a rich sweet-and-savory sauce with crunchy cashews — better than takeout and incredibly easy!
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Sauce
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Add Later
- 1 cup roasted cashews
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
-
Coat the chicken
Toss chicken pieces with cornstarch, salt, and pepper until evenly coated. -
Brown the chicken
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden (it doesn’t need to be fully cooked). -
Make the sauce
In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ketchup, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. -
Slow cook
Add chicken to the slow cooker and pour sauce over the top. Stir gently. -
Cook
- LOW: 3–4 hours
- HIGH: 1½–2½ hours
-
Finish
Stir in cashews during the last 15 minutes of cooking to keep them crunchy. -
Serve
Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve over rice or noodles.
Tips
- Use chicken thighs for extra juicy results.
- Add steamed broccoli or bell peppers during the last 30 minutes for a complete meal.
- If you want a thicker sauce, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water and stir in near the end.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3–4 hours
Serves: 6
