This paleo & keto cashew chicken recipe is a 30-minute meal that features tender, stir-fried chicken in a thick and flavorful sauce with cashews that tastes just like take-out, only better!
In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut aminos (or soy sauce), sesame oil, sweetener, rice vinegar, and fish sauce. Set aside.
Chop the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and pat dry with a paper towel, if needed. If the chicken has excess water on it, it will not brown properly. Set aside.
Add 2 Tablespoons of oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer. Be sure not to over-crowd the skillet and cook in batches if needed.
Then, sprinkle with sea salt. Leave it alone for 2 to 3 minutes to give it a chance to brown. Once nicely browned, stir it around so the rest of the chicken can brown and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, ginger, and green bell pepper. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until the pepper is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Add the sherry cooking wine and de-glaze the pan (scrape up all the yummy bits on the bottom). Allow to bubble for 30 seconds to a minute.
Add the sauce and stir to combine. Then, mix together the xanthan gum with ½ teaspoon of oil or melted butter in a small bowl. Pour the mixture into the skillet and stir until thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in the unsalted cashews.
While chicken broth can be substituted, I highly recommend sherry cooking wine or sherry wine because it adds fantastic flavor! It's usually found on the vinegar aisle.
While chicken breasts can be substituted, I don't recommend it. Chicken breasts will most likely turn out dry while chicken thighs will remain juicy and tender.
Feel free to use any sweetener you prefer!
For Paleo, replace the xanthan gum with 1 ½ tablespoon of tapioca or arrowroot flour mixed with 2 Tbsp. of cold water, use coconut palm sugar for the sweetener, and replace the sherry cooking wine with sherry wine or chicken broth. To add the tapioca/arrowroot slurry: Bring the sauce to a boil, add the slurry, and stir until thickened.
Fish sauce is usually found on the International or Asian food aisle. It adds a sweet, salty, earthy, and complex umami flavor. While you can omit the fish sauce, I don't recommend doing so because it will taste a bit flat & boring without it.
To cook in batches means to cook as much chicken as will comfortably fit in the pan. When the chicken is done, set it aside and cook the remaining chicken. Then, add the first batch of chicken back to the pan and continue on with the recipe.