A simple cashew chicken stir fry packed with veggies, sprinkled with cashews, and tossed in a sticky maple ginger stir fry sauce. Works great for an easy weeknight dinner or for meal prep.
In search of a simple, tasty, stir fry recipe to mix up your routine? This maple ginger chicken stir fry is the one, friend.
With a sweet, sticky stir fry sauce, and crunchy cashews, what's not to love?!
This reader favorite stir fry makes a delicious and easy weeknight dinner, but also works amazingly well for meal prep. It was actually a recipe in one our Meal Prep Challenges!
Not only is it easy to prepare, but extremely flexible. You could make it vegetarian, or swap for what you have in your fridge. Let's discuss!
Reasons you'll ♡ maple ginger cashew chicken stir fry
- it's simple to prepare and can be ready in under 30 minutes
- you can swap the veggies for what you have in the fridge
- it works great for meal prep
Stir fry video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped this stir fry. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook
Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!
Let's talk ingredients
- chicken- I used boneless skinless chicken breasts, but thighs would work as well. For a tasty vegetarian option, press and sautee some cubed tofu. Follow the method in this post!
- cashews- I used salted, roasted cashews. If you have raw cashews, you might want to take some time to toast them first.
- aromatics- onion, garlic and ginger build the flavors up in this stir fry!
- veggies- I used a mixture of broccoli and red pepper. You can use pretty much any veggie in this stir fry- bagged stir fry mix is a great shortcut!
- maple ginger sauce- maple syrup, reduced sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and a bit of cornstarch to thicken. So simple!
Wondering what to serve with stir fry?
- rice- see how to cook perfect, fluffy rice
- brown rice- see how to cook perfect, fluffy brown rice
- cauliflower rice- see how to make cauliflower rice
- zucchini noodles- see how to cook zucchini noodles
Want to switch your sauce up? Check out this post with 7 Stir Fry Sauce Recipes!
Tips for the perfect stir fry
- get organized- I like to have all my veggies + chicken chopped and my stir fry sauce shaken up before I start cooking.
- meal prep- this recipe works for meal prep in two different ways:
- prep ahead but don't cook- (3-5 days ahead; depends on the dates on your chicken) chop your veggies and chicken, shake up your sauce. This will save valuable time when you go to cook up your dinner.
- cook ahead- cook your stir fry, portion out with rice and store in the fridge (up to 4 days) or the freezer (up to 3 months). Note that your cashews won't stay crispy unless you keep them separate.
- storage- after cooking, this recipe can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- cashews- if you are looking for that crunch factor from your cashews, add them fresh to your stir fry.
More stir fry recipes
- Easy Sweet Chili Shrimp Stir Fry
- Peanut Ginger Tofu Stir Fry
- Lemon Sesame Chicken Stir Fry
- Honey Sriracha Chicken Stir Fry
- Instant Pot Coconut Sweet Chili Stir Fry
This post was originally published in 2015. It has been republished in 2020 with fresh photos and a new video. Same great recipe!
Maple Ginger Cashew Chicken Stir Fry (30 Minutes)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1 inch cubes)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tablespoons ginger (finely grated)
- 1 bell pepper (sliced)
- 1 head broccoli (small head, cut into 1 inch florets)
- ⅓ cup cashews
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce (swap for tamari for gluten-free)
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon corn starch (or ½ tablespoon arrowroot starch)
To serve:
- Rice
Instructions
- Shake together the stir fry sauce and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a frying pan.
- Add the onion to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, until onion is soft.
- Add the bell peppers and broccoli, and cook for 5 more minutes or until softened. Transfer veggies to a clean plate.
- Add the reserved 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add chicken and cook for 7-10 minutes, until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle.
- Make a space in the pan and add the garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the stir fry sauce to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vegetables and cashews.
- Serve over rice.
Storage
- This recipe makes a great meal prep lunch. Store in 2 cup capacity meal prep containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
