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Sheet Pan Chicken with Cashews and Vegetables
This dinner meal prep recipe brings a flavorful Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken right to your kitchen, featuring bite-sized chicken, tender broccoli, vibrant bell pepper, and sweet onion, all cooked with cashews and coated in a savory sauce. It’s designed for simplicity and convenience, using mostly one sheet pan for a straightforward cooking process.
The key to this recipe’s balanced flavor and texture lies in adding the sauce near the end of the baking time, allowing the chicken and vegetables to achieve a pleasant texture before being generously coated. The result is a practical, satisfying meal that is also easy to manage for leftovers.
What You’ll Need
Gathering the right ingredients ensures a smooth cooking process and a delicious final dish. This recipe focuses on fresh, readily available components for a balanced meal.
- For the chicken: You will need 1.5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch bite-sized pieces. To coat, prepare 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of paprika.
- For the sheet pan: The vegetables include 4 ounces of small broccoli florets, 1 red bell pepper roughly chopped (any color bell pepper works), and 1/2 a sweet yellow onion, roughly chopped. You will also need 1 cup of cashews, which can be replaced with peanuts or omitted.
- For the sauce: The flavorful sauce consists of 1/2 cup of hoisin sauce, 1/4 cup of soy sauce (tamari or coconut aminos are suitable alternatives), 1 tablespoon of sriracha for a touch of heat, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon of minced ginger.
- Garnish, optional: Fresh green onion and a sprinkle of sesame seeds can be added just before serving for extra flavor and visual appeal.
How to Make It
This sheet pan chicken dinner is cooked in stages to ensure everything is perfectly baked and coated. The initial bake allows the chicken and vegetables to start cooking, after which the flavorful sauce is introduced to finish the dish.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature for even cooking from the start.
- Cut the boneless, skinless chicken into uniform 1-inch bite-sized pieces. Consistent sizing helps the chicken cook evenly.
- In a bowl, add the cut chicken, along with sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Toss thoroughly to coat each piece of chicken evenly with the seasoning mix.
- Take a large greased sheet pan and spread the coated chicken in a single layer. Ensuring space between the chicken pieces allows them to bake rather than steam.
- Add the broccoli, roughly chopped red bell pepper, and sweet yellow onion directly onto the same sheet pan, distributing them around the chicken.
- Sprinkle the cashews evenly over the entire pan.
- Place the sheet pan in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. This initial baking step cooks the chicken and vegetables partway.
- While the chicken and vegetables are baking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sriracha, brown sugar, minced garlic, and minced ginger until well combined.
- After the 10-minute bake, carefully remove the sheet pan from the oven.
- Pour the prepared sauce evenly over the chicken, vegetables, and cashews on the pan.
- Using tongs or a spatula, gently toss everything on the sheet pan, ensuring all components are thoroughly coated with the sauce.
- Return the sheet pan to the oven for an additional 4 to 6 minutes.
- Continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked through and registers an internal temperature of 165°F. This is an important step for food safety and ensures tender results.
- Once cooked, take the sheet pan out of the oven. Garnish generously with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, if desired, before serving.
Add Sauce Later
A key element of this cashew chicken recipe is the two-stage cooking method, particularly when the sauce is incorporated. The chicken, vegetables, and cashews bake for an initial 10 minutes without the sauce. This allows them to develop some roasted textures and cook partially before being introduced to the wet ingredients.
Adding the sauce after this initial bake prevents it from burning or drying out during the longer cooking phase. Instead, it gets tossed with the already-partially-cooked components, allowing it to coat them effectively and warm through in the final 4 to 6 minutes. This approach helps maintain the integrity of the sauce and ensures a balanced flavor distribution.
Coat the Chicken Well
The coating on the chicken is an important step for both flavor and texture. Before baking, the chicken pieces are tossed with sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. The sesame oil helps the seasonings adhere, while the cornstarch contributes to a light coating that helps the chicken maintain moisture during cooking.
It is important to ensure each 1-inch piece of chicken is evenly coated before it goes onto the sheet pan. This even coating helps the seasonings distribute consistently and ensures a uniform cooking experience. Spreading the chicken in a single layer on the pan further supports even cooking and proper sauce coverage later in the process.
Swaps and Scaling
This sheet pan chicken dinner offers some flexibility to suit different preferences or needs. You can choose either chicken breasts or chicken thighs, depending on your texture preference, without altering the cooking time significantly. For the bell pepper, any color will work well in place of the red, allowing for variety or based on what you have available. If cashews are not preferred, they can be replaced with peanuts for a similar crunch or omitted entirely.
In the sauce, if you need a gluten-free option or prefer a different flavor profile, tamari or coconut aminos can be used as a direct substitute for soy sauce. When it comes to scaling the recipe, if you wish to double the amount, it’s important to use two separate sheet pans to prevent overcrowding. An overcrowded pan can lead to steaming instead of roasting, affecting the texture. Conversely, to halve the recipe, simply reduce the ingredients accordingly and use a smaller baking pan.
How to Store It
Proper storage is essential for enjoying your Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken throughout the week. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. If you prefer your reheated meals extra saucy, consider storing the sauce separately and adding it just before reheating.
For longer storage, fully cooked leftovers can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. When ready to enjoy, thaw frozen portions overnight in the refrigerator. To reheat, warm in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating. Alternatively, leftovers can be reheated on the stovetop until hot. If the sauce appears too thick after reheating, a splash of water can help loosen it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken thighs for this recipe?
Yes, you can absolutely use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. The cooking times and preparation steps remain the same for either cut of chicken.
Can I use tamari or coconut aminos?
Tamari or coconut aminos are suitable substitutes for soy sauce in the sauce recipe. They will provide a similar savory depth while accommodating dietary preferences.
Can Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken be frozen?
Yes, fully cooked Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken can be frozen. Store it in a freezer-safe container for up to one month, ensuring it thaws in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
How do I reheat leftovers?
Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway, or on the stovetop until thoroughly hot. If the sauce has thickened, add a splash of water to loosen it during reheating.
Can I double the recipe?
To double this recipe, use two separate sheet pans to avoid overcrowding the ingredients. Overcrowding can lead to steaming instead of roasting, impacting the texture.
Conclusion
This Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken offers a practical and flavorful solution for a weeknight dinner or meal prep. With its simple method involving bite-sized chicken, colorful vegetables, crunchy cashews, and a savory hoisin-soy sauce, it delivers a satisfying meal with minimal fuss. The clear guidelines for coating, baking, and handling leftovers make it an accessible option for busy cooks looking for reliable and tasty options.
Print
Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Gluten-Free (if tamari is used)
Description
This easy-to-prepare sheet pan meal features tender bite-sized chicken, colorful vegetables, and cashews in a savory sauce, perfect for a satisfying and healthy dinner that’s great for meal prepping.
Ingredients
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
4 ounces small broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 sweet yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 cup cashews (or peanuts, or omitted)
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce (or tamari, or coconut aminos)
1 tablespoon sriracha
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 green onion, chopped (optional garnish)
1 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional garnish)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
Cut chicken into 1-inch bite-sized pieces
In a bowl, mix chicken with sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and paprika
Spread chicken in a single layer on a large greased sheet pan
Add broccoli, red bell pepper, and sweet onion
Place cashews (if using) on the sheet pan
Bake for 15 minutes
In a small bowl, mix hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sriracha, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger
Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken and vegetables
Bake for another 10 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked and vegetables are tender
Sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds, if using, before serving
Notes
Ensure chicken pieces are similar in size for even cooking
Cashews can be omitted or replaced with peanuts if preferred
Sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for easy use
Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Asian Fusion
