Sticky Vegan Cashew Chicken
Last Updated on May 2, 2024
If you’re looking for a quick and easy dinner that’s gluten-free and vegan, look no further than this Sticky Vegan Cashew Chicken dish that’s better than takeout and can be made in just 30 minutes! This Chinese-American dinner is made with plant based chicken, roasted ginger-agave cashews, and served over rice for the perfect plant-based meal.
Get ready to drool over this delicious Sticky Vegan Cashew Chicken! Made with tender pieces of plant-based chicken, this dish is served in a rich and flavorful sauce that will satisfy your takeout Chinese food cravings. The cashews add a delightful crunch to every bite. It’s a dish that’s sure to impress both vegans and non-vegans alike. No actual chickens were harmed in the making of this dish, just some super crunchy cashews 😉
If you’re tired of ordering takeout and want to try your hand at something new, this vegan cashew chicken dish is not only gluten-free, but it’s also sticky and delicious. Plus, it can be made in just 30 minutes! This sticky cashew chicken dish is the perfect example of how plant-based meals can be just as tasty as their meat-filled counterparts.
If you want to impress your friends and family with a delicious dinner that’s also vegan and gluten-free, this sticky cashew chicken dish is sure to do the trick. Let’s dive into this simple dinner recipe, shall we?!
The Roasted Ginger-Agave Cashews
Indulge in the deliciousness of these roasted cashews with a hint of ginger and sweetness from agave. They’re a perfect snack on their own that will satisfy both your cravings and taste buds, and are absolutely delightful in this cashew chicken recipe.
Simply combine raw cashews with agave syrup and fresh grated ginger and bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet until golden and crunchy 🤤 Just look at these beauties!
The Sauce
The sauce is really simple to make with just 3 ingredients: gluten-free hoisin sauce, tapioca starch/flour, and gluten-free soy sauce.
Hoisin sauce. I bought gluten-free hoisin sauce from the grocery store to keep this recipe super duper easy and with minimal ingredients. You can also buy it on Amazon. Make sure it’s gluten-free. There are a couple different brands that make gluten-free hoisin sauce. You are more than welcome to make your own homemade hoisin sauce.
Tapioca starch/flour. Tapioca starch/flour acts as a thickener in this sauce, while also making this sauce “sticky”. You can find it in select stores, or you can buy it on Amazon. I like using tapioca starch rather than cornstarch as a grain-free alternative, and also I find it makes this Sticky Vegan Cashew Chicken stickier, but if you can’t find it you may also use cornstarch or arrowroot flour/starch. You’ll combine two teaspoons of tapioca starch with 1/4 cup of water.
Soy sauce. You will only need one tablespoon of soy sauce for this recipe. I always have it on hand, I actually prefer this soy-free soy sauce, but you can use any brand you’d like, just make sure it’s gluten-free. You can also use liquid aminos in place of the soy sauce
In a small bowl, combine the tapioca flour with water. In a separate bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and tapioca mixture and set aside until you’re ready to add it to the skillet with the cooked plant-based chicken.
The Chicken
Use your favorite plant-based chicken in this recipe and cook with a little sesame oil and minced garlic in a skillet until golden. I used Abbot’s Butcher Chopped Chick’n. Then add a tablespoon of rice vinegar and cook just a couple more minutes. Then you’ll combine it with the sauce and the roasted ginger-agave cashews for the most swoon worthy dinner! 😍
How To Enjoy
Serve this Sticky Vegan Cashew Chicken over brown or white rice, or rice of choice 🍚.
So if you’ve decided to try more plant-based meals, or go vegan but you’re missing that savory, chicken-y taste, fear not, my friend, because this cashew “chicken” recipe will make your taste buds dance! So grab your apron (or not, I won’t judge) and let’s get cooking! 😉
I hope you love this homemade cashew chicken recipe! Let me know what you think down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a five star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ so that others can discover this salad recipe! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Also check out my better than takeout Vegan Beef & Broccoli Teriyaki Noodles!
Sticky Vegan Cashew Chicken
If you're looking for a quick and easy dinner that's gluten-free and vegan, look no further than this Sticky Vegan Cashew Chicken dish that's better than takeout and can be made in just 30 minutes! This Chinese-American dinner is made with plant based chicken, roasted ginger-agave cashews, and served over rice for the perfect plant-based meal.
Ingredients
Cashews
- 1 cup raw, unsalted cashews
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 1 ½ inch piece of ginger, peeled (may use ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger instead)
- Pinch salt
Sauce
- 2 teaspoons tapioca flour/starch
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup gluten-free hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce (tamari/liquid aminos)
Chicken
- 10 oz (383 grams) plant-based chicken, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
For Serving
- Brown rice
- 1 green onion, sliced
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the cashews in a medium bowl and add the agave syrup, and grate the ginger into the bowl. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Toss to combine coating the cashews with the syrup. Place the cashews on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast in the oven until golden, about 10-12 minutes. Set aside- they will crisp up as they cool.
Next, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the tapioca flour with water. In a separate bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and then whisk in the tapioca mixture. Set aside.
Heat a medium-large skillet over medium heat. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in the pan and then place the Abbot’s chicken pieces in the skillet, cooking it according to package directions. Add the minced garlic and rice vinegar to the skillet and toss to combine and sautee another couple of minutes.
Add the sauce mixture to the chicken in the skillet; cook, tossing, until the sauce is nicely thickened, about 1 minute. Add the toasted cashews, remove from heat and serve over brown rice. Garnish with sliced green onion.
Notes
* I used Abbot's Butcher Chopped Chick'n in this recipe.
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About the author
Gina Fontana
Gina Fontana is a certified health coach, recipe developer, food photographer, published author, and blogger. Her own personal health challenges led her to a gluten-free, vegan, plant-based lifestyle where she found significant improvement in her symptoms. Her passion and mission is to now share that with others who also need (or want) to pursue a healthier lifestyle.
I have tried it few times and realize that tapioca starch is an important ingredient as it is used to thicken the sauce and give it its sticky texture. Without it, the sauce would be too thin and runny, and it would not coat the plant-based chicken and roasted cashews properly.
Yes, the tapioca starch is a key ingredient to make it “sticky” and thicken the sauce.