Looking for a vibrant, flavorful, and healthy stir-fry recipe? Orange Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry with Vegetables features tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and crunchy cashews in an irresistible tangy-sweet orange sauce.
In this recipe, we combine the vibrant flavors of orange chicken and the quick cooking time of cashew chicken in a stir-fry with fresh vegetables, so you have a complete meal in a single skillet.
What does Orange Cashew Chicken taste like?
While not traditionally part of Chinese cuisine, Orange Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry draws inspiration from popular Chinese-American fusion dishes. We liken it to what you might expect if two favorite take-out dishes, cashew chicken and orange chicken, had a baby.
The secret to its incredible flavor lies in the balance of sweet, savory, tangy, and spicy elements. The sweet, citrusy orange sauce is anchored with umami-rich soy sauce, fresh ginger, and garlic for warmth and complexity. Adding a hint of crushed red pepper to the stir-fry keeps the sweetness of the juice and honey in check for a delightful finish.
Of course, you can adjust every aspect of the orange sauce to make it your own—check out the ingredient highlights below to see for yourself.
Ingredient Highlight:
CHICKEN BREAST—The key to tender, juicy chicken is letting it marinate before stir-frying. This technique is also called velveting and is highly recommended for drier cuts like breast meat. Chicken thighs also work for this recipe but may need more prep work to trim away connective tissue before slicing.
FRESH VALENCIA OR NAVEL ORANGES—The star of this dish is the orange sauce, made with fresh orange juice and zest. The zest adds an aromatic citrus punch, while the juice creates a tangy-sweet base for the sauce. This is what gives the dish its refreshing, bright flavor. TIP: Valencia oranges will yield more juice than navel oranges, so they are the best choice if you can find them.
HONEY—A natural sweeter that balances the saltiness of the soy sauce. Depending on how sweet the oranges are, you may be able to reduce the amount of honey.
FRESH GINGER & GARLIC—This aromatic duo gives the dish a warming, savory depth that complements the citrus from the orange.
SOY SAUCE (or gluten-free TAMARI)—The salty umami element that creates a backbone for the sweetness and acidity of the orange juice and honey.
CASHEWS—Roasted and salted cashews provide a crunchy contrast to the tender chicken and vegetables. Their nutty flavor adds a layer of texture that makes every bite more satisfying.
ARROWROOT POWDER (or Cornstarch)—This natural thickener ensures the sauce clings to every piece of chicken and veggie. Arrowroot keeps the dish gluten-free, and it won’t lose its thickening properties if you make and freeze it like cornstarch does.
FRESH VEGETABLES—You can get as creative as you like here, but we like the combination of snow peas, carrots, celery, and red bell peppers for their colorful, crisp freshness.
Orange Cashew Chicken Step-By-Step
- SLICE & MARINATE the chicken in the water and soy sauce for 5 minutes. Add the arrowroot and vegetable oil and mix until well incorporated, and the chicken is coated—let sit for 15 MINUTES.
- MIX the orange juice, zest, soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a saucepan and cook over medium heat to meld flavors for about 5 MINUTES. Add the arrowroot to 2 tablespoons of water, then whisk into the sauce over low heat until thickened (2 MINUTES).
- COOK the vegetables in 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 5 MINUTES. Remove them from the skillet and heat another tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat.
- BROWN the chicken in the same skillet and cook until tender, 5-7 MINUTES.
- ADD the cooked vegetables and sauce to the chicken, stirring so the sauce coats everything. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cashews just before serving.
STIR-FRY TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Slightly freeze the raw chicken until firm but not frozen for easier slicing.
- Serve over rice or in lettuce cups.
- Substitute roasted and salted pistachios for cashews.
- MAKE AND FREEZE: To make and freeze as part of a meal-prep day, make the sauce and stir-fry the chicken, but skip cooking the vegetables (the vegetables will taste best when made fresh) and reserve the cashews. Freeze the chicken in the sauce. To finish the meal, stir-fry the vegetables and reheat the sauce and chicken. Add the vegetables to the chicken and garnish with fresh cashews.
MORE Asian-American Inspired Recipes You’ll Love
- Korean BBQ Skirt Steak
- Thai Peanut Sauce
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Beef Lo Mein
- Mongolian Beef & Veg Stir-Fry
- Spicy Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Orange Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with Vegetables
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN AND MARINADE
- 2 large boneless-skinless chicken breast cut into thin strips
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder or organic cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
FOR THE ORANGE SAUCE
- 2 Valencia or navel oranges juiced and zested (equal to 1 tablespoons zest & 1/2 cup juice)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
FOR THE STIR FRY VEGETABLES
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 bunch green onions (about ½ cup) — chopped
- 1 cup snow peas whole or coarsely chopped
- 2 large carrots peeled and cut into thin rounds
- 2 ribs celery sliced thin
- 1 small red bell pepper cut into thin strips
- 3/4 cup roasted, salted cashews
Instructions
- Slice the chicken into 1 ½ to 2-inch pieces, about ¼ inch thick, making sure to cut against the grain. Add the water and soy sauce to the chicken in a medium bowl and mix to coat well; set aside for 5 minutes for the chicken to absorb the liquid. Add the arrowroot and vegetable oil and mix until well incorporated and the chicken is coated. For the best results, set the chicken aside for 15 to 20 minutes to marinate. (This is a good time to prep the rest of the ingredients.)
- Zest and juice the oranges so you have 1 tablespoon of zest and 1/2 cup of juice. Combine the orange juice, zest, soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a saucepan and cook over medium heat to meld flavors, about 5 minutes.Reduce heat to low and barely simmering. Add the arrowroot to 2 tablespoons of water, then whisk into the sauce over low heat (add another teaspoon of arrowroot if needed to thicken). Taste to adjust for sweetness or saltiness. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and heat another tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until browned and tender, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add the cooked vegetables and sauce to the chicken, stirring so the sauce coats everything. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cashews just before serving.
Notes
- Slightly freeze the raw chicken until firm but not frozen for easier slicing.
- Serve over rice or in lettuce cups.
- Substitute roasted and salted pistachios for cashews.
- MAKE AND FREEZE: To make and freeze as part of a meal-prep day, make the sauce and stir-fry the chicken, but skip cooking the vegetables (the vegetables will taste best when made fresh) and reserve the cashews. Freeze the chicken in the sauce. To finish the meal, stir-fry the vegetables and reheat the sauce and chicken. Add the vegetables to the chicken and garnish with fresh cashews.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I like the way you combined two of my favorites into one colorful and delicious meal.