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Square image of vegetables, chicken and cashews being served with a scoop.

Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken and Vegetables

This quick and easy Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken and Vegetables is a one pan meal that tastes just like it came from your local takeout restaurant.

Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Sauce

  • 6 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 1-2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce to desired spice level
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

Seasoning Mix

  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Vegetables, Chicken and Cashews

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 small head broccoli cut into florets
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 yellow bell pepper cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 medium onion sliced in thick wedges
  • ¾ cup unsalted roasted cashews
  • 2 - 3 boneless chicken breasts approximately 500g, cut into 1” to 1½” pieces
  • ¼ cup cornstarch

For Garnish and Serving

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 4 green onions sliced
  • Steamed basmati or jasmine rice optional for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a large rimmed sheet pan by greasing with oil or line it with parchment paper.

  2. In a medium bowl whisk together the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ketchup, chili garlic sauce, garlic and ginger. Set aside.

  3. In a small bowl mix the seasoning mix ingredients: onion powder, granulated garlic powder, salt and pepper.

  4. Spread broccoli, peppers, onions and cashews on the sheet pan and sprinkle with about one third of the seasoning mix. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil then toss to combine. Push the vegetables and cashews to one half of the sheet pan.

  5. Into a large bowl add chicken pieces and sprinkle with remaining seasoning mix and toss to combine. Sprinkle with cornstarch and toss again to combine. Drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and toss again to combine. Spread the seasoned and coated chicken in one layer on the other half of the sheet pan.

  6. Roast for 15 - 17 minutes until the chicken is lightly cooked and the vegetables are tender. Remove pan from the oven, leave oven on. Give the sauce another whisk, then brush about two thirds of the sauce on the chicken pieces. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the vegetables and cashews.

  7. Return the sheet pan to the oven and roast for another 5 – 7 minutes until the sauce thickens and caramelizes and the chicken is cooked through. Remove pan from the oven and toss all the ingredients together. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve with steamed basmati or jasmine rice, if desired.

Recipe Notes

  1. Don’t crowd the pan; use a sheet pan that is large enough to accommodate all the ingredients with some space between so everything cooks up and caramelizes evenly. If you need to double the recipe then it’s best to use two sheet pans.
  2. Use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce to make the meal gluten free.
  3. Swap chicken with cubed tofu for a vegetarian meal and if using tofu, make sure you line the sheet pan with parchment paper so it won’t stick.
  4. Replace chicken breasts with the same weight of chicken thighs and increase the baking time slightly as chicken thighs command a longer cook time.
  5. Cut the chicken evenly into the recommended 1” to 1 ½” pieces and the vegetables into bite sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
  6. Use unsalted cashews otherwise the dish will be too salty; both natural and roasted unsalted cashews will work for this recipe.
  7. The chili garlic sauce in the recipe can be a bit spicy so use more or less to accommodate your family’s spice level but I recommend using at least ½ tablespoon for the flavour.