This instant pot cashew chicken tastes like the familiar Chinese takeout we all love, but in a better-for-you, Whole30, Paleo, gluten-free version that only takes 30 minutes. No more waiting for your delivery! This instant pot paleo cashew chicken is a family friendly meal, I promise even those who don’t adhere to a real food diet will love it.
My recipe for instant pot cashew chicken is the closest I could get to the real deal. Many healthy cashew chicken recipes out there have a bunch of veggies added (which is great! duh!). But when I’m craving those takeout cartons of cashew chicken, it’s the chicken, cashews and rice I want, you know?! I wanted to have a go-to recipe that I know will satisfy those cravings in a healthy, Whole30 way!
Especially when I can have it ready to eat in only a half hour.. much less time than it takes to order in. The recipe itself is super simple and would be great for a quick weeknight meal. While it looks like there’s quite a few ingredients, I assure you it’s largely the spices, seasonings and Paleo/Whole30 substitutes you already have hanging out in the pantry.
Some of the things you’ll need is an instant pot, of course. But I’m assuming you already gathered that. The cashew chicken recipe also calls for coconut aminos, raw cashews (roasted or lightly salted is fine, whatever floats your boat), arrowroot flour for thickening, sesame oil and ketchup. Most of this can be found in the grocery store or cheaper on Thrive Market. You can also make your own Paleo and Whole3o ketchup, or grab a bottle of Primal Kitchen’s Whole30 Approved ketchup.
It’s by far the best healthy, sweetener-free ketchup that’s available. I’m not even just saying that. My (not Paleo) boyfriend goes through it constantly and won’t touch the old stuff anymore. It’s available at Whole Foods, or online on their website for 5 bucks (save 10% off your order with code “PALEOBAILEY” at checkout). I also really recommend not skipping out on the Chinese Five Spice either.
This spice, often just label “five spice” in the grocery store, is one that really adds so much flavor to Chinese-inspired dishes. It’s what gives East Asian inspired recipes that familiar tangy-sweet flavor and basically it’ll take your meals up a notch. Pretty much every grocery store has this, from Target to Whole Foods to Walmart either with all of the spices or the international items. I’ve linked it here so you can see what it looks like, but it’s much more expensive on Amazon than it is in stores and I recommend grabbing it from there next time you’re grocery shopping.
If you’re on a Whole30, you can omit the sweeteners for the instant pot cashew chicken. Instead, you can opt for 2-3 tablespoons of fresh orange juice. If you’re not currently doing a Whole30, the recipe calls for coconut sugar and honey. If you wanted to use only one, you can add an additional tablespoon of coconut sugar to replace the honey. I’ve tried it both ways or without both while testing this recipe, but I found that the honey helps make the sauce and chicken a bit more “sticky” and thicker. The coconut sugar adds a deeper, slightly sweet flavor to balance out the vinegar.
Check out my Whole30 Cashew Chicken One-Skillet Recipe with veggies and a “peanut” sauce!
Other Recipes You’ll Love:
Whole30 Instant Pot Beef & Broccoli
Whole30 Instant Pot Sweet & Sour Chicken
40 Whole30 Instant Pot Recipes
PrintInstant Pot Cashew Chicken: Whole30, Paleo, 30 Minutes
This instant pot cashew chicken tastes like the familiar Chinese takeout we all love, but in a better-for-you, Whole30, Paleo, gluten-free version that only takes 30 minutes. No more waiting for your delivery full of MSG!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 12
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
- 1.5–2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1“-1.5” pieces
- 2 tbsp sesame oil, divided
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons sugar-free ketchup
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar*
- 1 tbsp honey*
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp arrowroot flour, divided
- 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 cup raw (or lightly salted) cashews
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 tbsp sesame oil, coconut aminos, ketchup, vinegar, coconut sugar, honey, garlic, ginger, Five Spice, and red pepper flakes. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
- In a bowl or baggie, coat chicken pieces with 1 tbsp of the arrowroot flour, salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp sesame oil to the bottom of the instant pot and turn it to “sauté”.
- Allow oil to heat up and then sear chicken for 1-2 minutes. Press “cancel” and pour the sauce into the instant pot. Stir the sauce in with the chicken to evenly distribute. Cover, set the valve to “sealing” and press “manual” and adjust the time to 10 minutes.
- Right before the instant pot is done, combine 1 tbsp arrowroot flour with 2 tbsp water and stir well to dissolve. Once the instant pot is done, do a quick release and open the lid. Press the “sauté” button and pour the water and flour mixture into the instant pot and whisk into the sauce.
- Add the cashews and then continue stirring until the sauce has thickened. If you’d like it thicker after 1-2 minutes, add an additional 1/2 tbsp arrowroot dissolved in 1 tbsp water. Once the sauce has thickened, add any additional salt and pepper and serve.
- Serve over broccoli, cauliflower rice, on it’s own with a side, over spaghetti squash “lo mien” noodles, etc. Garnish with any additional cashews, green onion, or sesame seeds
Notes
- *Omit for Whole30. Optional substitutions include 3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, or 1-2 medjool dates, pitted and pureed in a food processor with 1/4 cup water to help blend.
- If sauce gets too thick, you can easily thin it back out again by adding a few tablespoons of water. Only do a few at a time until at your desired consistancy.
Nutrition Facts:
- Calories: 322
- Sugar: 11
- Fat: 16
- Carbohydrates: 19
- Protein: 26
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Kailey says
This is one of our families favorite recipes – so simple and so delicious! So nice to have a go to recipe on a busy night that is so easy to make
paleobailey says
I’m so glad it’s a hit with your family! Thank you so much, Kailey! <3 - B
Amy Holmberg says
Made this recipe but on the stovetop (don’t have an Instant Pot) and loved it! Reminds me that I need to make this again sometime soon!! 🙂
paleobailey says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and that it works well on the stovetop! Thank you so much, Amy 🙂 – B
Christi Flaker says
Amazing dish. I do a little less five spice and less crushed red pepper to meet my preferences and its a favorite in my house!
paleobailey says
I’m thrilled to hear it’s a hit with your family! Thank you! 🙂
Tammy Layne says
I made this tonight and it was delicious! Easy, fast and a family pleaser. Used orange juice to keep it Whole 30…amazing!!!
paleobailey says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much!!
Marjorie says
Thank you for a quick, easy and DELICIOUS Whole30 meal. Stirred in balanced broccoli and green beans at the end. So good! 🙂
paleobailey says
This is so great to hear! Thank you so much for giving it a try and taking the time to come back and leave a review! It’s so appreciated!
Jenn says
10/10 from my entire family…even my most pickiest eater that won’t touch anything that looks even semi healthy!
paleobailey says
This is awesome to hear! So happy your family enjoyed it!! 🙂
Amanda Halverson says
If I don’t have an instapot. Do you think a crock pot would work as well if I cooked it longer?
paleobailey says
Sure!
Karen says
So yummy!!! We added red peppers and broccoli to it and it was so freaking good! I can’t wait to eat it for leftovers tomorrow.
Sarah says
This is the most perfect recipe! It comes out perfect every single time and my family loves it. I’m off to look at the rest of your recipes!
Shelia says
This was so yummy!!! Will do it again! Thanks!! <
Wendy says
Made this last night with the orange juice substitution, everyone lived it!! That never happens! Definitely will be repeating this one!
Hailey says
Can I use a different type of flour? I can’t find arrowroot flour at my grocery store. Almond flour or something maybe?
paleobailey says
Hi! I wouldn’t use almond flour, it doesn’t work for thickening the same way arrowroot does. If you’re trying to keep it Whole30/paleo, I’d use tapioca flour if you can’t find arrowroot. Depending on what’s near you, they are both at most walmarts (I only say walmart because there tends to be one in most areas 🙂 ). If you’re not concerned with it being Whole30/paleo, you can use regular flour or whatever you normally use to thicken gravy/soup/sauces. You could also just omit it, the sauce will just be a bit thinner! 🙂
Kristie says
I’m hoping to make this tonight but I forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer last night. Although I put it in the fridge this am, it will likely still be frozen this evening when I get home from work. I’m ok with skipping the saute step and I’ve made IP recipes from frozen before, but I’m curious if anyone has made this recipe with frozen (or partially frozen) chicken thighs. If so, how did it turn out and what adjustments did you make for cooking time?
Jillian F says
Made this tonight for dinner. Whole family LOVED it!! Followed it exactly as written and it was perfect! Thank you!!!
paleobailey says
I’m so, so glad to hear it! Thank you, Jillian!! <3 - B
Amy says
I am bummed that I seem to be the only one here who had this experience. This dish was INSANELY salty. My 4 year old took one bite, told me it hurt his tongue, and then refused to eat anymore. I even added an entire bag of chopped kale and a container of mushrooms before cooking, and even still…too salty. I didn’t even add salt at the end! I’m going to try and mix the leftovers with steamed broccoli tomorrow.
paleobailey says
Did you use soy sauce instead of coconut aminos? There’s no other ingredient or any other way that would make this recipe salty. Coconut aminos has more of a sweet taste than salty, and soy sauce has like 4x the sodium than coconut aminos.
Amy Grewe says
Yes, I used the aminos. :-/
paleobailey says
Hmmm.. I’m sorry about that! I really can’t think of what else could have added salt to this recipe. The ingredients themselves aren’t salty, and the recipe nutrition for them altogether is only 230 mg of sodium per serving (the government recommends to just stay below 800 mg per meal, and for reference the average sodium in cashew chicken from PF Changs is 3000+ mg of sodium – so this is obviously much less on both counts). The only thing I can think of is that the cashews you used were heavily salted?
Dalynda says
MY FIRST good experience in getting tender chicken in instant pot. But too salty!!…only one other review had this complaint. I read responses and double checked my “coconut aminos”…I had bought Braggs Liquid Aminos and read the ingredients and was shocked that it is NOT coconut aminos!!!! I will give this another try after I find a real bottle of coconut aminos. (I also got burn warning -again- in a new version of instant pot and have learned to just ignore it!) I was seriously so sad that braggs liquid aminos overpowered the entire recipe.
Wendy Marschke says
Nevermind. I should read the whole recipe prior to asking questions. :). The chicken is cut into pieces so it doesn’t matter.
paleobailey says
No problem, Wendy! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!!
Wendy Marschke says
Hi Bailey! This looks great and the reviews are super helpful! I’m Planning to try this tomorrow. If using chicken tenders rather than breast, do you Think I should reduce Instapot pressure cook time?
Liz Edelbrock says
Delicious, my whole family loved it. I did the OJ and date sub for Whole30 and it was wonderful.
paleobailey says
Hi, Liz! I’m SO happy to hear this! Thank you so, so much for taking the time to come back and let me know!! <3 - B
Anita Hopkins says
Soooo good and easy!! Thank you for this recipe! As other readers have commented, I wish I would have made a double batch! This our second time on the Whole 30, we try to do it once a year in January…but the first time I’m trying new recipes and trying out my new Instant Pot! I’m definitely keeping this recipe at hand and will try many more on your blog!
paleobailey says
I’m so, so happy to hear this, Anita!! Thank you so much. I’m glad this recipe can be a tasty new addition for you!! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know. It’s so appreciated! <3 - B
Kim Williams says
YUM! I left out the sugar altogether and it was delicious.
paleobailey says
Awesome!! Thank you so much for sharing – it’s so helpful and appreciated! <3 - B