Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken with Peppers and Celery
This is the kind of dinner that hits that takeout craving without feeling heavy. Tender chicken, crisp peppers and celery, and toasted cashews get coated in a savory, gingery sauce that turns glossy and caramelized around the edges in the oven. It’s salty, a little sweet, plenty crunchy, and exactly the kind of dinner I want to pile into a bowl and dig into.
Servings: FOUR
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 celery stalks, sliced 1/2-inch thick on the diagonal
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1/3 cup tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup raw unsalted cashews
PREPARATION
Heat oven: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper.
Make sauce: Whisk garlic, ginger, tamari, rice vinegar, honey, avocado oil and cornstarch until smooth.
Start vegetables: Add red bell pepper, green bell pepper and celery to sheet pan. Toss with half of sauce and spread into an even layer. Roast for 5 minutes.
Sauce chicken: Toss chicken with remaining sauce until evenly coated.
Add chicken: Remove sheet pan from oven. Add chicken and any sauce from bowl to vegetables, spreading everything into a single layer with a little space between pieces. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove sheet pan from oven, toss chicken and vegetables, then scatter cashews over top.
Finish: Return sheet pan to oven and roast for another 5 to 8 minutes, until chicken reaches 165°F (74°C), vegetables are tender-crisp, cashews are toasted and sauce is glossy and clinging to chicken and vegetables.
Plate: Toss everything directly on sheet pan to coat with sauce, season as needed and serve hot, with rice if desired.
Notes:
For the best browning, use a large sheet pan and spread everything into a single layer. Crowding the pan will cause the chicken and vegetables to steam.
Cut the chicken into evenly sized 1/2-inch pieces so it cooks quickly and evenly without overcooking the vegetables.
