There are two kinds of cooks in this house... if my hubs is making cashew chicken, the giant wok comes out. Then a saucepan for the sauce. Then a bowl, another bowl, a cutting board, three spoons, and a skillet he swears he needed. By the end the kitchen looks like a takeout place exploded, and he's on the couch patting his belly.

Guess who washes the dishes? Me.

So when I get to pick, it's a one pan, dump and go dinner every time. This Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken is my answer to the wok. You get tender chicken, roasted veggies, crunchy honey roasted cashews, and a sticky honey soy garlic sauce, all on one sheet pan. It has that takeout flavor with about 30 minutes of total time and one pan in the sink.

Consider it my small act of dishwasher rebellion!

Why You'll Love This Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken

• One pan, done. Chicken, veggies, cashews, and sauce all cook together on a single sheet pan.
• Takeout flavor at home. The honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, and garlic sauce tastes like your favorite Chinese place, without the delivery fee.
• Easy weeknight dinner. About 10 minutes of prep and 15 to 20 minutes in the oven.
• Crunch in every bite. Honey roasted cashews and water chestnuts give you that classic cashew chicken texture.
• Pantry friendly. Soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and garlic are probably in your kitchen right now. Sparkle Without the Splurge, my friends.

Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken Ingredients

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 to 20 minutes

For the chicken:

• 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika

For the veggies and crunch:

• 1 cup small broccoli florets
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces, then halved
• 8 oz sliced water chestnuts
• 1 cup cashews (we used honey roasted)

For the sauce:

• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

For garnish:

• Green onion, diced

What You'll Need

• Measuring cups and spoons
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Large bowl
• Silicone spatula
• Sheet pan
• Small bowl

(Notice there's no wok on that list. You're welcome!)

How to Make Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large sheet pan.

Chop the broccoli, red bell pepper, and carrots.

Dice the chicken into bite sized pieces.

Mix the sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and paprika in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

Spread the chicken on the sheet pan.

Add the broccoli, red pepper, carrots, and water chestnuts around the chicken.

Sprinkle the cashews over the top.

Bake for 10 minutes.

While that bakes, whisk the brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, and minced garlic together in a small bowl.

Remove the sheet pan from the oven. Pour the sauce over everything and toss gently to coat.

Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are tender.

Garnish with diced green onions and serve.

Yield: 4

Easy Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken

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Tender chicken, broccoli, red bell pepper, carrots, water chestnuts and crunchy honey roasted cashews roast together, then get tossed in a sweet and savory honey soy garlic sauce.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup small broccoli florets
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces, then halved
• 8 oz sliced water chestnuts
• 1 cup cashews (we used honey roasted)
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a large sheet pan.
2. Chop the vegetables
3. Dice the chicken into bite sized pieces. 
4. Mix the sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and paprika in a large bowl and mix the chicken into the mixture to coat.
5. Add the chicken to the sheet pan. 
6. Add the broccoli, red pepper, carrots, and water chestnuts. 
7. Sprinkle the cashews over the top.
8. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
9. In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, and garlic.
10. Then remove the sheet pan from the oven, pour the sauce over everything and toss gently to coat.
11. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are tender.
12. Garnish with diced green onions to serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 864Total Fat: 39gSaturated Fat: 8gUnsaturated Fat: 31gCholesterol: 147mgSodium: 1974mgCarbohydrates: 70gFiber: 7gSugar: 35gProtein: 67g

Tara's Tips

• Line the pan for even less cleanup. A sheet of foil or parchment under everything means the sticky sauce doesn't bake onto your pan. I love this [Amazon affiliate link: rimmed sheet pan] because it has high sides to keep the sauce in.
• Cut the chicken evenly. Same sized pieces cook at the same speed, so nothing ends up dry while the rest catches up.
• Keep an eye on the cashews. Honey roasted cashews have sugar on them and can darken fast. If your oven runs hot, hold them back and add them with the sauce.
• Give the pan some room. If everything is piled up, it steams instead of roasts. For a double batch, use two pans.
• Use a silicone spatula for tossing. It gets every bit of sauce off the pan without scratching it. This is the one I use: [Amazon affiliate link: silicone spatula].

What to Serve with Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken

• Steamed white or brown rice to soak up the extra sauce
• Easy fried rice
• Ramen noodles for a full fakeout night
• Egg rolls from the freezer aisle. No shame here!
• Fortune cookies for dessert, because it's tradition

Storage and Leftovers

Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.

Reheat: Warm in the microwave or in a 350 degree oven until hot. The cashews will soften a bit in the fridge, so sprinkle on a few fresh ones before serving if you want that crunch back.

Lunch prep: Portion it over rice in containers for easy grab and go lunches.

One Pan, Zero Wok, Happy Dishwasher

This Easy Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken is proof that a great dinner doesn't have to wreck the kitchen. The hubs can keep his wok. I'll keep my one pan, my honey soy cashews, and my free evening.

If you make it, let me know who in your house is the wok person and who's the dishwasher. I have a feeling I'm not alone!