Thai Cashew Chicken and Vegetable Skillet

Sheet Pan Thai Cashew Chicken is ready in 20 minutes for a dinner that’s better than takeout and good for you. This healthy meal of chicken breast, cashews, vegetables, and sweet and spicy Thai sauce couldn’t be more delicious. At under 350 calories, this meal will be something you’ll add to your rotation in no time.

Sheet pan meals are my jam. I mean, what’s not to love about having a meal all cooked on one pan for easy cleanup and easy meal prep. Now to be completely clear, this recipe actually requires an extra pan to make the sauce, but it’s 100% worth it. One night the two of us ate almost an entire pan. I liked it so much I decided to skip the rice so I could eat more chicken and veggies.

Now let’s talk about what this is not. It’s not your typical Thai Cashew Chicken, it’s made with super spicy Thai dried chilies, palm sugar, fish sauce and the usual Thai whiskey. (I have a simplified version of the traditional version here if you’re looking for it.) Instead, this is a Thai-style version that uses a combination of soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, honey, and Asian garlic chili sauce to create a sticky sauce that’s perfect for chicken and veggies.

What about cashews? While you may be tempted to exclude them, please don’t! Lightly roasted cashews add a lot of color to this dish. They’re crazy, they’re rich, and we’re fighting for the last one standing. They are delicious, and while the dish would be delicious without them, it’s even better with them. Plus cashews add extra protein, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. In fact, if you’re not worried about calories, I’d add some extra!

Tips for making Thai Cashew Chicken

• You can make the sauce ahead of time to make weeknight dinners easier. Store the sauce in the refrigerator and warm it up in a pan or microwave before using so you can easily drizzle it over chicken and vegetables.
• If you don’t have a large pan, you may want to cook this on several pans. Chicken and vegetables cook best when not crowded and in a single layer on the pan.
• For easier cleanup, cover the baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Foil works best because sometimes the sauce drips underneath the parchment.
• This dish can be made spicy or mild, whatever you like. The first few times you make it, add the garlic chili sauce to the sauce at the end to control the heat.
• This recipe works with chicken breasts, drumsticks, pork tenderloin, or tofu. The tofu must be pressed in advance so that the tofu will be crispy.

Side dish ideas

This is a meal in itself, but you can definitely add sides if you want. The obvious choice is to serve it with some white or brown rice. Cauliflower rice is a lightweight option. If you want to add some extra whole grains and protein, opt for quinoa. You can also eat it with noodles, which is my personal favorite. Try it with rice noodles, soba noodles, or even pasta tossed with a little soy sauce. For a low-carb option, use spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or carrot noodles.

Looking for healthier Asian chicken recipes?