Insanely Good Basil Cashew Chicken Bowls made with all gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients. This easy weeknight dinner recipe takes less than 30 minutes to whip up and it was a family favorite over here. Especially the leftovers the next day for lunch.

Honestly my love for making healthier versions of take out recipes is growing by the day.

We were walking passed a Thai restaurant here in Hoboken the other week and I couldn’t stop thinking about a Thai-inspired chicken dish. And believe it or not, this one used up all ingredients that I had on hand already, which makes me love it even more.

Jord isn’t a picky eater at all but there aren’t many moments where he is freaking out over a dish. Unless it is a chick part dish or pizza from our favorite Italian spot – ha! But this recipe had him going crazy, so I obviously was patting myself on the back for days after making it.

I love that this recipe is made in 1 skillet (beside the rice) and it is one of those quick and easy meals that are ready in less than 30 minutes. Perfect for after work hours or school or anything. Plus you will have some tasty leftovers for the next day for lunch too. I personally enjoyed them cold like I do with leftover takeout food (my personal fave!). The chicken gets SO crispy and delicious – you guys will love!

Now let’s get started on your new favorite dinner…

Basil Cashew Chicken Bowl ingredients:

This super easy dinner recipe is basically made with all ingredients you can easily find either at your grocery store, or if we are on the same wave length – in your home already.

  • Chicken breasts – or thighs or tenders. Just cut up into smaller pieces
  • Almond flour – or you can use a tapioca or arrowroot flour but it helps crisp the chicken
  • Cashews – I like using the roasted and unsalted ones. So flavorful and delicious.
  • Honey – adds a bit of sweetness to the recipe (code RACHL for 25% off)
  • Coconut aminos – this is my secret weapon with making asian-inspired dishes. It’s like soy sauce without the soy!
  • Ketchup – I use unsweetened ketchup so not too much sugar
  • Spices – garlic, paprika, chili powder, ginger, sea salt + black pepper
  • Basil – I used fresh from the garden we had a few weeks ago
  • Rice – I used basmati but really anything works like brown or even a cauliflower rice if you can’t eat grains
  • Bell peppers – I used a mix of red, orange and yellow
  • Sesame oil – or your preferred oil but I love the flavor of sesame here

How to make this chicken dish:

  1. Cook the rice according to instructions and set aside. I love adding a spoonful of butter too to make it more flavorful and the texture on point
  2. Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside
  3. Cut the chicken breasts into smaller 1 inch pieces and add to a medium bowl and coat with the flour
  4. Heat a large skillet with sesame oil then add each piece of chicken to cook for about 3 minutes on each side on medium heat
  5. Add in the peppers, basil, cashews and sauce to the skillet and mix everything well
  6. Cook for another 5-7 minutes on medium heat or until the sauce is mostly absorbed
  7. Serve with rice and garnish with additional basil if you’d like

A few of my other easy weeknight dinner recipes:

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Insanely Good Paleo Basil Cashew Chicken Bowls

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5 from 24 reviews

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Insanely Good Paleo Basil Cashew Chicken Bowls made with all gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients. This easy weeknight dinner recipe takes less than 30 minutes to whip up and it was a family favorite over here. Especially the leftovers the next day for lunch.

Ingredients

Scale

Bowl:

  • 1 cup basmati rice, brown rice (or cook some cauliflower rice if you prefer)
  • 1 lb chicken breasts
  • 1/4 cup almond flour, tapioca flour or arrowroot flour
  • 1/2 cup roasted unsalted cashews, cut into pieces
  • 3 small bell peppers (I used orange, red and yellow!)
  • 1/2 cup chopped basil

Sauce:

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup coconut aminos
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened ketchup
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon each of chili powder, ground ginger and paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the rice according to instructions and set aside. I love adding a spoonful of butter too to make it more flavorful and the texture on point
  2. Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside
  3. Cut the chicken breasts into smaller 1 inch pieces and add to a medium bowl and coat with the flour
  4. Heat a large skillet with sesame oil then add each piece of chicken to cook for about 3 minutes on each side on medium heat
  5. Add in the peppers, basil, cashews and sauce to the skillet and mix everything well
  6. Cook for another 5-7 minutes on medium heat or until the sauce is mostly absorbed
  7. Serve with rice and garnish with additional basil if you’d like

Notes

*Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge for 5 days

  • Author: Rachel