Gluten Free Cashew Chicken Stir Fry (No Soy!)

This gluten free cashew chicken stir fry is the best weeknight homemade dinner recipe! Made with ground chicken, lots of veggies, pineapple, cashews, garlic, ginger, and a simple soy-free stir fry sauce. Ready in 30 minutes and so full of flavor! Whole30, paleo, gluten free, and dairy free.

The best gluten free cashew chicken

Okay, so I know cashew chicken isn’t *usually* made with ground chicken, but I just couldn’t resist trying it out in this easy stir fry recipe.

You see, I’m a big fan of ground meat in a stir fry for a number of reasons (case in point, this Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry, or this 30 Minute Crispy Pork Stir Fry).

The texture makes the best crispy bits that are just begging to be draped in a delicious stir fry sauce. Plus, it means you get a perfect bite every time because there’s enough room on your fork for both meat and veggies!

BOOYAH.

And thanks to the simple stir fry sauce with no added sweeteners (besides pineapple juice) this Thai inspired recipe also happens to be refined sugar free, Whole30 compatible, paleo, and GF!

Why you’ll love this stir fry recipe

It is:

• So satisfying
• Savory + and a little sweet
• Packed with a rainbow of vegetables
• Made in one skillet
• Quick and easy
• Ready in 30 minutes
• Filling
• SO delicious!

Ingredients and substitutions

This homemade cashew chicken stir fry is made with ground chicken, an array of colorful veggies, garlic, ginger, cashews, pineapple, and a simple soy-free stir fry sauce made without hoisin, tamari, or oyster sauce.

There’s a few substitutions you could make that I’ll share below.

Here’s what you need

• Sesame oil – Toasted sesame oil adds a really lovely flavor but you could substitute it with another option like avocado oil or ghee.
• Ground chicken – Ground chicken is what I used when developing this recipe, but ground turkey, ground pork, or even ground beef would also be delicious.
• Onion, garlic, and ginger – Onion, garlic, and ginger create a flavorful aromatic base for this stir fry.
• Red bell pepper – Red bell pepper adds a bit of sweetness and pop of flavor.
• Broccoli – Broccoli or broccolini would both work. You could also substitute with chopped green beans.
• Carrots – Thinly sliced carrots add more flavor and nutrients.
• Pineapple chunks – Unsweetened canned pineapple chunks is what the recipe calls for, but you could also use ripe fresh pineapple. Though using canned pineapple is ideal because then you already have the pineapple juice needed for the stir fry sauce. This is the canned pineapple I used.
• Cashews – Roasted cashew nuts are my favorite for this recipe. They add a warm toasted flavor and welcome crunch for texture. You could substitute with raw cashews if that’s all you have on hand.
• Simple stir fry sauce – The stir fry sauce is made with coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, pineapple juice for sweetness, rice vinegar to balance out the sweetness, and arrowroot starch to thicken it up. If you don’t have arrowroot starch you can just leave it out of the recipe.

Can you make this recipe with regular chicken breast?

Yep! Absolutely.

To make this recipe with regular chicken breast or even chicken thighs instead of ground chicken, just substitute with an equal amount cut into bite sized pieces, keeping all the other steps and ingredients of the recipe the same.

How to make

The other big thing to love about this stir fry besides the fact that it’s so crazy delicious, is that it’s super easy to make and ready in about 30 minutes. A real dream when it comes to putting together a yummy meal on busy weeknights!

Like most stir fry recipes you’ll want to prep everything before you even turn on the stove, because once you get cooking it comes together really fast!

Here’s the step-by-step

• Make the stir fry sauce. Using a small bowl whisk together coconut aminos, pineapple juice, rice vinegar, and arrowroot powder. Set aside.
• Cook the chicken and aromatics. In a large skillet or wok heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add add ground chicken, onion, garlic, and ginger, and cook, using a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the meat until fully cooked through and onions start to soften.
• Add the veggies. Increase the heat to medium high. Add bell pepper, carrot, and broccoli, and continue to stir fry until veggies are crisp tender.
• Add pineapple, cashews, and stir fry sauce and cook until sauce is thickened slightly and veggies are tender.
• Serve and enjoy! Serve by itself or over cauliflower rice, regular rice, and topped with green onions and extra chopped cashews if desired.

Is this stir fry spicy?

As the recipe is written this stir fry is not spicy.

If you want to add some heat you can add hot sauce to the stir fry sauce, or chop up a spicy chili to add with the aromatics.

Storage and re-heating

To store: This stir fry can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

To re-heat: To re-heat this stir fry, simply warm gently on the stove, stirring frequently, until warm. Can also be warmed in the microwave for a minute or two, until heated through.

To freeze: I don’t recommend freezing. The veggies will get overly soft and and it will lose it’s texture.

Love this stir fry? Check out these other yummy recipes!

• Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Gluten Free Chicken Patties
• Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers
• Classic Gluten Free Meatloaf
• Super Easy Chicken Salad
• Cashew Cream Smothered Pork Chops
• Beanless Chili
• Nourishing Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup
• Garlicky Grilled Shrimp Skewers

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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