I love my Instant Pot – that is no secret. It’s really changed the way I cook. So many dishes that previously seemed impossible for a weeknight meal suddenly are not only possible, but also even more delicious. I found this absolutely perfect Cashew Chicken recipe on the blog 365 Days of Crockpot, which in addition to delicious Crockpot meals, also has some fabulous Instant Pot recipes. If you love Chinese takeout, like Keith and I do, this is just as good as any of your local Chinese restaurants and so much healthier. It takes just minutes to cook. I served it with brown rice and some broccoli stir fried with fresh ginger and sesame oil. Such a perfect dinner with plenty of leftovers for lunch! Bon appetit!
Instant Pot Cashew Chicken

Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 c. low sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger (fresh)
- 1/8 tsp ground red pepper
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp water
- 1/3 c. cashews
- Sliced green onions, for garnish
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Directions
- Step 1 Use kitchen shears to cut all excess fat off the chicken thighs. Then cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Place them in the Instant Pot.
- Step 2 Add in the pepper, soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and red pepper. Stir to really coat the chicken with the sauce.
- Step 3 Cover the Instant Pot and make sure the valve is set to “sealing.” Set the manual timer to 8 minutes on high pressure. When the timer goes off do a quick release.
- Step 4 Once you can remove the lid, do so. In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch and water. Stir the slurry into the instant pot. Turn the Instant Pot to the saute function. The sauce will thicken in just a couple of minutes.
- Step 5 Stir in the cashews. Serve chicken topped with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.