Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken: Paleo, Whole30, GF, Low Carb Recipe
This Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken is a flavorful, paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, and low-carb dish that combines tender chicken with a rich, aromatic sauce and crunchy cashews. Perfect for a hands-off, healthy meal, this recipe uses a slow cooker to develop deep flavors and tenderize the chicken while keeping the dish simple and nutritious.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Mixture
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot flour, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons sugar-free ketchup
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (omit for Whole30, substitute with 3 tablespoons orange juice)
- 1 tablespoon honey (omit for Whole30, substitute with 3 tablespoons orange juice)
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Other
- 1 cup unsalted raw cashews
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Place the diced chicken into a 6-quart slow cooker and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of arrowroot flour, salt, and black pepper. Use tongs to toss and evenly coat each chicken piece with the flour and seasoning.
- Make the sauce: In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, combine the coconut aminos, sugar-free ketchup, rice vinegar, sesame oil, minced garlic, minced ginger, coconut sugar, honey, Chinese five-spice powder, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir well to blend all the ingredients together.
- Add the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker. Toss everything lightly to evenly distribute the sauce and chicken.
- Slow cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, allowing the chicken to cook through and absorb the flavors.
- Add cashews and thicken sauce: Remove the lid and stir in the unsalted raw cashews. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour with 1 tablespoon water until dissolved. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker to help thicken the sauce.
- Finish cooking: Stir to combine, cover again, and cook for an additional 20 minutes to soften the cashews and thicken the sauce perfectly.
Notes
- For Whole30 compliance, omit the coconut sugar and honey, and replace them with 3 tablespoons of fresh orange juice.
- Arrowroot flour is used as a thickener, perfect for gluten-free cooking.
- You can substitute raw cashews with roasted cashews if preferred, but unsalted is best for controlling sodium levels.
- This dish pairs well with cauliflower rice or steamed greens for a paleo-friendly meal.
- Cooking times may vary slightly depending on slow cooker model and size.
Keywords: Cashew chicken, slow cooker recipes, paleo dinner, Whole30 chicken, gluten free chicken, low carb dinner, slow cooker cashew chicken
