Baked Chicken with Creamy Cashew Sauce
This baked chicken with creamy cashew sauce is a Healthyish riff on traditional chicken parmesan. It’s easy to make, delicious and packed with protein. Plus, once you try this creamy cashew sauce, you’ll want to smother just about anything in it. Perfect for weeknights when you want a delicious homemade meal. This juicy chicken dinner recipe is a must try.
About this Baked Chicken with Creamy Cashew Sauce Recipe
Baking the chicken breasts instead of frying them is a great way to keep things light. I sprinkled some shredded mozzarella cheese over the top and broiled the entire dish for 2-3 minutes until the cheese began to bubble and brown. The crispy cheese tastes amazing with the cashew cream sauce and tender juicy chicken breasts. Topped with fresh chopped Italian parsley and this chicken recipe is guaranteed to please.
Make it Vegan
For a vegan twist on this meal, serve the plant-based creamy cashew sauce over pasta or with crispy tofu instead of chicken. You can also enjoy this sauce with some tempeh for a fun and tasty twist. Feel free to get as creative as you like with this sauce.
It’s important to note, that this sauce requires you to soak your raw cashews preferably overnight before using them. A modified option would be to soak them for at least 5-6 hours at room temperature.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigertor for three to four days. Reheat in the microwave.
Looking for more delicious chicken dinner recipes? Try my chicken and broccoli stir fry or my Greek chicken meatballs with tzatziki sauce. Both of these chicken recipes are perfect for quick homemade meals.
Baked Chicken with Creamy Cashew Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken / Cheese / Herbs
- 2 lbs. chicken breasts, about 4 breasts
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella , Daiya brand if vegan
Cashew Cream Sauce
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked overnight / drained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, Earth Balance brand if vegan
- 1 medium white onion, sliced, about 1 cup
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced, about 2-3 cloves
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 ounces, with the juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
- red pepper flakes , optional
Equipment
- 1 blender
- 1 saute pan
- 1 baking dish
- 1 non-stick skillet
Instructions
Night before:
- Soak unsalted cashews in a small bowl with enough water to cover them. If soaking overnight, place in refrigerator and drain off all water in the morning, making sure cashews are soft in texture. If soaking cashews in the daytime, leave them in room temperature water for 5-6 hours and then drain.
Prepare the sauce:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, in a large saute pan combine olive oil, butter, large onion slices and garlic. Sweat the onions and garlic over medium heat until onions are translucent (not browned).
- Add veggie stock, diced tomatoes and soaked-and-drained cashews to pan. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. (For a little spice, throw in a pinch of red pepper flakes, too.)
- Transfer ingredients to a blender and combine them on high until the sauce is smooth and creamy (no chunks). Pour sauce back into saute pan and warm over low heat. Let the sauce reduce to a thickness of your liking. If sauce gets too thick, add in a bit more veggie stock to thin it back out.
Prepare the chicken:
- Brown chicken breasts in a skillet for 5-6 minutes on each side. Next, pour 2-3 ladles of cashew cream sauce into the bottom of an oven-safe baking dish. Gently place chicken breasts on top of the sauce and sprinkle them with the shredded mozzarella. Wrap dish in foil.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked through. (varies with size of breasts) Internal temperature should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove the foil and broil for an additional 2-3 minutes until cheese gets extra crispy on top. Remove the dish from oven and garnish with fresh Italian parsley. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
2 Comments on “Baked Chicken with Creamy Cashew Sauce”
I was so impressed with the way the cashew sauce turned out! It was actually pretty easy too! Will be making this again and using this sauce in other recipes! So good!
This recipe is to die for! I am not a cook, and I always hope I can find a recipe that actually tastes as good as it looks, without alot of preparation. This is it!! The ingredients are simple and the sauce is delicious!
I can’t wait to make it again when my kids visit, and my mom (who is a fantastic cook) loved it so much that she is going to make it for her siblings’ reunion!