Sautéed Chicken with Creamy Cashew Sauce
Reinvent chicken night, with this sautéed chicken with creamy cashew sauce recipe. The tender chicken cutlets are seasoned and sautéed to juicy perfection. Nestled in the silky-smooth creamy cashew sauce this recipe is borderline addictive. This one pan recipe can easily be made dairy free too for anyone who has a dairy allergy or intolerance.
Serve this sautéed chicken over a bed of pasta, alongside my easy mashed potatoes or with my Lebanese rice for a delicious meal. Extra sauce can be stored in an airtight container and used for pasta, chicken, or fish throughout the week.
ABOUT SMART CHICKEN
For this recipe, I used Smart Chicken’s organic thin sliced chicken breasts. Whether grilled, roasted, pan fried or sautéed, their chicken comes out juicy, tender, and delicious every single time. Smart Chicken is the reason I started eating chicken again after 9 years without. Their products are superior in every way.
In fact, Smart Chicken’s chickens are fed a high-quality diet, humanely handled, and never given antibiotics, hormones, or animal by-products. Smart Chicken is USDA Process Verified as pure air chilled, without added water and are hand-trimmed for your convenience. The result is the best-tasting, highest-quality fresh chicken on the market!
**This post is sponsored by Smart Chicken. I was compensated for my time, but all opinions are my own.**
Ingredients and Substitutions for Sautéed Chicken with Creamy Cashew Sauce
Chicken – You’ll need one pound of Smart Chicken’s thin sliced chicken or cutlets for this recipe. Option to use two of their chicken breasts and butterfly them into four thin cutlets instead.
Seasoning – This recipe calls for kosher salt, cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Option to omit the red pepper flakes if you do not like spice.
Fats – This recipe calls for avocado oil to sauté the chicken cutlets. You’ll also need butter and olive oil to sauté the onions and garlic for the sauce. I like using the avocado oil to sauté the chicken because of its high smoke point. And I use olive oil for the sauce because of its peppery flavor.
Aromatics – This recipe calls for sweet onion and sliced garlic cloves to add depth of flavor to the sauce.
Cashews – This recipe calls for one cup of raw unsalted cashews that have been soaked and drained. You’ll need to soak the cashew in water for 4-5 hours to soften them for easy blending. Option to soak them in water overnight too. If opting to soak overnight, be sure to store the cashews in the refrigerator.
Broth – This recipe calls for chicken broth. Smart Chicken offers a flavorful chicken broth that I love using in this recipe.
Diced Tomatoes – This recipe calls for one 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes with the juice.
Cheese – Top the chicken with shredded mozzarella cheese and allow it to melt before serving.
Garnishes – Top the chicken with freshly chopped Italian parsley before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions FAQ’s
How do you butterfly chicken? Simply take a thick chicken breast and slice it in half lengthwise. Option to gently pound the chicken to ensure it is even thickness for quick and even cooking.
Why do you use chicken cutlets or thin sliced chicken breasts for this recipe? Thin sliced chicken or chicken cutlets cook more evenly and more quickly than full breasts, which is perfect for sautéing. When the chicken breasts are too thick, you run the risk of having to pan roast the chicken to ensure doneness.
Why do you use two types of oil in this recipe? I like using the avocado oil to sauté the chicken because of its high smoke point. And I like using olive oil for the sauce because of its peppery flavor.
How do you degrease a pan? To degrease a pan means to remove excess oil. Turn the burner off and gently blot or pour out excess oil. Do not remove the fond unless it is burnt.
What is fond? Fond is the brown bits of food left behind in a pan after sautéing or roasting. The fond is very desirable as it helps develop flavor in your pan sauce. You can recapture fond by deglazing.
Frequently Asked Questions Continued
Can I use salted cashews? You can, but raw unsalted cashews work best. Salted cashews will add a lot of sodium to the sauce. To help prevent the sauce from tasting too salty, rinse the cashews well before soaking them in water.
Why do you soak the cashews in water? This helps soften the cashews so when they are blended, they create a smooth sauce.
How can I make this recipe dairy free? Simply use vegan butter instead of regular butter and vegan mozzarella cheese instead of regular cheese for this recipe is dairy free.
Can I use a food processor? Yes, a high-powered blender or food processor will work to make a creamy sauce.
How to Make Sautéed Chicken with Creamy Cashew Sauce
Prepare the Cashews
Soak one cup of raw unsalted cashews in water for 4-5 hours. Option to soak overnight.
Season the Chicken
Grab one pound of Smart Chicken’s thin sliced chicken or cutlets and season with kosher salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper.
Sauté the Chicken
Heat avocado oil over medium high heat in an oven safe sauté pan. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken cutlets. Sauté for 4-5 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your chicken. To ensure doneness the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken from the pan and degrease the pan.
Make the Sauce
Reduce the heat to medium and add the olive oil and butter to the same pan. Add the sliced sweet onion and sliced garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant.
Next, deglaze the pan with chicken broth. Let the broth reduce a touch, then add the drained cashews and diced tomatoes with juice. Season everything with kosher salt, a few turns of cracked black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. If you do not like spice, omit the red pepper flakes.
Allow everything to simmer together for 5 minutes before carefully ladling the ingredients into a blender. Buzz until smooth. Be careful when opening the lid because the steam can buildup in the blender and splatter. Once the sauce is smooth, no lumps you’ll need to taste it and season accordingly. You may also need to adjust the thickness. If the sauce is too thick, add a touch more broth to the blender. If the sauce is too thin, simply add it back into the saucepan and let it reduce over medium heat.
Assemble
Pour the sauce into the saucepan and nestle the chicken cutlets into the sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese, and cover with a lid to allow the cheese to melt. If you’re dairy free you can use a vegan cheese option. Finish the dish with freshly chopped Italian parsley. Serve hot and enjoy.
How to Store Leftover Sautéed Chicken with Creamy Cashew Sauce
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave. When reheating the sauce, add a touch of broth or water to help reconstitute the sauce and make it creamy again. Looking for more recipes? Try my Creamy Garlic Chicken, One Pan Creamy Pesto Chicken, or my Bruschetta Chicken.
Sautéed Chicken with Creamy Cashew Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breasts, thin sliced, Smart Chicken roughly 4 cutlets
- pinch kosher salt
- few turns cracked black pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium sweet onion, sliced, about 1 cup
- 2 teaspoons garlic, sliced, about 2-3 cloves
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews, soak 4-5 hours or overnight / drain water
- 1 cup chicken broth, or vegetable broth, Smart Chicken broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 ounces, with the juice
- pinch kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
- pinch red pepper flakes, optional
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 teaspoons Italian parsley, freshly chopped
Equipment
- 1 large sauce pan
- 1 blender
- 1 spatula
- 1 metal tongs
Instructions
How to Make Sauteed Chicken with Creamy Cashew Sauce
Prepare the Cashews
- Soak one cup of raw unsalted cashews in water for 4-5 hours. Option to soak overnight.
Season the Chicken
- Grab one pound of Smart Chicken’s thin sliced chicken or cutlets and season with kosher salt and a few turns of cracked black pepper.
Sauté the Chicken
- Heat avocado oil over medium high heat in an oven safe sauté pan. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken cutlets. Sauté for 4-5 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through. Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your chicken. To ensure doneness the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken from the pan and degrease the pan.
Make the Sauce
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the olive oil and butter to the same pan. Add the sliced sweet onion and sliced garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant.
- Next, deglaze the pan with chicken broth. Let the broth reduce a touch, then add the drained cashews and diced tomatoes with juice. Season everything with kosher salt, a few turns of cracked black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. If you do not like spice, omit the red pepper flakes.
- Allow everything to simmer together for 5 minutes before carefully ladling the ingredients into a blender. Buzz until smooth. Be careful when opening the lid because the steam can buildup in the blender and splatter. Once the sauce is smooth, no lumps you’ll need to taste it and season accordingly. You may also need to adjust the thickness. If the sauce is too thick, add a touch more broth to the blender. If the sauce is too thin, simply add it back into the saucepan and let it reduce over medium heat.
- Pour the sauce into the saucepan and nestle the chicken cutlets into the sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese, and cover with a lid to allow the cheese to melt. If you’re dairy free you can use a vegan cheese option. Finish the dish with freshly chopped Italian parsley. Serve hot and enjoy.
