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Cashew Butter Chicken Recipe

This rich and warming cashew butter chicken is as good as it gets! By using cashews instead of cream, this recipe is as rich and creamy as any restaurant-style butter chicken, but it's so much healthier for you. Savory, mildly sweet, and creamy notes meld together with a blend of warming spices and tender bites of chicken. It's easy to make, naturally dairy-free, and delicious!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 573 kcal
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ 1 ½ cups raw cashews see notes
  • 2 2 tablespoons oil divided
  • 1 1 lb boneless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 1 1 medium onion chopped
  • 5 5 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 2 inch piece of ginger peeled and chopped
  • 28 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
  • 2 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • sea salt to taste
The Spices
  • 1 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ to 1 ¼ to 1 teaspoon chili powder depending how spicy you like it
  • Seeds from 4 cardamom pods

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the cashews and 1 ½ cups of water into your blender or food processor and blend on high until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and set it aside. Don't clean your blender yet - you'll need it again.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it is brown on both sides, about 10 minutes total. You don't need to cook the chicken all the way through. Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
  3. While the chicken is browning, start cooking the curry. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook until it is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and let it cook for 5 minutes more.
  4. Add the spices to the onions and let them cook for a minute, stirring the whole time. Pour the tomatoes into the pan and scrape the bottom of the pan. Carefully transfer to your blender and blend on high until smooth.
  5. Pour the curry back into the pan, add the blended cashews, the chopped chicken, ½ cup of water, and the brown sugar. Bring the curry to a boil then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook for 10 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt.

Notes

  • Cashew pieces are less expensive than whole cashews and work well in this recipe. If you don't have a high-powered blender, soak the cashews in water for a few hours to make them softer and easier to blend. Rinse the cashews and discard the water before you blend them.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe Calories 573kcal (29%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 37g (74%) Fat 32g (49%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 7g Monounsaturated Fat 17g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 73mg (24%) Sodium 417mg (17%) Potassium 1420mg (41%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 17g (34%) Vitamin A 505IU (10%) Vitamin C 24mg (27%) Calcium 114mg (11%) Iron 7mg (39%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 573

% Daily Value*

Serving 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe
Calories 573kcal 29%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 37g 74%
Fat 32g 49%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g 41%
Monounsaturated Fat 17g 85%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 73mg 24%
Sodium 417mg 17%
Potassium 1420mg 30%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 17g 34%
Vitamin A 505IU 10%
Vitamin C 24mg 27%
Calcium 114mg 11%
Iron 7mg 39%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.