*Updated on September 2, 2013 to include better pictures, more options and to add to the Paleo Potluck (with Clean Eats in The Zoo & Whole Family Strong) to celebrate the upgraded Whole Family Strong website.*
Made with carrots & kale
You know what I love about the CrockPot? Throwing a bunch of stuff in and walking away. Then, finding out hours later that what you threw in there has cooked up into a big delicious mess of flavor.
This recipe, originally from Today’s Mama, caught my eye because I grew up in Southwest Missouri. Springfield, MO is the home of Springfield-style cashew chicken. Basically, it is fried chicken with brown gravy that they probably added a little MSG to. 
Topped with cashews and green onions it is a local favorite dish. You can order cashew chicken in other places, but it is never going to taste like Springfield cashew chicken. There is no replicating that. This recipe brings back some memories from home, but without all the MSG, gluten & soy.
This is a very hands-off recipe that incorporates meat & lots of veggies. (If you wanted to make a more traditional Chinese take-out, feel free to make some Paleo-style chicken nuggets & use the rest of the ingredients to simmer down a sauce to pour over them.) Garnish with green onions, cashews, cilantro & sriracha.
A peek at some of my ingredients & shortcuts!
Crockpot Cashew Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sugar or honey
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp crushed garlic
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger or 2 tsp minced ginger
- 2 cups green veggies (kale or broccoli)
- 1 cup carrots, sliced into coins
- 1/2 to 1 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- sriracha
Directions:
Variations:
- If you would like to thicken the sauce, ladle some out and add some arrowroot starch to thicken it.
- Switch out your veggies. Broccoli & carrots are obvious choices, but snow peas or broccoli slaw would also work.
- Serve over cauliflower rice.
- If you have picky eaters, leave the veggies out of the chicken. Steam them and put them on a platter, let them pick & choose.
As I said above, this post is updated to include a few variations and my improved photography, photo editing skills. Most of it comes down to lighting (which I don’t have much of inside our little old cottage house) and time for photo editing (which I have a bit more of now that my kids are more independent)!
Here is my old Cashew Chicken pic:
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