20 Minute Cashew Chicken Zoodles
Cashew Chicken Zoodles are a super easy to make and delicious weeknight dinner recipe. They're loaded with healthy and low carb veggie noodles smothered in a creamy cashew sauce that is totally crave-worthy. This is our favorite chicken and zoodles recipe!

Chicken and zoodles! Chicken and zoodles! Just try not to have fun saying the word zoodles. #impossible
I used to call them zucchini noodles. That was before I shared that recipe for Coconut Thai Chicken Zoodle Soup and realized how fun it is to say zoodles.
They're even more fun to eat. I mean really, what's better than twirling noodles around your fork and knowing that they're good for you. I know there are tons of zoodles recipes with chicken out there, but this one really is great. It's quickly jumped to the top of my favorites list!
What are Cashew Chicken Zoodles?
- THE BEST cashew sauce ever. Creamy, luscious, tasty and make with cashew butter so you can make it even if you don't have a crazy powerful blender. (but you can use whole cashews if you have them on hand and a blender that will puree them.)
- Juicy bites of chicken wrapped in the best cashew sauce ever.
- All the zoodles and carrot noodles (coodles?) tossed in more of that creamy sauce.
- Crunchy, salted cashews. Because yum.

How to make zoodes and carrot noodles
Unless you're some sort of wizard with a knife, you're going to want something to help you turn your veggies into noodles. You have three options:
The spiralizer I have is the Paderno Spiralizer and it works great for turning hard vegetables into noodles. Think carrots, beets, and yams. You can use it for zucchini too, but I find my inexpensive julienne peeler works much better on soft veggies.
What if you don't have a spiralizer?
While it will be hard (next to impossible. not going to lie) to make zoodles without one of those tools I listed up here, all is not lost. You can still make this by thinly slicing the zucchini and carrots into rounds. While you won't get the fork-twirling fun, you'll get all the delicious flavor.

The quickest way to make cashew chicken zoodles
You're going to want to keep this zoodle recipe with chicken in your back pocket. When the day is long, and you're hungry and tired, this is the recipe you want to make. Not that you can't make it with hours on your hands (does anyone have hours on their hands? #dream) but a healthy and delicious 20-minute recipe is one you want to keep close by.
The key to getting dinner on the table FAST is to work as you're cooking. Don't spend 20 minutes prepping everything before you start. Since the chicken needs to cook for nearly 10 minutes, use that time to prep! Multi-task, my friends!
1. Put some oil in a pan and pop in the chicken. I use a pair of kitchen sears to cut the chicken right into the pan. Less mess = less cleanup!
2. While the chicken is cooking, spiralize the zucchinis and carrots. You'll be done right on time. If you have an extra minute, take out the ingredients for the sauce and have them on hand.
3. Put the sauce ingredients into the pan. You could mix them together in a bowl first, but why. Back to my less mess philosophy.
4. Add your spiralized veggies and let them soften for 3-4 minutes and you, my friend, have made yourself the most delicious 20 minute dinner ever!

Remember to subscribe to THE ENDLESS MEAL'S NEWSLETTER for FREE to get healthy and delicious recipes each week + our cookbook!
Healthy veggie noodle recipes
- Coconut Curry No Cook Veggie Noodles
- Sweet Potato Noodles with Sriracha Cilantro Cashew ‘Cream' Sauce
- Coconut Thai Chicken Zoodle Soup
- Carrot Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce
- Zoodles with Dairy Free Tomato Cream Sauce

20 Minute Cashew Chicken Zoodles
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 4 boneless chicken thighs, or 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 medium zucchinis, spiralized
- 2 medium carrots, spiralized
- ½ cup roasted cashews
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
The Sauce
- ½ cup chicken stock or water
- 4 tablespoons cashew butter, can sub almond butter
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, gluten-free, if needed. Coco aminos for paleo and Whole30
- 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey, omit for Whole30
- Juice from 1 lime
- 2 cloves garlic, grated on a Microplane or finely minced
Instructions
- Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is no longer pink, about 7 minutes.1 teaspoon avocado oil, 4 boneless chicken thighs
- While the chicken is cooking, spiralize the zucchinis and carrots.2 medium zucchinis, 2 medium carrots
- When the chicken is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and push the chicken to one side of the pan. Add all the sauce ingredients to the pan and stir them together.½ cup chicken stock or water, 4 tablespoons cashew butter, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce, 1 teaspoon honey, Juice from 1 lime, 2 cloves garlic
- Put the pan back on the heat and stir the chicken through the sauce. Once the sauce thickens (about 1 min) add the veggie noodles to the pan and toss to coat them in the sauce. Let them cook for 3-4 minutes, or until they start to soften. Toss with the cashews and cilantro and serve right away.½ cup roasted cashews, ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Please recommend your favorite kitchen shears! Do you have an amazon page?
We use OXO shears! They work great!
I was hesitant to believe this would only be 20 mins and felt brave attempting it while my newborn napped and toddler played but it really did come together easily. Great flavor too! Feeling impressed (given the baby) I got such a healthy dinner on the table!!
Never had zoodles before, I was excited to try this and it did not disappoint! The sauce is really good and everything blends well. I used 2 packs of frozen zoodles since I don’t (yet) have a spiralizer and that worked fine for us. Husband said he would eat this again and I agree, it was fairly quick, yummy, and healthy 🙂
Easy and delicious! Will definitely make again. Often! Is easily worthy of serving to company, too. Sauce is amazing. Delicious! Will be great with other proteins, too (shrimp, beef, tofu, or veggie only)—this recipe will be a regular go-to for us! Friends are loving it, too. Thank you for posting it.
That’s so great to hear, Talia!
I’ve made this a few times now and it’s fantastic! Very quick and easy to make, tastes delicious, and healthy to boot. Thank you for this great recipe 🙂
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit! Thank you for coming back to comment!
This recipe was really great. It took me longer than 20 min, but my one year old and dog may have something to do with that. My husband also loved it. I did half the veggies, served it over whole wheat spaghetti, and also some chopped celery for more crunch. I will definitely put this in my meal circulation!
Thank you!
That sauce!!! That sounds sooo good!
It is really good!!
It was easy, quick, and dang good!! Made it last week, and my husband wanted me to make it again for the following week.
I’m so happy to hear you and your husband liked the recipe!!
I’ve found a new favorite chicken zoodles recipe! The creamy sauce is amazing. Can’t wait to see what other zoodles recipes you come up with!
I’ll have to get to work then!
Really want to try this. What did you use for hot chili sauce? Thank you!
When I made this to take the pictures I used Lee Kum Kee’s Chili Garlic Sauce. Sambal Oelek or even sriracha would work, too. 🙂
Looks yummy!
Thanks! It is really good. 🙂
I made this and we loved it. Totally delicious. I always love zoodles but I hadn’t made carrot noodles before (I don’t know why not!). Anyway it was all really tasty and I loved the cashew sauce. My kids wanted more so it’s a winner in our house!
I’m so happy everyone enjoyed it! And so awesome that your kids gobbled it up too!!
OMG I love these zoodles! The cashew sauce is so good. We used some leftover grilled chicken we had in the fridge which made it even easier to make.
Good call on the grilled chicken! I bet that was amazing!!
I made this last night and it’s amazing! It felt light but I was totally full after. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so happy you like the recipe!!
Yum Kristen! I adore zoodles.. and any veggie noodles. I actually usually just enjoy them raw, but I am going to have to try this recipe with this amazing cashew sauce!
They’re the best, aren’t thy?!!
We are allergic to cashews as well as hazelnuts. Would almond butter be as decadent? Open to suggestions
Yep … almond butter makes a great alternative!
I would really appreciate the fats, carbs etc broken down. I don’t eat anything where I don’t know what I’m eating. Plus, I delete everything since I can’t use the recipe
Thanks for your patience with this, Mary! We’ve got it in there now!