Description
This Thai-style Cashew Chicken is a quick and flavorful stir-fry made with tender chicken, crunchy cashews, and a savory-sweet sauce. Perfectly balanced with garlic, onions, and a hint of chili heat, it’s best served over jasmine rice for a satisfying meal that’s both simple and restaurant-worthy.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tbsp peanut oil (or canola or vegetable oil)
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, unsalted
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 onion (brown, yellow, or white), cut into thin wedges
- 200g (7 oz) chicken thighs, skinless and boneless, sliced into 1cm (1/3 inch) thin strips
- 2 green onions, cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) lengths, white part separated from green part
- 1/2 red cayenne pepper, deseeded and finely sliced on the diagonal
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- Red chili, finely sliced (optional garnish)
- Jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together all the sauce ingredients: oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and water. Set aside.
- Heat oil over medium heat in a wok or large skillet. Add the cashews and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until they turn a deep golden brown and are crunchy. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Increase the heat to high and add the garlic and onion. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the sliced chicken and cook for about 1 minute, or until the outside changes from pink to white.
- Stir in the white parts of the green onions and sliced red chili. Cook for another minute until the chicken is just cooked through.
- Pour in the prepared sauce and cook for about 1 minute until it reduces and coats the chicken in a glossy syrup.
- Add the green parts of the green onions and the toasted cashews. Toss everything together for 30 seconds.
- Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with extra red chili if desired. Serve hot with jasmine rice.
Notes
- Use roasted cashews if preferred, but reduce the initial cooking time to avoid burning.
- You can substitute chicken breast for chicken thighs, but thighs remain juicier.
- Adjust the chili level according to your spice tolerance or omit for a mild version.
- Dark soy sauce adds color and richness; if unavailable, use regular soy sauce but slightly reduce the salt.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free oyster and soy sauces.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
Keywords: Thai cashew chicken, stir fry chicken, Asian chicken recipe, quick dinner, Thai chicken with cashews