Description
A flavorful and spicy Thai Cashew Chicken Stir Fry featuring tender chicken thighs, crunchy roasted cashews, and a bold savory sauce made with oyster sauce, soy, and fish sauce. This dry-style stir fry is quick to prepare and perfect served with jasmine rice for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Stir Fry Ingredients
- 2 tbsp peanut oil (or canola or vegetable oil)
- 1/2 cup raw unsalted cashews
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 onion (brown, yellow, or white), cut into thin wedges
- 200g/7oz chicken thighs, skinless and boneless, sliced into 1cm (1/3″) thin strips
- 2 green onions, cut into 2.5cm (1″) lengths, white and green parts separated
- 1/2 red cayenne pepper, deseeded and finely sliced on the diagonal (optional, adjust spiciness)
- Red chili, finely sliced (optional garnish)
- Jasmine rice, for serving (or rice of choice)
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 3 tbsp water
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, white sugar, and water until well combined. Set aside.
- Cook the Cashews: Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the raw cashews and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they turn a dark golden brown and become crunchy. Taste one to check doneness. Remove the cashews using a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Sauté Garlic and Onion: Increase the heat to high and add the minced garlic and onion wedges to the same skillet. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
- Cook Chicken: Add the sliced chicken thighs to the skillet. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until the chicken changes from pink to white on the outside.
- Add White Green Onions and Cayenne: Toss in the white parts of the green onions and the finely sliced cayenne pepper. Continue cooking and stirring for 1 minute until the chicken is just cooked through.
- Add Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet. Cook for another 1 minute, allowing the sauce to reduce slightly and thicken, coating the chicken evenly.
- Finish with Green Onions and Cashews: Add the green parts of the green onions and the cooked cashews back to the skillet. Toss everything together for about 30 seconds to combine and heat through.
- Serve: Transfer the stir fry to a serving dish. Serve hot with jasmine rice, garnished with extra finely sliced red chili if you prefer additional spice.
Notes
- This recipe features crunchy and creamy cashews that complement a bold and savory Thai stir fry sauce. Adjust the spice level by modifying the amount of cayenne pepper or omitting it.
- It is a dry-style stir fry, so there is less sauce than typical Chinese cashew chicken, resulting in a more intense flavor.
- The recommended oil can be peanut, canola, or vegetable oil based on availability or preference.
- For a spicier version, add more fresh chili or cayenne pepper accordingly.
- Recipe video is available to guide through the cooking process.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 454 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 982 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
