If you love Thai food, then you'll definitely want to try this delicious Thai chicken cashew recipe! This dish is packed with crispy toasted cashews, tender chicken and vegetables, all tossed in a simple Thai inspired umami sauce.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Thai chicken cashew is one of my all-time favorite dinners to make at home. It's simple, yet so flavorful and fragrant. It's packed with protein and healthy fats, and savory umami sauce will tantalize your taste buds. Best of all, this Thai cashew chicken stir fry is easy to make and can be on the table in just 30 minutes.
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Ingredients
This Thai chicken cashew stir fry is full of flavor and will leave you feeling satisfied. Plus, it's easy to make and can be cooked in one pan. You'll love the umami sauce that this stir fry is tossed in also!
Prep all your ingredients ahead of time, because it only takes a few minutes from start to serving to make this Thai chicken cashew recipe!
For the Thai Cashew Chicken
- Cashews - raw and unsalted, you will toast them.
- Chicken Thighs - cut into 1 - 1 ½" pieces. Thighs cook up and stay tender.
- Onion - sliced into thin strips.
- Garlic - minced or sliced paper thin.
- Green Onion - use the green tops, cut into 2" long pieces.
- Red Bell Pepper - Cut into chunks or slices.
- Broccoli - break into small florets.
- Vegetable Oil - any light, neutral vegetable oil.
- Toasted Sesame oil - always add at the end of cooking so the sesame oil doesn't get bitter.
- Cayenne Pepper - fresh, split, and seeded. Cut into 1" to 2" pieces. Optional.
For the Thai Cashew Sauce
- Oyster Sauce - adds the savory brown sauce flavor notes as well as helps thicken your Thai cashew sauce.
- Soy Sauce - you can use regular soy sauce, the more concentrated Dark soy sauce, or sweet soy sauce. Just depends on your personal tastes.
- Fish Sauce - You won't need much, but this is essential of many Asian styles of cooking. It transforms your sauce into something sensational.
- Chili Sauce - You can use Thai Chili sauce, or even Sriracha. If you prefer a completely mild Thai Chicken Cashew, you can omit.
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Water
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Thai Cashew Chicken Stir Fry
Are you looking for a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is sure to impress your family or friends? Look no further than this flavorful recipe for Thai Chicken Cashew!
This scrumptious twist on classic Chinese cuisine features a mix of sweet and savory flavors plus hearty ingredients like chicken, cashews and red bell peppers – all stir fried together.
Make the Thai Cashew Sauce
- Mix all the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and set aside. When ready to use, make sure to stir before adding to the Thai chicken cashew stir fry, as the cornstarch settles to the bottom.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Toast the Cashews
- Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a wok or deep skillet. Add the cashews and toast for 4 to 5 minutes until they become golden brown and crunchy. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside for later.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Saute the Chicken
- Dice the chicken up in 1" to 1 ½" chunks. Add the minced garlic and onion to the hot wok or skillet that you used for the cashews. Saute for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chicken chunks and continue to saute for 1 more minute.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Stir Fry the Vegetables
- Add the chunked red bell pepper, broccoli florets, green onion, and the optional fresh cayenne pepper to the chicken in the wok or skillet. Saute in the wok or skillet for 2 to 3 minutes, tops.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Stir in the Thai Cashew Sauce
- Give the small bowl of Thai cashew sauce a good stir, then pour into the hot wok or skillet of chicken and vegetables. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce has thickened and coats the Thai chicken cashew.
- Remove from meat and stir in the toasted cashews. Serve immediately while hot over hot steamed rice.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Thai Cashew Chicken stir fry with our Asian Edamame Salad, Won Ton Soup, and Foolproof Steamed Rice. If you start the rice when starting the Thai Chicken Cashew, both will be ready to serve at the same time, within 30 minutes.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions
You can substitute tofu for the chicken if you are a vegetarian. Any color of bell pepper can be used, it does not have to be a red bell pepper. Braggs Liquid aminos are a good option to the soy sauce also, if you are vegetarian.
Variations
You can use this Thai Chicken Cashew recipe to make a variety of variations. I've included a few below.
- Spicy Cashew Chicken - Add Thai Birds Eye chili or two to your stir fried vegetables and chicken when stir frying.
- Thai Cashew Chicken with Snow Peas - Switch the broccoli for snow peas when stir frying.
- Keto Cashew Chicken - Omit the sugar, cornstarch, and the oyster sauce. Use some rice vinegar and soy and reduce by cooking until more concentrated. Broccoli is perfect for a Keto diet.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. Below are some of my favorite pieces of equipment that I use when making this dish.
Storage
Store any left over Thai chicken cashew in covered containers in your refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave in short 30 second intervals so you don't over cook the vegetables.
Tips for Success
- The biggest tip is to only cook the vegetables until they are bright green (broccoli) or bright red (bell peppers). The veggies will continue to cook during when the sauce is thickening.
- If you want some flavor from the cayenne, but not the heat, look for fresh cayenne peppers that are wide and longer.
- Use disposable gloves when cutting, seeding, slicing, or handling cut chili peppers of any variety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thai chicken cashew is a spin off, or version of Chinese chicken cashew. Thai chicken cashew version has much less sauce, but it's a little sweeter, and more flavorful than Chinese chicken cashew.
Kung Pao chicken used peanuts, and Chicken cashew recipes use cashews.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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📖 Recipe
Thai Cashew Chicken
Ingredients
For Thai Cashew Chicken
- ¾ cup cashews raw unsalted
- 2 lbs chicken thighs cut into 1 to 1½" chunks
- 1 onion dice
- 3 cloves garlic minced or sliced paper thin
- 3 green onions green tops only, cut into 2" lengths
- 1 red bell pepper chunked or sliced
- 2 cup broccoli florets only
- 1½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil reserve for tossing after cooking
- 2 tablespoon water if wok starts to get too dry
For Thai Cashew Chicken Sauce
- 3 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon chili sauce
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- ½ cup water
Instructions
For the Thai Chicken Cashew Stir Fry
- Prep all your ingredients ahead of time, because it only takes a few minutes from start to serving to make this Thai chicken cashew recipe!Prepare the Thai chicken cashew sauce first by mixing all the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and set aside for later after stir frying. See recipe below.
- Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat in a wok or deep skillet. Add the cashews and toast for 4 to 5 minutes until they become golden brown and crunchy. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside for later.¾ cup cashews, 1½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- Dice the chicken up in 1" to 1 ½" chunks. Add the minced garlic and onion to the hot wok or skillet that you used for the cashews. Saute for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the chicken chunks and continue to saute for 1 more minute.2 lbs chicken thighs, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the chunked red bell pepper, broccoli florets, green onion, and the optional fresh cayenne pepper to the chicken in the wok or skillet. Saute in the wok or skillet for 2 to 3 minutes, tops.3 green onions, 1 red bell pepper, 2 cup broccoli
- Give the small bowl of Thai cashew sauce a good stir, then pour into the hot wok or skillet of chicken and vegetables. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce has thickened and coats the Thai chicken cashew.
- Remove from meat and stir in the toasted sesame oil and toasted cashews. Serve immediately while hot over hot steamed rice.2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the Thai Cashew Sauce
- Mix all the sauce ingredients into a small bowl and set aside. When ready to use, make sure to stir before adding to the Thai chicken cashew stir fry, as the cornstarch settles to the bottom.3 tablespoon oyster sauce, 2 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon chili sauce, 2 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon corn starch, ½ cup water
Notes
- The biggest tip is to only cook the vegetables until they are bright green (broccoli) or bright red (bell peppers). The veggies will continue to cook during when the sauce is thickening.
- If you want some flavor from the cayenne, but not the heat, look for fresh cayenne peppers that are wide and longer.
- Use disposable gloves when cutting, seeding, slicing, or handling cut chili peppers of any variety.
Nutrition
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