Thai Cashew Chicken — Sweet, Spicy & Crunchy Stir-Fry Perfection

What is Thai Cashew Chicken?

Thai Cashew Chicken, or "Gai Pad Med Ma Muang," is a popular Thai stir-fry dish that features tender, marinated chicken pieces, crunchy cashews, colorful bell peppers, and a mouthwatering blend of savory, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce. This delectable dish is sure to become a favorite in your meal rotation.

Ingredients

Chicken Marinated

• 500 grams boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tsp soy sauce

For the sauce

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp Thai chili paste

For the Stir Fry

• Cooking oil
• 2 tsp garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8-10 dried chilies, fried
• Bunch green onions, chopped
• 100 grams unsalted, roasted cashews

Instructions

1. Marinate the chicken pieces in soy sauce (and water for chicken breast) for at least 15 minutes before cooking.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the Cashew Chicken Sauce until well combined.
3. Prep your vegetables and cashews as described in the ingredients list.
4. Fry the dried chilies in a wok with a little oil over low heat until dark maroon and crispy. Remove and set aside.
5. In the same wok, heat on high and sear the marinated chicken pieces until nicely browned. Remove and set aside, leaving the oil in the wok.
6. Fry the minced garlic in the same wok over medium heat until it turns slightly golden.
7. Add the chopped onion and continue cooking until slightly softened.
8. Add the bell peppers and cook for another minute.
9. Return the cooked chicken to the wok, followed by the Cashew Chicken Sauce. Toss everything together and cook until heated through.
10. Turn off the heat and add the roasted cashews, green onions, and fried chilies. Toss until well combined.

Nutrition information:

Per serving, assuming 4 servings:

• Calories: 430 kcal
• Protein: 35 g
• Fat: 23 g (4 g saturated)
• Carbohydrates: 22 g (5 g sugar, 2 g fiber)
• Sodium: 1320 mg

Please note that the nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on the specific brands and ingredients used. If you're looking for more precise nutritional data, you can use a nutrition calculator or an app to input the exact ingredients and quantities you're using.

Top Tips for Making the Best Thai Cashew Chicken

• Marinate the chicken pieces for at least 4 hours or even overnight to avoid having bland chicken pieces.
• Cut the chicken pieces into roughly the same sizes to ensure they cook at the same time.
• Sear the chicken pieces by ensuring to pre-heat the wok with the oil until 200C or 400F. Avoid mixing constantly to bring some char to the chicken.
• Prepare all your other ingredients before starting to cook as this dish comes together really quickly.
• Ensure to toast your cashews in the oven at 180C for around 10-12 minutes until you have a deep golden color on them. Be careful not to burn them!
• If you plan to store this dish in the fridge, do not mix the cashew pieces during cooking. Add them when you're about prepare the dish instead.

What are the Ingredients for Thai Cashew Chicken?

• We are using chicken breast in this recipe, but feel free to substitute chicken thighs or even tofu. Be sure to marinade the chicken pieces to avoid having bland chicken pieces.
• The cooking sauce is made up of oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, Thai chilli paste, sesame oil and a bit of sugar.
• We highly recommend using Thai chilli paste as this brings a lot of flavour to the dish. If you don't have any, you can substitute your favourite Asian chilli paste or sauce like Sriracha or Gochujang. Be warned that the flavour will be different, but should still be good! Alternatively, you can use oyster sauce plus your favourite chilli powder.
• We are roasting our cashews in the oven at around 180C or 350F for at 10-15 minutes until you have a dark golden color. This ensures you have an even more nutty flavour in your dish.
• If you prefer a spicier dish, you can increase the number of dried chilies or add some fresh Thai bird's eye chilies when frying the garlic.
• You can easily customize this dish by adding your favorite vegetables, such as baby corn, zucchini, or snap peas.
• For a vegetarian or vegan version, replace the chicken with tofu and use vegetarian oyster sauce and soy sauce instead of fish sauce.
• To make the dish gluten-free, use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce and a gluten-free oyster sauce.
• If making this dish ahead of time, separate the cashews and only add before serving to prevent them from being soggy.

Ingredient Substitutes

• If you can't find Golden Mountain sauce, you can use Maggi seasoning or simply add more fish sauce.
• For the Thai chili paste, you can make your own or substitute with store-bought chili paste.

What Can I Serve with Thai Cashew Chicken?

• Plain rice, fried rice, egg fried rice, garlic fried rice
• Boiled or steamed vegetables like broccoli and carrots
• You can also serve this with some Asian noodles

Fun Facts about Cashews

• Cashews are native to Brazil but are now grown in many tropical regions around the world, including India, Vietnam, and Nigeria.
• The cashew nut is actually a seed that grows on the bottom of the cashew apple, which is also edible and used in various culinary applications, such as jams, juices, and alcoholic beverages.
• Cashews are a good source of healthy fats, proteins, and essential minerals like magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese.

FAQ

How many calories are in a serving of this dish?

There are approximately 430 calories per serving of this dish, assuming it makes 4 servings.

Is this dish healthy?

This dish can be considered moderately healthy. It contains a good amount of protein from the chicken and healthy fats from the cashews. However, it also contains a high level of sodium (1320 mg per serving), which may not be suitable for people watching their sodium intake. To make the dish healthier, you can try using low-sodium soy sauce and fish sauce, or reducing the amount of these ingredients.

Remember that the healthiness of a dish depends on individual dietary needs and preferences. If you have specific dietary restrictions or goals, you may need to adjust the recipe accordingly.