Thai Cashew Chicken
Published Mar 31, 2020•Updated Feb 14, 2024
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Thai Cashew Chicken is tender bites of chicken in a savory and slightly sweet sauce. It’s better and healthier than takeout, made in 30 minutes, and full of crisp toasted cashews.
Okay, so I totally know what you’re thinking of when I mention Cashew Chicken. A Chinese food buffet version, right? Good but not great. This, my friends, is NOT that buffet cashew chicken. This is the Cashew Chicken of Thailand. In the world of stir fry dishes, this one is tops (perhaps only matched by the delicious Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry). It is packed with flavor, full of sweet peppers and onions, tender chicken, and a sauce that will make you go back for seconds…and thirds…and look forward to leftovers at lunch. I’m certain you’re going to love this recipe as much as I do.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast – Chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss it with salt and flour. Chicken thighs would work well here too.
- Onion and Bell Peppers – Onion and bell peppers add flavor and color to the dish.
- Green Onions – Chop the green onions and add them in for fresh flavor.
- Cashews – Raw cashews work best here because you’ll toast them in oil before cooking. But roasted and unsalted cashews will also work.
- Cooking Oil – I like vegetable or peanut oil here for the high temperatures used during cooking.
- Stir Fry Sauce – This simple, savory sauce comes together fast. Check out the notes below and the recipe card for tips on light and dark sweet soy sauce which are both used in this recipe. This sauce does not use fish sauce, but like many Thai dishes, fish sauce would add a delicious savory flavor.
FAQs
In Thailand, cashew chicken is still considered a Chinese-style dish but it is so common there that it’s become Thai food in its own right. The most noticeable difference in the Thai version is that the sauce is more complex – it is savory, slightly sweet, and with a little bit of tart flavor. Spice is optional, but as with most Thai chicken stir-fry recipes, a little heat is always welcome.
Light soy sauce (also called thin soy sauce) is the most common soy sauce used in Thai cooking. This is not the same as low-sodium, but it has a light color and more delicate flavor than Japanese or Chinese soy sauces that many of us have in our pantries. Dark sweet soy sauce has a thicker texture and color and a more rich flavor. It is a must-have ingredient for the beloved Thai noodle dish, Pad See Ew.
Check out my Guide to Essential Thai Ingredients for more details.
Like most stir-fry dishes, this is a weeknight favorite. A few minutes of prep means all of the ingredients are ready to go and the dish can be finished in the wok in 15 minutes or less. Cooking everything in the right order is key.
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Pin It NowHow to Make Thai Cashew Chicken
Step 1: Make Sauce
Garlic, soy sauce, water, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes (optional) are things you probably already have in your pantry. You’ll also need Oyster Sauce. Don’t be afraid of it! You’ve surely had oyster sauce if you’ve had Thai or Chinese take-out. The finished dish won’t taste like oysters, but will have a savory flavor that shouldn’t be missed. You’ll also need Dark Sweet Soy Sauce. It’s inexpensive and available at any Asian market. This is the brand we keep in our pantry.
Step 2: Prep Ingredients
The ingredients list is short and sweet. Slice peppers, yellow onions, and green onions. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss with a bit of salt and all-purpose flour (to help it brown in the pan). Get everything ready before you start. This will cook FAST.
Step 3: Fry Cashews
Since cashews are the key ingredient of cashew chicken you really want them to shine. Add cashews to some hot oil over medium-high heat and cook for about a minute until they are golden brown. You’ll be amazed at how much toasty flavor and crunch this step gives the finished dish. It also gives the cooking oil some cashew flavor. Set cashews aside.
Step 4: Fry Chicken
Leave the oil from the cashews in the pan and add the chicken. Saute until golden brown and cooked through (6 to 7 minutes). Set chicken aside with cashews.
Step 5: Cook Peppers and Onions
To the hot pan, add those peppers and onions and saute until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add a splash of water if the pan starts to look dry.
Step 6: Simmer with Sauce
Here’s my favorite part. Add the stir fry sauce and let it bubble and thicken.
Step 7: Cook Everything Together
Add chicken and cashews back to pan with green onions. Toss everything to coat in sauce.
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Thai Cashew Chicken
Equipment
- Wok or skillet
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup Water
- 2 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoons Dark Sweet Soy Sauce
- 2 teaspoons Oyster Sauce
- 1 teaspoons Cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes (optional – skip if you don't want the dish to be spicy)
- 1/4 teaspoons Ground White Pepper (optional)
Cashew Chicken:
- 1/2 Yellow Onion, sliced
- 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, sliced
- 3 stalks Green Onions, chopped
- 1 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, chopped
- pinch Salt
- 1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 cup Raw Cashews (or use roasted and unsalted cashews)
- 1/4 cup Cooking Oil (like vegetable or peanut oil)
- Rice, for serving
Instructions
- Make sauce:Whisk together garlic, water, light soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Whisk in cornstarch. Add red pepper flakes and white pepper (if using). Set aside.
- Prep ingredients:Slice onion and bell pepper and combine. Chop green onions. Dice chicken and toss with a pinch of salt and flour.
- Set onions / peppers, green onions, chicken, sauce, and cashews near the stove. Place a paper towel on top of a plate and set that near the stove.
- Heat cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat.
- When oil is hot, add cashews and saute until golden brown and toasted, 1 to 2 minutes (watch carefully to prevent them from burning). Set cashews on paper-towel lined plate. Leave oil in the wok.
- To remaining oil in wok, add chicken. Let chicken cook for 2 minutes without stirring (this will help it to brown on the bottom).
- Continue cooking, turning occasionally, until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes total.
- Transfer chicken to the plate with the cashews and return wok to heat.
- To any remaining oil in the wok, add onions and bell peppers.
- Saute until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. (Add a splash of water if the pan starts to look dry.)
- Pour sauce over onions and peppers.
- Simmer until sauce starts to thicken, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add green onions, chicken, and cashews to pan. Cook everything together for 1 minute to coat in sauce.
- Serve over rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I think this might be the first time I have left a review for a recipe I found on Pinterest. I just needed to drop by and say DANG this was sooo GOOD! My entire family finished their plates and asked for seconds. My favorite dish to order at Thai restaurants is cashew chicken and this did not disappoint. I was also able to whip it up really quick on a week night, served with Thai style jasmine rice on the side. One tip, really watch the cashews and keep stirring while they are cooking in the oil. I stepped away from mine for less than a minute and they had already started to burn. Luckily the sauce covered up any too-brown taste that was left. I also didn’t have any of the sweet soy sauce on hand so I just added the brown sugar as suggested. I luckily doubled the recipe so I have some for lunch at work today, looking forward to it!
Thanks so much for leaving a note, Sarah! I’m glad and this was a hit with the family and that the brown sugar sub worked! Good point about the cashews – they do have to be watched so carefully, but that toasty flavor is worth the effort.
Made this last night for dinner and it came out perfectly. Have had so many Pinterest stir-fry fails but this recipe worked great so thank you so much for posting and also for the great directions. I can always use another “no fail” recipe in my rotation! Really delicious and the whole family enjoyed it a lot!
p.s. Meant to give this five starts, not four. Also, appreciated the substitution advice for the dark sweet soy sauce, which I could not find 🙂
Great! Glad the sub worked. Dark sweet soy sauce is delicious, but it is a bit more difficult to find. 😉
Wonderful Cathy! We work really hard to test and re-test our recipes before publishing them. (We’ve had more than a few Pinterest fails from other sites too!)
If you don’t have a wok will it work with a skillet pan as well?
A skillet would work great, Tina! Use the largest skillet you have to prevent crowding – the chicken and other ingredients will cook most evenly in a large pan.
Thank you very much! This is now my son’s favorite dish, I’ve made it four times in a few weeks! My son says it has the ‘magic sauce’ referring to authentic Thai dishes he has tasted.
I’ve taken the shortcut of adding the peppers and onion to the chicken after the chicken has been quickly browned.
That’s so great to hear! And thanks for the tip on the shortcut – I’m sure others will appreciate that, Eva!
Delicious! Substituted broccoli florets for bell pepper as I didn’t have any on hand. Also didn’t have any sweet soy sauce so added brown sugar for the sweetness. Definitely a keeper!
So glad you liked it Vicki, and I’m so happy to hear that the brown sugar sub worked out – good to know for others who don’t have sweet soy sauce on hand.
Delicious Recipe. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe. Will try it at my home as soon as possible.
I plan to make this tonight, however in place of the peppers I’d like to do carrots. When do you recommend adding those? I assume right where the onions and peppers would go in together but wanted your opinion first. Thanks for this amazing recipe. We have a great Thai restaurant in our town but it would be so nice to make something similar at home for less money!
Hi Alexis – I think carrots would be a great addition. I’d chop them fairly small, use pre-shredded or just plan to cook them a bit longer – they’ll take longer to cook to tender than the peppers. Enjoy!
Thank you!!
This looks really delicious. I am actually looking for something light but filling and I believe this Thai Cashew Chicken is just perfect. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Too bad I missed your giveaway. Looking forward to your other posts.
hmmm..mouth-watering food!!! I would cook this for my family. I bet they will love it.
Delicious Recipe. Thank you so much for this awesome recipe. Will try it at my home as soon as possible.
You’re so welcome! Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!