Asian stir-fries are always a hit at home. It is also one of the best ways to pair protein and veggies in a single dish. I always end up making a stir fry when I want to use up leftover bits and pieces of veggies. This Thai Cashew Chicken Stir fry recipe is one such recipe. Stir fry recipes are popular and there are many variations of them with different ingredients. If you like shrimp, I have a sweeter version with Sweet Chili Shrimp Stir Fry, and a meal prep option like Vegetable shrimp stir fry (Meal Prep). There are versions with chicken as the main ingredient- Chicken And Green Beans Stir Fry, and Quick chicken cabbage stir fry. There is a very popular all-veggie version and a reader’s favorite – Zucchini Stir Fry.
Chicken – Chicken breast or Chicken Thighs cut into bite-size pieces. Using boneless chicken breast, you must work with it carefully and avoid overcooking. Cornstarch- To coat chicken. You can also use all-purpose flour. Cashew – Good quality Whole Raw Cashews. You can also use Roasted Cashews but it needs to be unsalted. Red bell pepper – Use assorted colored peppers if you wish. Green Onions– Cut and keep the white and green parts separate. Garlic – minced Dry red chilies and bird’s eye chilies– Dry red chilies are for a smokey flavor, it is not for the heat as we are using it whole. Bird’s eye chilies are for heat, but it is totally optional and you can skip it. For heat, you can also add a dash of sriracha. Sauce for stir fry – Dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, Oyster sauce, fish sauce( it is not Thai if there is no Fish sauce in it).
Make the sauce – Mix all the sauce ingredients and keep them aside. Coat Chicken- The next step is to coat the chicken well with cornstarch. Cornstarch-coated chicken makes it crispy and the sauce sticks well to the chicken. Cook Chicken – Cook chicken in the same pan in reaming oil. Cook undisturbed for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 1 minute or so. Separate any chicken pieces stuck together so that they cook evenly from all the sides. The last step is to add the chicken, cashews, and sauce. Toss everything well. Let the sauce thicken a bit and coat the chicken well. Top it with chopped green onion and mix.
Make ahead
For a quick and easy recipe like this stir fry, this is best served freshly made and hot. If you are short of time and would like to prep this earlier, the chopping and sauces can be made ahead and kept aside. The sauces just need to be mixed. Yes, that’s how simple it is. You can refrigerate them for weeks.
Freeze
You can freeze this by storing it in an airtight container or freezer bag, once it has fully cooled. Store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. To thaw, take it out of the freezer the night before and place it in the refrigerator. The next day when ready to serve, either heat it up in the microwave and add it to a skillet or wok and stir-fry until heated through.
