Main-CourseThai Cuisine

Cashew Chicken ไก่ผัดเม็ดมะม่วงหิมพานต์

What is Cashew Chicken?

Cashew chicken is just a stir-fry of chicken and cashews with a salty-sweet sauce. Many people associate cashew chicken with Chinese cuisine, and it is true that the dish originated in China. You can tell by the presence of sesame oil, which is uncommon in Thai cuisine.

However, Thai cuisine is highly influenced by Chinese cuisine, and this is one meal that has become a fixture in Thailand, and it is known in Thai as gai pad med mamuang himmapan ไก่ผัดเม็ดมะม่วงหิมพานต์ .

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Ingredients

  • 400 g boneless skinless chicken thighs, (if using breast, see note 1)
  • 2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 7-10 dried chilies, small to medium size, (optional)
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • ½ onion, 1-inch diced
  • ¾ cup green bell pepper, 1-inch diced
  • 1 ¼ cups red, orange and/or yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
  • ¾ cup unsalted roasted or raw cashews, plus extra for sprinkles (see note 2)
  • 2 green onions, halved lengthwise and cut in 1.5-inch

Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Golden Mountain sauce, (see note 3)
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoon Thai chili paste,
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
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Cashew Chicken Recipe

  1. Soy sauce should be used to marinate the chicken. If using breast, add a splash of water.
  2. Combine all sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  3. Heat the oil in a wok until it is very hot, then add the chicken in one layer and sear it.
  4. Toss the chicken until it is thoroughly done after it has been browned. Take out of the pan.
  5. Cook the garlic in the same wok until golden.
  6. Cook for a few minutes after adding the onions.
  7. Combine the bell peppers, chicken, and sauce in a mixing bowl.
  8. Toss for about a minute over high heat, or until everything is well incorporated and heated through.
  9. Remove from the heat and stir in the cashews and green onions.
  10. Serve with jasmine rice!

Pro Tips:

  1. Double-roasting cashews makes them crunchier and more nutty, which makes them pop. Some commercially roasted cashews are relatively light in color and not particularly crispy. Put them on a baking sheet and roast them at 350°F for another 8-10 minutes for crunchier, nuttier cashews that are well worth the extra work.
  2. Marinating the chicken while preparing it adds flavor from the inside out. The sauce is quite flavorful, however it is only on the outside. For the best results, your chicken should be flavorful on the inside as well.
  3. Browning chicken adds flavor without frying it. Restaurants frequently coat the chicken in flour before deep frying it before putting it into the stir fry. But if you just brown the chicken in the wok, you’ll get that deeper “fried chicken” flavor without having to cook it!
  4. Adding the onions after the garlic helps to keep them sharper. You might be tempted to sauté the onions with the garlic first to soften and sweeten them, but the sauce is already sweet, and the chicken is tender, so a minimally cooked onion can add more balance.
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Nutrition

Calories: 391kcal Carbohydrates: 20g Protein: 26g Fat: 25g Saturated Fat: 4g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 14g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 95mg Sodium: 853mg Potassium: 639mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 7g Vitamin A: 1680IU Vitamin C: 87mg Calcium: 45mg Iron: 3mg

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