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Thai Cashew Chicken

Thai Cashew Chicken is a fast Thai-inspired stir-fry with golden chicken, crisp-tender bell peppers, and a savory-sweet sauce. Roasted cashews and green onions add crunch while the sauce clings for a glossy finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 1 small onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup roasted unsalted cashews
  • 3 green onions
Sauce
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 0.5 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
For Serving
  • 1 steamed jasmine rice
  • 1 fresh cilantro
  • 1 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the sauce
  1. Whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper flakes together until smooth.
Stir-fry the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Add diced boneless skinless chicken breast and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally, for about 4–6 minutes.
  3. Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate.
  4. Add red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and small onion to the skillet and stir-fry until crisp-tender for 3–4 minutes.
  5. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent browning.
  6. Return the chicken to the skillet and pour the sauce over the mixture.
  7. Stir-fry until everything is coated and glossy, about 1–2 minutes.
  8. Add roasted unsalted cashews and sliced green onions and cook for 2 minutes, just until the cashews are heated.
Serve
  1. Serve Thai cashew chicken over steamed jasmine rice and finish with lime wedges and fresh cilantro.

Notes

For the best texture, keep the vegetables crisp by cooking peppers and onions only until they look lightly blistered at the edges. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through (avoid microwaving too long so cashews stay crunchy). Freezing is not recommended because the peppers soften. If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy sauce and confirm the oyster sauce is gluten-free.