Thai Cashew Chicken
I’m a big fan of fast food. No, not the crap you buy from a drive-through. Not even those salt bombs you pick up at the supermarket because you are pressed for time.
I’m talking about really tasty, balanced dishes that take a total of 30 minutes to make. OK, not as quick as drive-through, but seriously, do you want a cold burger on a soggy bun with a side of soggier fries for dinner, or would you prefer a fresh, healthy Thai dish that takes a few minutes longer?
Serves: 2 | Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 10 min
Ingredients
- 14 oz400g chicken breast fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup65g corn flour (cornstarch)
- Sea salt
- 3 tbsp45ml canola (or any neutral) oil
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, sliced
- ½ cup70g cashews
- 2 bell peppers, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 5 dried red chilies, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- ¼ cup25g sliced spring onion (scallions)
Stir-fry sauce
- 2 tbsp30ml soy sauce
- 2 tbsp30ml white vinegar
- 1 tsp5ml dark sweet soy sauce
- 2 tbsp25g sugar
- ½ tsp2g corn flour (cornstarch)
Preparation
1. To make the stir-fry sauce, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl.
2. Season the chicken with salt and toss with the corn flour.
3. Heat the oil in a wok until it begins to smoke. Shake off excess flour from the chicken, then carefully add it to the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook in two batches if necessary.
4. Drop the chicken into the wok, piece by piece, and cook, flipping the pieces every so often, for 3-4 minutes or until the exterior is just ‘sealed’ but before the pieces turn golden. Set aside.
5. If there isn’t enough residual oil in the pan, add a tablespoon. Add the bell peppers and onion, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cashews, garlic, and dried chiles, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Then add the chicken back and the stir-fry sauce and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce is thick and glossy. Toss through the spring onions and serve.