This quick Thai cashew chicken is the kind of meal everyone loves.
The toasted cashews stay crunchy, the chicken stays tender, and every bite is glossy, bold, and full of savoury flavour.
Cooked in under 20 minutes, it tastes warm, fresh, and incredibly satisfying—
the kind of fast weeknight dinner that feels a little special.
Your family will love the contrast of textures and the gentle heat from the chilli,
and you’ll love how effortlessly it all comes together.
A simple, crowd-pleasing stir fry that disappears as fast as you can make it.
For the Stir Fry
- Peanut Oil – Used to toast the cashews and stir-fry the chicken. Canola or vegetable oil work just as well.
- Raw Cashews – These turn crisp and deeply golden when lightly fried, adding the signature crunch to the dish.
- Garlic – Brings a strong, fragrant base flavor to the stir fry.
- Onion – Sliced into thin wedges for sweetness and texture.
- Chicken Thighs – Tender and juicy, ideal for high-heat cooking. Slice them thin so they cook quickly.
- Green Onions – The white parts add mild sharpness while the green parts finish the dish with fresh flavor.
- Red Cayenne Pepper – Adds gentle heat. Reduce or omit if you prefer a milder stir fry.
For the Sauce
- Oyster Sauce – Gives depth, richness, and that classic glossy finish.
- Dark Soy Sauce – Adds powerful color and an umami-heavy boost.
- Fish Sauce – Traditional in Thai cooking and brings a salty, savory complexity.
- White Sugar – Balances the salty elements and rounds out the sauce.
- Water – Thins the sauce just enough to coat the chicken.
For Serving
- Red Chilli – Optional garnish for an extra pop of heat and color.
- Jasmine Rice – The perfect fluffy base to soak up the flavorful stir fry.
Yummy Thai Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry
A fast, aromatic stir-fry featuring crisp cashews and tender chicken, finished with a concentrated Thai-style sauce. This dish isn’t heavy or saucy—its strength is in bold flavour, not volume.
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Servings: 2
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Ingredients
Stir Fry-
2 tbsp peanut oil (or canola or vegetable oil)
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1/2 cup raw cashews, unsalted (Note 1 for roasted)
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1 garlic clove, finely minced
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1/2 onion (brown, yellow, or white), sliced into thin wedges
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200g/7oz chicken thighs, skinless & boneless, cut into 1cm / 1/3" thin strips (Note 2)
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2 green onions, cut into 2.5cm / 1" segments, white parts separated from green parts
- 1/2 red cayenne pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced on a diagonal (optional or adjustable — Note 3)
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1 tbsp oyster sauce (Note 4)
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1 tsp dark soy sauce (Note 5)
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2 tsp fish sauce (Note 6)
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1 tsp white sugar
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3 tbsp water
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Finely sliced red chilli (optional)
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Jasmine rice or another rice of your choosing
Instructions
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Prepare the Sauce:
Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. -
Toast the Cashews:
Warm the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the cashews and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring, until they deepen to a rich golden colour and turn crisp. Remove them with a slotted spoon and reserve. -
Start the Aromatics:
Increase the heat to high. Add the garlic and onion, cooking for about 30 seconds. -
Cook the Chicken:
Add the chicken strips. Stir-fry for 1 minute, just until the exterior changes colour. -
Add Veggies for Heat and Aroma:
Stir in the white parts of the green onions and the sliced chilli. Cook for another minute, or until the chicken is cooked through. -
Add the Sauce:
Pour in the prepared sauce and cook for 1 minute. It should thicken slightly and cling to the chicken. -
Finish with Greens & Nuts:
Add the green parts of the green onions along with the toasted cashews. Toss for 30 seconds. -
Serve:
Transfer to a dish and serve with jasmine rice. Add extra chilli on top if you want an extra kick.
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Cashews:
Raw cashews produce the best flavour when toasted in the pan, but roasted ones can be used—toast for about 1 1/2 minutes until fragrant. Avoid salted cashews; they will overly salt the dish.
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Chicken:
Thighs stay juicier, but breast meat works too. If using breast, consider tenderising it with the Chinese velveting technique for extra softness (not required for thighs).
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Chilli Choices:
Larger chillies tend to be milder. The red cayenne pepper used here offers a moderate warmth. Use less or omit if preferred, or swap in Thai bird’s eye chillies for more intensity.
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Oyster Sauce Alternatives:
Vegetarian oyster sauce can be used if needed.
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Dark Soy Sauce:
This soy sauce adds deeper flavour and colour. Light or all-purpose soy will produce a paler, less rich result.
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Fish Sauce:
A key flavour in Thai cooking. If you must replace it, use additional soy sauce—though the final flavour will differ slightly. Oyster sauce helps make up for this if omitting fish sauce.
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Serving Ideas:
Works with white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, Thai fried rice, or pineapple fried rice.
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Storage:
Keeps well for up to 4 days in the fridge. Freezes without issues.
- “Do I absolutely need a wok for this?”
Nope! A big skillet works a treat. A wok does heat up faster (and looks impressive), but a regular pan will do the job just fine. Just make sure it’s large enough so the chicken and veggies can sear rather than steam.
- “Help! My chicken ends up soggy. What am I doing wrong?”
Two things: your pan isn’t hot enough and you’re probably crowding it. Stir fries need heat — real heat! Get the pan properly hot before the oil goes in, then cook in batches if needed. High heat + space = golden, juicy chicken. ✔️
- “Should I prep everything first? It moves so fast!”
Yes, yes, and yes. Stir frying is a sprint, not a marathon. Have your sauce mixed, chicken sliced, and veggies chopped before you even turn the stove on. You’ll thank yourself later!
- “Can I swap the oil?”
As long as you use a high-smoke-point oil, you’re good. Peanut oil is classic, but canola or vegetable oil are perfectly fine. Avoid butter — it burns way too quickly for this kind of high-heat cooking.
- “When do I add the sauce? Mine ends up watery.”
Add it right near the end, once the chicken is almost cooked. You want the sauce to bubble rapidly and reduce so it becomes syrupy and glossy — not pooled at the bottom like soup. Just one minute does the trick!
