Make Cashew Chicken Stir Fry at Home With This Simple Recipe.

Cashew chicken stir fry is one of those dishes that looks and tastes like it came from a good restaurant but comes together in under thirty minutes at home. The chicken is marinated briefly in soy sauce, oyster sauce and a little cornstarch which tenderises it and helps it develop a golden sear in the wok. The sauce is bold, glossy and coats everything beautifully. Roasted cashews add a satisfying crunch and a nutty richness that makes this dish genuinely addictive.

The key to a great stir fry is high heat and a hot wok. Everything moves fast once you start cooking so having all your ingredients prepped and your sauce mixed before you turn the heat on is what makes the difference between a stir fry that is glossy and vibrant and one that is soggy and dull. Thai basil added at the very end with the heat off gives the dish a fresh, slightly anise-flavoured finish that is completely characteristic of Thai-Chinese style stir fries. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry made with Boneless Chicken Breast strips in a glossy soy sauce with roasted cashews, red bell pepper, spring onion and Thai basil, served with steamed jasmine rice

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry Recipe

Serves: 3
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Total time: 27-30 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken marinade:

  • 400g Boneless Chicken Breast sliced into thin strips
  • 5 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 5 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • A pinch of black pepper

For the stir fry sauce:

  • 4 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 5 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 6 tbsp water or chicken broth
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch

For the stir fry:

  • 2 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or sunflower)
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely minced
  • 1 medium onion, cut into large cubes
  • 1 large red bell pepper, cut into large chunks
  • 100g roasted cashews
  • 3 spring onions, white and green parts separated and sliced
  • A large handful of fresh Thai basil leaves
  • Chilli flakes to taste

For serving:

  • Steamed jasmine rice

Steps

  1. Combine the sliced chicken with the soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch and black pepper. Mix well until every piece is evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare all the other ingredients. Prep everything before you start cooking as this dish moves quickly once the heat goes on.
  2. Mix the stir fry sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, water or broth and cornstarch until smooth. Set it near the stove. Give it a quick stir again just before using as the cornstarch will settle to the bottom.
  3. Heat a large wok or wide frying pan over medium heat until it is hot. Add the oil. Once the oil is shimmering, increase the heat to high. Add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer. Leave them undisturbed for 30 to 40 seconds so they develop a golden sear on the bottom, then stir fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and golden on the outside. The internal temperature should reach 75 degrees Celsius. Remove from the wok and set aside.
  4. In the same wok over high heat, add a small drizzle of oil if needed. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli flakes and stir fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Add the onion, red bell pepper and the white parts of the spring onions. Stir fry over high heat for 2 minutes. The vegetables should soften slightly but still retain a light crunch. Do not overcook them.
  6. Return the cooked chicken to the wok. Give the sauce a quick stir and pour it over everything. Toss and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens, turns glossy and coats every piece of chicken and vegetable evenly. If the sauce looks too thick at any point, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and toss again.
  7. Turn off the heat. Add the roasted cashews, fresh Thai basil leaves and the green parts of the spring onions. Toss everything quickly. The basil should just wilt from the residual heat rather than cook fully. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Tips

Prep everything before you start cooking. Stir fry moves fast over high heat. Having your chicken marinated, your sauce mixed, your vegetables chopped and your cashews and basil ready to go before you turn on the heat is the most important thing you can do for this recipe.

Use high heat and do not crowd the pan. If the wok is too small for the chicken, cook it in two batches. Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and causes the chicken to steam rather than sear. A proper sear is what gives the dish its flavour.

Do not overcook the vegetables. The onion and bell pepper should go in and come out within 2 minutes. They need to retain some crunch. Overcooked vegetables make the stir fry heavy and soggy.

Stir the sauce just before adding it. The cornstarch sinks to the bottom as it sits. A quick stir before pouring ensures the sauce thickens evenly and coats everything properly.

Add the cashews and basil off the heat. The cashews should stay crunchy and the basil should wilt gently rather than cook. Adding them after the heat is off preserves both the texture and the flavour.

Thai basil has a distinctly different flavour from regular basil. It has a slightly anise or liquorice note that is characteristic of this style of stir fry. If unavailable, regular basil can be used but the flavour will be milder.

Cashew chicken stir fry is one of those recipes that quickly becomes a weeknight staple. The prep is minimal, the cook time is short and the result is a glossy, flavour-packed dish that genuinely rivals anything you would order in. Once you have made it once you will stop reaching for the takeaway menu.

Order Zorabian Boneless Chicken from shop.zorabian.com and try this recipe at home.

Instagram Facebook Youtube Globe