Thai Cashew Chicken (40g Protein)

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Thai cashew chicken, or gai pad med mamuang, is the takeout order I make at home instead of ordering out, and this version lands around 40g of protein per serving. It is lean chicken breast, toasted cashews, and a glossy brown sauce that comes together in one pan in about 25 minutes.

The restaurant version is usually swimming in oil and fried chicken. Swapping to chicken breast and toasting the cashews dry keeps it light without losing the nutty, savory thing that makes the dish work. It is fast enough for a weeknight and holds up well in a meal prep container.

Why this works

Two small moves do most of the heavy lifting. First, a quick cornstarch toss on the raw chicken (a shortcut version of velveting) puts a thin coat on the meat that traps moisture, so the breast stays tender instead of turning into rubber over high heat. Second, the cashews get toasted separately and added at the very end. If you cook them in the sauce they go soft, and the contrast between crunchy nuts and saucy chicken is the whole point.

Keep the heat high once the chicken hits the pan. A wok or wide skillet gives the meat room to sear rather than steam, which is what builds flavor on lean cuts that have little fat of their own.

Ingredient notes

Chicken breast is the lean choice here and what gets you to 40g of protein, but boneless thighs work if you prefer them, just trim the obvious fat. Dried red chilies bring warmth without much heat if you leave them whole; snip them open for more bite. Oyster sauce is the backbone of the sauce, and fish sauce adds the salty depth that makes it taste like the real thing, so do not skip it. For the cashews, raw unsalted are ideal since you control the toasting, but roasted unsalted are fine, just shorten the toasting time. If you like this style of fast Thai stir fry, it is a close cousin of my Thai basil chicken, and the sauce logic is similar to the one in Thai green curry chicken.

Thai Cashew Chicken (40g Protein)

A fast takeout-style Thai stir fry of lean chicken breast, toasted cashews, dried chilies, and a glossy oyster-soy sauce. About 40g of protein per serving in 25 minutes.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 430

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 12 oz chicken breast about 350g, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 2 tsp cornstarch divided, half for the chicken half for the sauce
• 1 tbsp neutral oil plus 1 tsp for toasting cashews
• 1/3 cup unsalted cashews about 45g, raw or roasted
• 6 dried red chilies fewer for mild, snipped in half
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 small yellow onion cut into chunks
• 1/2 red bell pepper cut into chunks
• 2 green onions cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp water

Method

 

1. Toss the cubed chicken with 1 teaspoon cornstarch and a pinch of salt. Let it sit while you prep everything else. The cornstarch keeps the lean breast meat from drying out.
2. Stir the sauce together in a small bowl: oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, water, and the remaining 1 teaspoon cornstarch.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a wok or large skillet over medium. Toast the cashews for 2 to 3 minutes until golden, then tip them onto a plate. Watch them, they burn fast.
4. Turn the heat to high and add the 1 tablespoon oil. Spread the chicken in one layer and let it sear undisturbed for 2 minutes, then stir fry until just cooked through, about 3 minutes total. Push it to the side.
5. Add the dried chilies and garlic to the open space and stir for 20 seconds until fragrant. Add the onion and bell pepper and stir fry 2 minutes, keeping the heat high so everything stays crisp.
6. Pour in the sauce and toss to coat. It will thicken in under a minute. Kill the heat, fold in the cashews and green onions, and serve over rice.

Tips and storage

This keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days, which makes it a solid meal prep option. Store the rice and stir fry together and the cashews stay a little softer over time, so if you care about crunch, pack a small handful of toasted cashews separately and add them when you reheat. Reheat in a hot pan for a minute or two rather than the microwave if you can, it wakes the sauce back up. For a leaner plate, serve over cauliflower rice or shredded cabbage instead of jasmine rice. Craving more grill-and-stir-fry chicken in this lane, the chicken satay with peanut sauce is another high-protein favorite to put in rotation.