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Thai Lemongrass Chicken With Cashews: A Flavorful Twist

Thai Lemongrass Chicken With Cashews

Tender chicken thighs are marinated with lemongrass, garlic, chile, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and lime, then stir-fried with crisp vegetables and cashews. Serve it hot with jasmine rice and lime wedges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and Marinade
  • 1 1/2 lb (680 g) Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 stalks Lemongrass stalks, trimmed and finely minced; tender inner portion only
  • 4 cloves Garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1–2 chiles Thai bird’s-eye chiles, minced, or 1 red Fresno chile
  • 1 tablespoon Fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Brown sugar or palm sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon Neutral oil
Stir-Fry
  • 2 tablespoons Neutral oil, divided
  • 1 small Small yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 pepper Red bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup (about 100 g) Unsalted roasted cashews
  • 1/2 cup Low-sodium chicken stock or water
  • 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Thai basil or cilantro leaves
To Serve
  • As needed Lime wedges

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Combine minced lemongrass, garlic, chile, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon oil. Add the chicken and mix thoroughly; marinate for 20–30 minutes, or cook immediately if desired.
  2. If using raw cashews, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until lightly golden, then remove and set aside. Stir together the chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar for the stir-fry sauce.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high to high heat. Stir-fry the chicken in a single layer, working in batches if needed, until browned and nearly cooked through, about 4–6 minutes; transfer it to a plate.
  4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and stir-fry the onion and bell pepper for 2–3 minutes, keeping them slightly crisp. Return the chicken to the pan, pour in the prepared sauce, and bring it to a simmer.
  5. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats the chicken. Fold in the cashews and Thai basil or cilantro, then serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice and lime wedges.

Notes

Use only the tender inner portion of the lemongrass and mince it very finely. Chicken thighs stay especially moist, though boneless chicken breast can be substituted. Add cashews near the end to keep them crunchy, and avoid overcrowding the pan so the chicken browns instead of steaming.