I love a good stir fry, but I’ve always been disappointed by most takeout versions. The chicken is rubbery, the sauce is too sweet or too salty, and there are never enough cashews. Making it at home solves all of those problems in 20 minutes. This recipe is the one I make most often, and it’s the closest thing to restaurant-quality stir fry I’ve achieved in my own kitchen. The secret is high heat, fast cooking, and a properly balanced sauce.
Mise en Place is Everything
Stir fry is the fastest cooking method in the world, which means there’s no time to chop or measure once you start cooking. Everything needs to be ready before the heat goes on: chicken sliced, vegetables chopped, sauce mixed, cashews toasted, rice cooked. This is what chefs call mise en place — everything in its place. Spend 10 minutes prepping, and the actual cooking takes 5 minutes.
Slice the chicken into uniform 1-inch strips so they cook at the same rate. Slice the onion thinly so it wilts quickly. Cut the green onions into 1-inch pieces and keep the white and green parts separate — they cook at different rates. The chili is optional but recommended for a little heat.
The Sauce Balance
The sauce is the soul of a good stir fry, and getting the balance right is the difference between a mediocre version and a great one. This sauce has oyster sauce (umami and thickness), dark soy sauce (color and deep flavor), fish sauce (savory depth), and a touch of sugar (to balance the salt). It’s the classic Thai stir fry flavor profile — savory, slightly sweet, with a background of funk from the fish sauce.
If you’re not a fish sauce person, you can use light soy sauce instead, but you’ll lose some of the complexity. Fish sauce smells intense straight out of the bottle, but it transforms when it’s cooked. Trust the process. The cornstarch slurry at the end is essential — it gives the sauce that glossy, clingy texture that makes it stick to the chicken and rice.
High Heat is Non-Negotiable
Stir fry needs to be cooked on the highest heat your stove can produce. If the pan isn’t screaming hot, the chicken will steam instead of sear, the vegetables will get soggy, and the whole thing will taste flat. A wok is the traditional tool, but a large stainless steel skillet works too. Just make sure it’s ripping hot before you add anything.
Cook in batches if you have to. Crowding the pan drops the temperature and leads to steaming instead of searing. For this recipe, the chicken is the only main ingredient, and a pound of chicken in a 12-inch skillet will fit comfortably. If you’re doubling the recipe, cook the chicken in two batches.
Make It Your Own
This is a flexible recipe. Add vegetables if you want — broccoli florets, snow peas, sliced bell peppers, or baby corn all work beautifully. Add them in the order of cooking time: harder vegetables (broccoli) first, softer ones (snow peas) last. Toss them in with the chicken in step 4 and proceed as written.
For a vegetarian version, substitute extra-firm tofu for the chicken. Press the tofu for at least 30 minutes to get rid of excess water, then cube it and pan-fry it until golden before adding the sauce. For a low-carb version, serve over cauliflower rice or shredded cabbage instead of jasmine rice.
A quick and flavorful cashew chicken stir fry made with tender chicken, crunchy toasted cashews, green onions, and a savory Thai-inspired sauce. Ready in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Instructions
Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and 3 tablespoons water. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the cashews and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Increase the heat to high. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the garlic and onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the chicken strips and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until mostly cooked through. Add the white parts of the green onions and the red chili, if using, and stir-fry for another minute.
Pour in the sauce and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute until the sauce reduces slightly and coats the chicken. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir for about 30 seconds until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
Add the toasted cashews and the green parts of the green onions. Stir for 20 to 30 seconds until everything is well combined and heated through.
Serve immediately over cooked jasmine rice. Garnish with extra sliced chili if desired.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, substitute extra-firm tofu for the chicken and use vegetarian oyster sauce or another vegetarian stir-fry sauce in place of the oyster sauce and fish sauce. Add vegetables such as broccoli, snow peas, bell peppers, or baby corn as desired. For the best texture, add the toasted cashews at the end so they remain crunchy. Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat gently in a skillet.
