Description
This Thai Basil Cashew Chicken recipe is a quick and flavorful stir-fry dish combining ground chicken or pork with vibrant vegetables, aromatic Thai basil, and crunchy cashews. The savory and tangy sauce, made from gluten-free kecap manis, fish sauce, chili, and lime, delivers authentic Thai flavors in just 30 minutes. Perfect served with steamed rice and topped with a crispy fried egg for an easy, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein and Vegetables
- 500g ground chicken or pork
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, sliced
- 100g green beans, cut into 2cm pieces
- 4cm x 4cm piece fresh ginger, grated
- 6 garlic cloves, grated
- 100g cashews
Sauces and Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce (or 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce for milder flavor)
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free fish sauce
- 60ml fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon gluten-free chicken powdered stock/broth
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cooking Oil & Herbs
- 60ml cooking oil (avocado oil recommended)
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, roughly torn
Instructions
- Cook Mince: Heat the cooking oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken or pork and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
- Prepare Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the hot chili sauce (or sweet chili sauce), gluten-free kecap manis, gluten-free fish sauce, fresh lime juice, and gluten-free chicken powdered stock until well combined.
- Add Aromatics and Vegetables: Season the cooked mince with freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Add the grated ginger, grated garlic, and diced onion to the pan. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant. Then add the sliced red bell pepper, green beans, and cashews, stir-frying for another 3 minutes to slightly soften the vegetables and toast the cashews.
- Add Sauce: Pour the prepared sauce over the mince and vegetables. Increase the heat to high and bring the sauce to a boil. Stir-fry for 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and evenly coats all the ingredients.
- Add Basil and Serve: Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the fresh Thai basil leaves until just wilted. Serve immediately over steamed rice, optionally topped with a crispy fried egg and a squeeze of extra fresh lime juice for added brightness.
Notes
- Use ground chicken or pork interchangeably based on preference.
- Adjust chili sauce quantity to taste for milder or spicier flavor.
- Gluten-free ingredients can be substituted with regular versions if gluten is not a concern.
- Serve with steamed jasmine rice or brown rice for a complete meal.
- Adding a crispy fried egg on top enhances texture and richness.
