Thai Chicken with Cashews

I have had this recipe on my to-make list for months now. I’m so glad I finally got around to making it. Oooo yum! Brian says this is his new favorite meal. He’d eat it every week if I agreed. It’s so simple and delicious.

Just a note when you’re making it: Hot oil does not look hot. I learned this last time I made this by throwing the chicken into the hot oil thinking it “didn’t look that hot, but hot enough (what does that mean, exactly, Laura?) and consequently the hot oil spit up out of the pan at me and scorched one of my fingers. Ow. Comfy. So use caution around hot oil 🙂

Ingredients:
1 bunch scallions
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I use chicken breast)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ½ tbsp. finely chopped peeled fresh ginger (or 1 ½ tsp. dried)
¼ tsp. roasted red pepper flakes
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ tbsp. soy sauce
1 ½ tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. sugar
½ cup salted roasted whole cashews
cooked white or brown rice for serving

Chop the scallions, keeping the green and white parts separated. Chop the bell pepper, garlic and ginger and set combine with the white ends of scallions, then set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat.

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and pat dry. Coat with salt and pepper. Once the oil is heated, add the chicken to the pan and cook completely until no longer pink in the center. Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer to a plate. Set aside.

Add the bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes and scallion whites to the pan and cook until the bell pepper is tender.

Mix the soy sauce, chicken broth, sugar and corn starch together in a medium bowl, then pour into the wok over the vegetables. Stirring occasionally, simmer until the sauce has thickened.

Add the chicken back into the pan with the cashew and green portion of the scallions and mix everything together, then serve over rice.

Source: Annie’s Eats