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Cashew Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry is the perfect throw-together meal for a weeknight dinner that will please everyone with its sweet, a little spicy and flavorful sauce of brown sugar, soy and chili paste. I love to serve this over coconut rice or steamed jasmine rice.

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In some places Thai basil might be harder to locate, but it’s worth sourcing. When I’m not growing Thai basil, I drive about 30 miles to buy it from an Asian market. Many stores sell Thai basil plants right now so growing it yourself is a good option during the warmer months. The plant is hardier than sweet basil and has beautiful purple stems and buds. This Thai Vegetable Stir-Fry and Brown Butter and Thai Basil Garlic Shrimp – which has been so popular on Pinterest, are other fabulous recipes in which Thai basil is the star ingredient. It has a taste that is so distinctive and although I offer a couple of alternative substitutions in the recipe below, there’s nothing else that has that same flavor and heady aroma. Cashew Thai Basil Chicken Stir-Fry is on rotation in my house lately: I hope it will find its way onto your favorite recipe list too. Toodles, Lovoni xo

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5 from 1 vote

CASHEW THAI BASIL CHICKEN STIR-FRY

A throw-together meal for a weeknight dinner that will please everyone with its sweet, a little spicy and flavorful sauce. I love to serve this with coconut rice or steamed jasmine rice. Thai basil has a unique flavor but you could use regular basil or cilantro in a pinch.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: chicken stir fry, thai basil

Servings:

Calories: 347kcal

Author: Lovoni

Equipment

wok or large frying pan

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

1 tablespoon canola or peanut oil
20 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into thin strips
Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
2 tablespoons sambal oelek*
1/4 cup water
2 red peppers, trimmed, seeds and membranes removed, thinly sliced
1 cup cashews, toasted
8 green onions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup Thai basil leaves left whole, or cilantro leaves (coriander)

Instructions

Heat a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, chicken, salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink.
Add the garlic and ginger; stir-fry for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the soy, sugar, sambal and water; stir to combine. Cover the wok with a lid or a baking sheet. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is cooked, adding a little more water if the sauce is too thick or the mixture seems a bit dry.
Add the red pepper and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes until the pepper is softened a little but you want it to still retain some crunch.
Add the cashews, green onion and basil. Stir-fry for 1 minute to combine. Serve the stir-fry over rice.

Notes

*Sambal oelek is a South-East Asian chilil paste. The brand I use has a distinctive green lid and a rooster on its gold and clear labels. There’s a couple of varieties – plain and one with garlic. Either will work. Grocery stores sell it or order it online. It’s good in salsa, pasta sauce (yes, even though it is Asian, it’s good in pasta sauce), soups, stir-fries, stews and such. It’s also served as a condiment.

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