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Thai Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

Thai Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry reads umami 8.9, salinity 6.6 and funk & ferment 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 31 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 10.0 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.3 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.9 · Salinity 6.6 · Funk & Ferment 5.4 · Richness 5.1 · Marine & Briny 4.3 · Nutty 4.0 · Allium 3.9 · Sweetness 3.5 · Herbaceous 2.3 · Fruity 1.7 · Heat 1.5 · Sourness 1.1 · Earthy 1.1 · Warm Spice 0.8 · Bitterness 0.8 · Citrus 0.8 · Floral 0.7

What's in it (16)

• boneless chicken — 680 g
• cornstarch — 30 g
• vegetable oil — 41 g
• cashews — 237 g
• red bell pepper — 100 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• scallions — 400 g
• garlic — 12 g
• chiles — 10 g
• oyster sauce — 44 g
• fish sauce — 30 g
• soy sauce — 15 g
• brown sugar — 13 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 79 g
• salt — 5 g
• steamed jasmine rice — 710 g

Time & effort: about 31 min (16 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 163.7 kcal, 11.3 g protein, 6.3 g fat, 15.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Toss the chicken pieces with cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a medium bowl; set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes — this thin cornstarch coat (a technique called velveting) keeps the thigh meat silky instead of stringy once it hits the hot pan.
2. Meanwhile, toast the cashews in a dry 12-inch skillet or wok over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown and fragrant, 3-4 minutes; tip onto a plate and wipe out the pan.
3. Whisk the oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and chicken broth in a small bowl; set the sauce aside.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in the same skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken in a single layer, working in two batches if needed, and sear undisturbed until deeply golden on the first side, 3 minutes, then flip and cook until just cooked through and no longer pink in the center (internal temperature 165°F), 2 minutes more; transfer to the cashew plate.
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the bell pepper, onion, and scallion whites to the skillet; stir-fry over high heat until the vegetables are charred at the edges but still crisp, 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and dried chiles; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Return the chicken and any collected juices to the skillet, pour in the sauce, and toss constantly until it reduces to a glossy glaze that coats everything, 1-2 minutes.
8. Off heat, fold in the toasted cashews and scallion greens; taste and add more salt if needed, then serve immediately over jasmine rice.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Ohn No Khao Swe (Coconut Chicken Noodles) — Burmese
• Shrimp Fried Rice — Chinese-American
• Wonton Soup (馄饨汤) — Chinese
• Khao Soi Shan (Rice Noodles with Tomato Pork and Fermented Soybean) — Burmese · Shan
• Garlic Noodles — American · Californian

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.