Thai Chicken Cashew - Kai Pad Med Mamuang Recipe

Thai Chicken Cashew is a classic stir-fry dish popular in both home cooking and Thai restaurants. Originating from central Thai cuisine with influences from Chinese stir-fry techniques, the dish combines sliced chicken, roasted cashew nuts, vegetables, and a savory-sweet sauce. It’s known for its quick cooking time, balanced flavors, and the signature contrast between tender chicken and crunchy cashews.

The sauce typically features staples of Thai cooking—soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and just a touch of sweetness—while dried chilies add mild heat. Because it cooks in just a few minutes, it’s a convenient weeknight meal and a reliable crowd-pleaser. One of the most appealing aspects is how easily it adapts to whatever vegetables you have on hand, making it practical, customizable, and perfect for fridge-clean-out days. Get inspired by our other delicious Asian Recipes!

Image: recipe for home-made Kai Pad Med Mamuang (Thai Chicken Cashew).

Thai Chicken Cashew Recipe for 3 persons

• 300g (1 lb) chicken breast or thigh, sliced thin. Chicken thigh is my preferred choice.

• 150g (1 cup) roasted cashew nuts

• 15g (1 cup) bell peppers, sliced

• 2 onions, sliced

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 3–4 dried chilies (or more if you’re feeling brave)

• 2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

• Optionally add whatever vegetables you have on hand, like carrot, baby corn, broccoli, mushrooms and more.

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• 1 tbsp sugar

Rice

• Basmatti or Jasmine rice, ~80 gram (~1/2 cup) per person.

How to prepare Thai Chicken Cashew at home?

1. Prepare the rice first.

2. Slice chicken in blocks of 1 x 1/2 inch (~2 x 1 cm). If you have good quality chicken, then coat the chicken with all-purpose flour on all sides. When you doubt the quality of the chicken, then marinate it for at least an hour in yoghurt with a spash of lemon juice and oil, before coating it with all-purpose flour.

3. chop veggies, and mix the sauce in a seperate cup.

4. Fry the cashews in some oil for 2 minutes each side. Take them off when they start to color. They will continue to color after you remove them from the pan anyways, so they should not be dark-brown already! Place them in a seperate bowl to cool.

5. Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic and dried chilies. Cook until fragrant—this is the moment neighbors begin to wonder what you’re making.

6. Add the chicken and stir-fry until the chicken is mostly cooked.

7. Add the vegetables. Onions and bell peppers go in. If you are using hard vegetables like carrots, make sure to blanch them first.

8. Pour in the prepared sauce and let everything mingle.

9. Taste and adjust, Saltier? Add soy sauce. Sweeter? Add sugar. Too spicy? Too late!

10. Prepare a nice bowl with your home-made Thai Chicken Cashew or Kai Pad Med Mamuang, add the cashews and (uncooked) green parts of the spring onion on top!

Images: The making of home-made Kai Pad Med Mamuang (Thai Chicken Cashew).

Vegetable Variations & Add-Ins

Thai Chicken Cashew is extremely flexible—you can add almost any vegetable you like. Just keep quick-cooking vs. slow-cooking veggies in mind.

Great Add-In Options

• Zucchini – slices beautifully and cooks fast

• Carrots – julienned, thin-sliced or blanched

• Broccoli – small florets cook evenly

• Baby corn – for that restaurant-style vibe

• Snow peas or sugar snap peas – for added crunch

• Mushrooms – absorb the sauce like little flavor sponges

• Green beans – slightly crunchy, very satisfying

• Bok choy – add at the end to keep it crisp

• Cabbage – thin-sliced and quick-wilting

Tips for Using Extra Vegetables

• Add harder veggies (like carrots or broccoli) a minute earlier or even better, blanch them before.

• Add quick-cooking veggies (like zucchini or mushrooms) later.

• Don’t overcrowd the wok—unless you want a stir-steam instead of a stir-fry.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with basmatti, jasmine rice, brown rice, or even noodles.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving - $1/3$ of recipe)

Nutrient	Amount per Serving
Calories	844 kcal
Total Fat	36.0 g
Total Carbohydrates	95.6 g
Protein	37.4 g
Sodium	1,291 mg
Salt	3.2 g