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This paleo 30-Minute Thai-Inspired Cashew Chicken Skillet Supper has a great balance of flavors and makes a delicious weeknight meal!
During his normal workday routine, my hubby isn’t a breakfast eater. (Unlike me…I look forward to breakfast the night before, lol.) That changes for him when we’re on vacation though.
In fact, he’s been known to choose a hotel based on the breakfast they offer, or the hotel’s proximity to an outdoor food market or local bakery. (What can I say? He’s a keeper.)
A couple years ago when we were in Thailand, the resort we were staying at had the best breakfast. There was an egg station where they’d make any kind of eggs you requested, a salad and fruit bar, a hot and cold cereal bar, a pancakes/waffles/crepes/pastries/bread station, and an assortment of local dishes, which always included rice and some kind of savory dish with meat and vegetables. Waking up to that every morning was bliss. (If you’re interested, you can read more about that hotel in this post.)
One of my favorite dishes was a chicken dish with cashews that I finally got around to recreating. It had a dark sauce that was sticky sweet, salty, sour, and umami all at the same time. This recipe definitely does it justice and is a pretty close replica of what I remember. It makes me miss Thailand!
- ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons coconut vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 2½ tablespoons coconut aminos (see Note)
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce (I use Red Boat)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed or grated on a microplane
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated on a microplane
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch (see Note)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 lb to 1½ lbs (450 to 680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, very thinly sliced across the grain
- 2 medium red bell peppers, halved, de-seeded, and thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
- ¾ cup (85 g) whole raw, unsalted cashews
- Prepared cauliflower rice, for serving (optional)
- Whisk together the chicken stock, vinegar, sugar, coconut aminos, fish sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, and arrowroot starch in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the oil and once hot, add the chicken and cook until browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the red bell pepper and onion, and cook until the vegetables are starting to soften and brown in spots, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir the sauce and cashews into the chicken and vegetable mixture; turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Taste the sauce to make sure the flavors are balanced, and adjust the seasonings as desired.
- Serve with cauliflower rice if desired.
Arrowroot Starch: You can substitute 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for the arrowroot starch if keeping it paleo isn’t a concern.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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Love it! Thanks for sharing this. I can’t wait to try this out.
Love dishes like this where your tastebuds are all over the place with the result being a pleasant, filling meal. Have yet to hit up Thailand, but it’s on our list!
This sounds so good Faith! I love the combination of sweet and spicy and all the textures. Absolutely making this one!
This is my kind of food, breakfast, lunch or dinner! And I’m so glad you shared your post of the hotel in Thailand – Keith and I want to go there next year.
Noticed that you mentioned Red Boat fish sauce – umami game changer. I’d read about it, but it took me forever to try it and then I was kicking myself.
Another beautiful recipe, Faith!!
Your story of the Thai breakfast reminds me of the time my girlfriend and I spent in Bangkok in 2007. Our (not fancy) hotel had similar breakfast options, and I ALWAYS skipped the western-type choices and went for the Thai food and the amazing fruit. Stories like yours make me miss Thailand, too. Wonderful country, wonderful people! And wonderful food… I’m looking forward to trying this recipe.
A delicious looking dish! I love Thai(-inspired) food.
Cheers,
Rosa