Thai Cashew Chicken - just the dish you’ve been looking for

By Robert Rabine

Tired of tagines? Sick of stews? Bored with Bourguignon? If you are like me, you probably make as many one-pan meals as you can just to cut down on all the whining when it comes time to do the dishes.

This time of year, there’s usually a whole lot of braisin’ going on. But really, how many short ribs, duck legs and pots-au-feu can one eat? With just about two more months of winter left, you may even run the risk of doing a “repeat” dinner party for your foodie friends and being secretly downgraded to the second tier of your regular party circuit. Imagine the shame. Don’t be secretly downgraded. Serve Thai Cashew Chicken to your foodie friends.
THAI CASHEW CHICKEN
-3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided use

-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
-1 large onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
-4 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
-2 Thai bird chilies (fresh or dried), or serrano chilies, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
-1½ cup unsalted, roasted cashews
-4 tablespoons fish sauce

-2 tablespoons light soy sauce
-1½ cups jasmine rice or brown rice
-½ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
-½ cup scallions, washed and thinly sliced, green and white parts
Pour 2 tablespoons of peanut oil into wok or large skillet, and set over medium-high heat. When hot, carefully add chicken pieces (in 2 batches if necessary) and sear them quickly till brown on all sides. Set them aside.
Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan and toss in onions, stirring well. Saute the onions for a couple of minutes, and then add garlic, chilies and cashews to wok. Stir and cook over medium-high heat until the garlic becomes fragrant, then return chicken to the pan along with the combined fish sauce and soy sauce. Bring mixture to a hard boil and cook for 3 minutes or so to reduce the liquid by half.
Serve over cooked jasmine or brown rice and garnish with the chopped cilantro and scallion. Makes 4 servings.