Gai Pad Med Mamuang, Cashew Nut Chicken
This thai cashew chicken recipe stir-fries chicken with roasted cashews, dried red chillies, peppers, mushrooms and onion in a sweet-savoury soy and oyster sauce. The cashews go in last so they stay crunchy, and the dried chillies give warmth without making the dish fiery. One serving is about 275 g.
Gai pad med mamuang — chicken stir-fried with cashew nuts — is a staple of Thai restaurants at home and abroad, and a familiar dish in Bangkok's stir-fry shops. Cashews arrived in Thailand from South America and took root in the south, where they are still grown; the dish pairs them with the Chinese-style stir-fry technique that shapes so much of Thai cooking.
Pairs well with: Steamed jasmine rice and a cold cucumber salad
Provenance
Thailand
Bangkok Restaurant Classic
East & South Asia
Time Dedication
30m
15m prep • 15m cook
Batch Yield
4 Servings
381 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 275 g
Technical Skill
Intermediate
Medium (Quick Stir-Fry)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Hearty Midday Main
Dinner
Ideal Hearty Main
Snack & Tea
Inappropriate
Bangkok Restaurant Classic
Photo: Simon Law, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Medium — about $4–5 per serving at home (USD)
The cashews are added at the very end so they stay crisp, and the chicken is cooked fast over high heat so it stays juicy.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Slice, Mix the Sauce and Line Everything Up
15 Mins • Slice + Mix
Slice the 500 g chicken into thin strips and toss with the 10 g cornstarch. Cut the onion, peppers, mushrooms and spring onions, slice the garlic and snip the dried chillies. Stir the 30 g soy sauce, 30 g oyster sauce, 10 g fish sauce, 12 g sugar and 60 ml water together in a small bowl. Put everything — including the 80 g cashews — within arm's reach of the wok, because once the heat is on there is no time to chop.
Maestro Tip: A stir-fry is won before the wok is hot: every ingredient cut, every sauce mixed, everything in reach.
5 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Toss the 500 g chicken strips with the 10 g cornstarch until each piece is lightly coated. The starch forms a thin shield that keeps the chicken juicy in the hot wok.
Do not add salt here — the sauces bring plenty.
Done when: Every strip lightly dusted white, none clumped together.
2 Mins High heat, about 200°C (400°F)
Heat the 20 g oil in a wok or large pan over high heat until it shimmers. Add the 6 dried chillies and 15 g garlic and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant — the chillies will darken slightly and smell warm, not burnt.
If the garlic browns, the oil is too hot — lift the pan off the heat for a moment.
Done when: Garlic pale gold, chillies darkened and fragrant.
5 Mins High heat, about 200°C (400°F)
Add the chicken in a single layer and leave it for 1 minute before stirring, so it sears. Then toss and fry for 3–4 minutes until the chicken is white all the way through and reads 74°C (165°F) in the thickest piece.
Do not crowd the pan — if the chicken steams instead of searing, cook it in two batches.
Done when: Chicken white through, lightly browned at the edges, 74°C (165°F) inside.
3 Mins High heat, about 200°C (400°F)
Add the 120 g onion, 120 g red pepper, 80 g green pepper and 100 g mushrooms and toss for 2 minutes until just softened. Pour in the sauce bowl and toss for 1 minute until everything is glossy and the sauce clings.
The vegetables should still crunch — stop while they look bright.
Done when: Vegetables bright and just tender, sauce glossy and clinging.
1 Min High heat, about 200°C (400°F)
Turn off the heat. Toss in the 80 g cashews and 60 g spring onions, stir once or twice, and serve at once over steamed jasmine rice.
Cashews go in last and off the heat — a minute in the sauce and they go soft.
Done when: Cashews still crisp, spring onions bright green, sauce glossy.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve straight from the wok over steamed jasmine rice, so the cashews are still crisp and the sauce is still glossy when it reaches the table.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
381
kcal / serving
Protein
35g
Complete AA
Carbs
22g
Complex
Fats
17g
Healthy
| Energy | 381 kcal |
| Protein | 35 g |
| Carbohydrates | 22 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Fibre | 3.2 g |
| Sugar | 9.5 g |
| Sodium | 894 mg |
| Energy | 138 kcal |
| Protein | 12.6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g |
| Fat | 6.3 g |
| Fibre | 1.2 g |
| Sugar | 3.4 g |
| Sodium | 325 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Provides niacin and vitamin B6 from the chicken, vitamin C from the peppers, and vitamin E and magnesium from the cashews.
High in Protein
About 34.7 g of protein per serving from the chicken and cashews, so this is a genuinely filling dinner.
Cashews for Healthy Fats
Cashews bring monounsaturated fat, vitamin E and magnesium, and they give the dish its crunch without any deep-frying.
Peppers and Mushrooms
Red and green peppers bring vitamin C and colour, and the mushrooms add fibre and a meaty bite to the stir-fry.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
Sides
Steamed Jasmine Rice
Fluffy jasmine rice soaks up the sweet-savoury sauce and turns the stir-fry into a complete meal.
Vegetables
Cold Cucumber Salad
Cool, vinegary cucumber is the classic fresh counterpoint to a hot, rich stir-fry.
Soups
Tom Yum Soup
A small bowl of hot and sour tom yum on the side keeps the Thai theme without doubling the main dish.
Drinks
Iced Tea or Cold Beer
Unsweetened iced tea or a cold lager cools the warmth of the dried chillies between bites.
Complete menu
Serve the cashew chicken over steamed jasmine rice with a cold cucumber salad and a small bowl of tom yum soup for a full Thai dinner.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
Very Sweet Sauces on the Side
The sauce already balances sugar against soy and oyster sauce, so sweet chilli sauce or sweet drinks on the same plate make the whole meal cloying. This is general food information, not medical advice.
Undercooked Chicken
Chicken must reach 74°C (165°F) all the way through — check the thickest strip with a thermometer before serving. This is general food information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
Storage & Use
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