Description
A vibrant and flavorful Red Curry Chicken Stir Fry featuring tender chicken breasts coated in a sweet and spicy red curry sauce, paired with steamed broccoli and served over rice. This dish is elevated with a creamy, spicy cashew sauce made from roasted cashews, maple syrup, and sriracha, adding a rich and nutty complement to the curry flavors. Ready in just 40 minutes, it's a perfect weeknight meal with a delightful balance of heat, sweetness, and tang.
Ingredients
Chicken and Coating
- 1 lb. chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cooking and Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Spicy Cashew Sauce
- 1 1/4 cup roasted salted cashews
- 1/2 cup water (more as needed)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- Juice of 1-2 limes (about 2 tablespoons, or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste or fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Vegetables and Serving
- 2 cups small steamed broccoli florets (about 1 small head of broccoli or 1 frozen steam-in-the-bag)
- 2-3 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- Make the Spicy Cashew Sauce: Combine roasted salted cashews, water, maple syrup, sriracha, soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, ginger paste, and kosher salt in a high-powered blender. Blend until the mixture is very smooth, adding more water if necessary to reach a creamy sauce consistency.
- Prep the Chicken: Slice chicken breasts into very thin pieces. Toss them with cornstarch, garlic powder, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to evenly coat the chicken, which will help create a light crust when cooking.
- Cook the Chicken: Heat avocado oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add red curry paste and brown sugar, cooking for a few minutes until the mixture becomes caramelized and bubbly, which intensifies the flavor. Add the coated chicken pieces to the pan, toss to coat in the sauce once, then let the chicken sit undisturbed for several minutes to develop a golden brown crust. Flip the chicken pieces and allow them to cook through, adding 1-2 tablespoons of water if needed to deglaze the pan and lift any flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom.
- Serve: Plate the cooked chicken over the cooked rice, add steamed broccoli florets on the side, and generously drizzle the spicy cashew sauce over the chicken and broccoli for a rich, spicy finish.
Notes
- Using thinly sliced chicken allows it to cook quickly and absorb the flavors of the curry paste and sauce.
- The homemade spicy cashew sauce can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Add water gradually when blending the cashew sauce to achieve your desired consistency.
- Adjust the amount of sriracha in the cashew sauce to control the heat level according to your preference.
- Steamed broccoli can be substituted with other quick-cooking vegetables like snap peas or bell peppers.
- Cooked rice can be white, brown, or jasmine rice, depending on preference.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
