Gai pad med mamuang or Thai cashew chicken recipe is your go to for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Imagine crispy chicken and crunchy golden cashews perfectly glazed with a salty, slightly spicy sauce.

Enjoy this popular Thai street food dish for lunch or dinner with steamed rice.

What is gai pad med mamuang

Gai pad med mamuang is a popular Thai stir-fry dish featuring chicken, crunchy cashews, and healthy vegetables like bell peppers and onions. The dish is flavored with a sauce made of soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar, creating delicious savory, slightly sweet flavors. It’s commonly served with steamed rice and ready in just 25 minutes.

5 Reasons to try this recipe

• Highly customizable: Throw in your favorite vegetables like cabbage, carrots, baby corn, or even broccolini. Swap out the chicken for other proteins like pork, beef, or even tofu and tone the spice up or down. You’re the chef!
• Quick and easy: An Asian chicken stir-fry is perfect for busy weeknights, it’s a family meal everyone can enjoy. Simply lower the spice or omit the chilies altogether for the kids.
• Super crunchy: This dish is a paradise for crunch lovers. There’s crispy chicken, crunchy cashews, and the snap of fresh veggies.
• Crispy coating: The chicken is coated in crispy flour or cornflour, for a perfect, golden crunch you won’t be able to resist.
• Balanced: This cashew chicken recipe is not too salty, not too sweet, and not too spicy.

More about Thai cashew chicken stir-fry

In Thailand, cashew chicken goes by the name “gai pad med mamuang” or “kai pad med mamuang”. Here, “gai” means chicken, “pad” translates to stir-fry, “med” to seed, and “mamuang” is Thai for mango. Don’t let the mango part confuse you, “med mamuang” refers to cashews.

Chicken cashew stir-fry shines on menus worldwide, but this dish has Thai roots, not Chinese as many people assume. Although some Thai stir-fries like pad see ew have Chinese origins, Thai chicken cashew came in existence in the land of smiles.

At our old Thai restaurant, this recipe was a crowd-pleaser, loved by the young and elders. It ended up being one of our best-selling items for takeout, and now you get to make it at home.

So, what’s the secret that makes this family recipe so irresistibly good? The answer is crispy fried chicken! Bite-sized chicken pieces, coated in crispy flour and deep-fried until perfectly golden brown. So crispy on the outside – so juicy and tender on the inside.

A colorful medley of bell peppers and nutty cashews takes the dish from good to amazing. Everything’s coated in a sweet and salty sauce, making every element of the stir-fry come to life.

Once you take your first bite, you’ll be booking your next ticket to Thailand! (Kidding, but you’ll definitely want seconds.)

Ingredients

For the exact measurements, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Chicken – The chicken is coated in crisply flour, making each bite deliciously crunchy. For faster cooking and less cleanup, you can skip this, but I advise not to. Use chicken breast, fillets, or thighs.
• Crispy flour – Crispy flour like cornstarch gives the fried chicken a crispy layer.
• Green onions – Green onions can be used as garnishing and for flavor.
• Bell peppers – Use yellow, green, and red peppers for a pop of color. Slice ’em into crisp chunks, perfect for stir-frying.
• Onion – Slice them thinly, but not too small. You want them crunchy with a mild onion flavor that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients.
• Garlic – A staple in Thai cooking and a fragrant base of many Asian stir-fry dishes.
• Dried chili peppers – To add extra spice, adjust the quantity. You can use fresh chili peppers as a substitute. This ingredient is optional.
• Cashews – The key ingredient for this authentic Thai chicken cashew recipe. Rich in healthy fats and high in protein. Tip: toast them slightly for more flavor.
• Thai chili paste – Use my homemade nam prik pao or store-bought. If you’re not used to spicy foods, use it sparingly.
• Light soy sauce – Adds a salty and umami flavor.
• Oyster sauce – This thick sauce is a staple in many Asian cuisines, often used in stir-fries and marinades for its savory flavor.
• White sugar – White sugar balances the saltiness and spiciness from the other ingredients. It’s not about making it a sweet dish, but rather for achieving a flavor balance.
• Water – A bit of water to thin out the sauce.

All gai pad med mamuang ingredients can be found at Asian grocery stores.

Cooking instructions

Cooking tips and tricks

• Fresh ingredients: Use fresh veggies and chicken for the best flavor and crunchy texture.
• Batch fry chicken: If you’re making this meal for many persons, don’t overcrowd the pan when frying the chicken. Fry in batches for even heat distribution.
• Prep in advance: The cooking process happens quickly, you won’t have time to measure and chop as you go.
• Stir-fry quickly: To keep the veggies and nuts crunchy, don’t overcook them.
• Taste as you go: A big part of cooking Thai food is tasting as you cook. Taste the blend of sauces and adjust seasonings if needed.

How to serve

Serve this Asian stir-fried chicken over rice for dinner, lunch, and maybe even breakfast. Steamed jasmine rice or brown rice is perfect.

Optional garnishes

• Sesame seeds: For a nutty, crunchy addition, sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds over the top.
• Green onions: Finely chop green onions and garnish right before serving.

How to store

Leftovers of your gai pad med mamuang are best kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3–4 days. Note that the crunchy textures might fade when storing.

Reheating instructions: Reheat in a pan over medium heat, stirring until heated through. Optionally, add a splash fo water. Alternatively, simply reheat in the microwave until warm.

Freezing instructions: Store in the freezer in a freezer-safe container or bag. Defrost in the fridge overnight.

Frequently asked questions

More chicken stir-fries you’ll love

• Chicken pineapple fried rice – This classic dish is super refreshing and exotic.
• Authentic chicken pad Thai – The best stir-fried noodles and chicken you’ll ever have, trust me.
• Thai garlic pepper chicken – An easy stir-fry with a tasty sauce, garlic, and black pepper.
• Thai ginger chicken – Gai pad king is so delicious and so ridiculously easy-to-make.

If you love this gai pad med mamuang recipe, please leave a star rating and/or a comment below!

Print Recipe

4.9 from 11 votes

Gai Pad Med Mamuang (Thai Cashew Chicken Recipe)

Author: Praew Cooking Method: Cooking, Frying Cuisine: Asian cuisines Courses: Dinner Recipe Keys: Egg Free High Protein Low Carb Spicy

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 15 min Total Time 25 mins

Servings: 4 Calories: 424

Description

This classic Thai dish features juicy chicken, crunchy cashews, and a colorful array of vegetables stir-fried in a delicious sauce.

Ingredients

Servings

• 14 ounces chicken (breast, fillets, or thighs)
• ¹⁄₃ cup crispy flour
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoons chili paste
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1.5 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
• 0.5 green bell pepper (sliced)
• 0.5 yellow bell pepper (sliced)
• ¹⁄₂ cup cashew
• 1 handful of green onions (cut into medium-sized pieces)
• dried chilies (to taste, optional)

Instructions

1. Mince the garlic and slice onions, bell peppers, and green onions into bite-sized pieces.

2. Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces and toss in crispy flour to coat them.

3. Preheat a generous amount of oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, using a spatula to make sure they don't stick together. Fry until golden brown, remove and set aside, letting excess oil leak. Fry the dried chilies in the oil for about 10 seconds.

4. Place a wok or skillet over medium heat and add oil. When hot, and minced garlic and sauté until golden or fragrant.

5. Combine chili paste, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, white sugar, and water. Stir until well mixed.

6. Add bell peppers and onions, stir-fry them for 2–3 minutes.

7. Add the chicken pieces, cashews, and dried chilies. Give it a quick stir to maintain the crunch. Lastly, add a sprinkle of green onions and stir. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 4

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 424kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 20.5g32%

Saturated Fat 4g20%

Total Carbohydrate 25g9%

Dietary Fiber 3.1g13%

Sugars 12.1g

Protein 35g70%

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* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

• Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
• Serve with steamed rice.
• To store: Leftovers are best kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3–4 days. Note that the crunchy textures might fade when storing.

Keywords: gai pad med mamuang, kai pad med mamuang, Thai cashew chicken recipe

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