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Thai Cashew Chicken

Our high calorie Thai Cashew Chicken recipe is an easy weeknight meal that is perfect for the whole family! Full of nutrients and protein, this recipe will be your new go-to!

High Calorie Meals

High calorie recipes like this Thai Cashew Chicken are a great option for people who have a low appetite, need to increase their calories to maintain or gain weight, suffer from malnutrition, or lose weight due to disease or illness. 

Many people have a hard time eating enough throughout the day, so utilizing high calorie recipes can help them get in a large amount of calories and nutrients at one time. They are also great for older adults who need to maintain muscle mass and their body weight. It is important for older adults to maintain a normal body weight to avoid health issues related to being under or overweight. 

Being underweight in older adults is very common because they may forget to eat, have difficulty chewing or swallowing, or have a hard time shopping and/or preparing food for themselves. It is also typical for their body fat percentage to be higher and muscle mass to become lower, making it really important to consume enough protein. This Thai Cashew Chicken recipe is a great way to get in extra protein! 

To learn more about high calorie meals, check out our sister website The Geriatric Dietitian!

Thai Cashew Chicken Ingredients 

With protein and a lot of nutritious ingredients, this will be your new go to meal!

• Boneless chicken breast or thigh 
• White pepper
• Garlic
• Corn starch
• Egg
• Whole raw cashews
• Yellow and orange bell pepper 
• White baby Bella mushrooms 
• Ginger
• Onion
• White vinegar
• Low sodium soy sauce
• Sweet soy sauce
• Sugar
• Red dried chillies
• Spring onions sliced  
• Vegetable oil 
• Sesame oil 

Ingredient Benefits of Thai Cashew Chicken

Chicken- as we know, chicken is a great lean protein option!

Egg- another great protein source and an excellent source of vitamin D, iron, choline, and many others. Contrary to popular belief, the cholesterol found in eggs is an important part of our diet and overall health!

Garlic- garlic has been used for thousands of years as a medicinal food, and it’s delicious! It is high in vitamin C and B6!

Bell Peppers- bell peppers are actually higher in vitamin C than oranges! They are in the nightshade family and these vegetables can sometimes cause GI distress in people with IBS or IBD. They can be omitted or swapped with another vegetable if desired!

Mushrooms- mushrooms are a nutrient powerhouse! They are high in fiber, antioxidants, B vitamins, and copper!

Cashews- nuts are an excellent source of healthy fats!

Onions- onions are a delicious addition to meals and add tons of flavor! They are also high in nutrients like fiber and potassium. 

Vegetable oil, sugar, and sesame oil help to make this Tha Cashew Chicken meal taste delicious and higher calorie.

Importance of Protein in Thai Cashew Chicken Dinner

Protein is a vital macronutrient for our bodies. Not only does it help support muscle growth and repair, it also maintains and repairs our tissues. Protein is also a source of energy with 4 calories per gram. Amino acids are what make up the hormones in our bodies that transmit information between our cells. 

They also provide structure to our cells and tissues in the form of things like collagen. Something that is important to know about collagen is that it is not a complete protein. A complete protein consists of all nine essential amino acids; phenylalanine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. 

Complete proteins are important to include in our diet, collagen is not used the same in our bodies but research suggests it may be useful for joint health. 

If you’re looking for more high protein recipes, check out our High Protein Mac and Cheese recipe!

Organic Meat vs Non-Organic

The first thing to clear up when it comes to organic vs non organic meat is that one is not nutritionally better than the other. When it comes to choosing which one to buy, choose what is financially more available for you! 

The USDA defines organic foods as food that is produced using sustainable agricultural practices which support ecological balance, biodiversity, and on-farm resource cycling. Organic foods are grown and processed according to specific federal guidelines, and can only hold that label if they contain at least 95% organic ingredients. 

When it comes to pesticides, the dose makes the poison. The amount of pesticide residues that are on the foods we eat are detected at extremely low, safe levels. It would take a very large amount of pesticides to actually harm us and the amount used is defined as generally recognized as safe.

What is most important, is choosing foods that are affordable and accessible to you and your family! Nutritious foods can be found on any budget, including meat. 

How to Make Thai Cashew Chicken

Preparing the Chicken:

In a bowl, mix the chicken, white pepper, ½ tsp minced garlic and salt. Add 4 tbsp cornstarch and 1 egg into it. Mix everything well and keep it in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes. 

Cut the vegetables and set aside.

Prepare the Sauce:

In a bowl, mix the vinegar, low sodium soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and sugar and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch and ¼ cup water and set aside.

Prepare the Meal:

Heat 2 cups of oil in a deep-frying pan. Fry the chicken until they turn golden, for about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oil and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan. 

Add garlic and ginger and sauté for about 1 minute. Add cashews and dried chilies, and sauté for about 1-2 minutes. When the cashews start to turn to a golden color, add onions, bell peppers and mushrooms and sauté for about 2-3 minutes. 

Add the chicken and sauce and mix well for about 1-2 minutes. Lastly, add cornstarch mix and spring onions, and mix well until the sauce forms to your desired thickness (may be 1/2 – 1 minutes.)

Let’s Check Out the Recipe!