Thai Chicken Cashew Stirfry

Please bear with me. I seem to have gotten a little behind on blog updates while I was studying for an Early Church History exam that I took today. This was actually last Thursday's dinner, and it was truly delicious. I had prepped the ingredients in the morning, so it came together quickly when I got home. Good for a night where we wanted to watch the VP debate!

I'm not normally a dark meat person, but the chicken thighs were so moist and juicy. The fresh ginger takes this to the next level. I also love the texture of the warmed cashews. The only change I would've made had I had some on hand would've been to replace the dried red pepper flakes with chili-garlic sauce.

Thai Chicken and Cashew Stirfry
source: Gourmet via Liz's Cooking Blog

Ingredients:
1 bunch scallions
1 pound skinless boneless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup salted roasted whole cashews

Preparation:
Chop scallions, separating white and green parts. Pat chicken dry, then cut into 3/4-inch pieces and toss with salt and pepper. Heat a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately. Add oil, swirling to coat, then stir-fry chicken until golden in places and just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add bell pepper, garlic, ginger, red-pepper flakes, and scallion whites to wok and stir-fry until peppers are just tender, 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, and sugar, then stir into vegetables in wok. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cashews, scallion greens, and chicken along with any juices accumulated on plate.