Thai Basil Sesame Cashew Chicken with Coconut Rice

This was from Half Baked Harvest, through following her Facebook page. I had all of the ingredients on hand except for the chicken. This was super tasty and the Thai basil from our garden added a great finishing note. Alas, I forgot to sprinkle the tasty caramelized cashews on at the end, which was very sad. I made coconut rice by mixing in some coconut cream with the water to cook the rice. It felt like it was lacking flavor, so next time, I will definitely add more coconut cream. All things considered, this was a super easy tasty weeknight meal. 

Thai Basil Sesame Cashew Chicken

Serves: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

    3 tablespoons sesame or extra virgin olive oil

    1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey

    1/2 cup raw cashews

    1/2 teaspoon chili powder

    1/2 teaspoon turmeric

    zest of 1 lime

    1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, thinly sliced

    1 tablespoon corn starch or flour

    black pepper

    1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce or tamari

    1 tablespoons fish sauce

    1-2 tablespoons chili paste (sambal oelek)

    2 tablespoons ketchup

    2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds

    4 cloves garlic, minced or grated

    1 inch fresh ginger, grated

    2 red or orange bell peppers, thinly sliced

    1 cup fresh Thai or regular basil, roughly torn

    steamed white or brown rice, for serving 

Steps:

1. To make the cashews. Heat 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon honey, the cashews, chili, powder, and turmeric in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until lightly toasted and caramelized, 3-4 minutes. Watch closely. Spoon the cashews out of the skillet onto a parchment-lined plate. Sprinkle with lime zest and salt. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, cornstarch, and a pinch of black pepper
3. To make the sauce. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup honey, the soy sauce, fish sauce, chili paste, ketchup, and sesame seeds.
4. Wipe the skillet clean. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and brown all over, until it becomes crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and peppers, cook another 2-3 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant. Pour in the sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until the sauce coats the chicken, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Serve the chicken and sauce over bowls of rice. Top with cashews, additional basil, and cucumbers, if desired. 

EAT