Parisa Jade's Cashew Chicken

As a foodie, I’ve always believed that food tells a story—and sometimes, that story takes on a whole new chapter when you change your scenery. Right now, I’m writing mine from the lush, vibrant island of Kauai, where the ingredients speak louder than any menu ever could.
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Cashew chicken may not be native to this island, but standing barefoot in the kitchen of my new friend, Parisa Jade (originally of Bangkok, Thailand) with the scent of orchid in the air and knowing the crash of waves is minutes away, this dish takes on a whole new life.

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Parisa invited us to film the cooking of this native dish (with her at the helm) in her spacious island kitchen after taking us on a fabulous tour of a local farmer's market and introducing me to foods I'd never had before, like egg fruit (my new favorite exotic fruit) and sapodilla.

After a jam packed morning, we headed to her place to cook and she shared this family dish with us.

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Don't worry if you can't locate these ingredients. I've linked them below, but also offered up easily found substitutes.

Here, everything is fresher. The chicken? The vegetables? Plucked from a nearby farmers’ market that morning—crisp carrots, and sweet bell peppers in vibrant red glory. Even the cashews taste different—simply because they came from the Kauai Costco.  I know.....I'm just in love with this island.
What I love about making cashew chicken here is how easily it adapts. It’s a dish that respects balance—texture, temperature, flavor—and when you’re cooking in a place that’s all about harmony between land and sea, it just feels right. The sauce doesn’t need to be heavy. A splash of mushroom soy sauce, a dash of oyster sauce, and a little coconut sugar for a slightly sweet note (indicative of That cooking) are enough.

SIMPLE HUMBLE INGREDIENTS

Cooking in Kauai reminds me why I fell in love with food in the first place. It’s not just about precision—it’s about place, intuition, and the joy of transforming simple ingredients into something deeply satisfying. Cashew chicken might not be the flashiest dish on the table, but here on the island, it feels elevated. Honest. Humble. Whole.

LET THE CHICKEN MARINATE FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES.

If you ever find yourself on Kauai, I highly recommend cooking—really cooking. Open the windows. Let the breeze in. Pour yourself something cold. And make something familiar with island ingredients. Cashew chicken is a great start.

LET THE CHICKEN COOK THROUGH THOROUGHLY

ADD IN THOSE BRIGHT, COLORFUL VEG

CHAT WITH YOUR CO-HOST WHILE THIS COOKS □

Rice Cooker 

​Wok 
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Knife Set

Wooden Cutting Board

Crinkle Cut Peeler
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Parisa Jade's Cashew Chicken

*Cook Rice in Rice Cooker- so it's ready when stir-fry is ready to be served

INGREDIENTS:
makes about 4 servings
1 to 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs (or breast meat)
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into bite sized chunks
2 carrots, cut on the diagonal into slivers
5 or 6 Garlic cloves (we actually used a whole head of garlic :-), minced finely
Green Onion 6 or 7 ( or more if desired), sliced on the diagonal
I/4 medium White Onion
Cashews, roasted & salted
2 1/2 Tablespoon Avocado Oil (or Olive Oil) (if non-stick wok use only 1 tablespoon)


Marinade for chicken
1/2 tablespoon of the above avocado oil if using chicken breast)
1 1/2 teaspoon. La-Yu liquid ( chili infused sesame oil)
1 tablespoon coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon of Sesame Oil
1 tablespoon Brown Mushroom Soy Sauce (or regular soy sauce)
1/2 tablespoon of Thai Seasoning Sauce (Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce)
        (It has the Green cap on top)
1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
Fresh Ground Black Pepper


DIRECTIONS:
Wash, clean and cut up chicken into 1 to 1 ½ inch chunks.


Combine marinade ingredients, pour over cut chicken and mix to coat, massaging the marinade into the chicken.


Let it sit for about 15 minutes while preparing the veggies.


Slice onion into 1/4 inch pieces & mince 5 or 6 garlic.
Cut up Red Pepper (slice off top and bottom -turn on side slit and remove the inner white pith. Cut peppers into 1 to 1 ½ inch squares
Peel and slice Carrots (Parisa used this great crinkle cut peeler to get those floral like shapes)
Clean & Cut Green onions- (cut into 1 ½ inch long lengths. Slit thick end length in ½     


Stir-Fry:
Put 2 tablespoons of Avocado oil in wok or large skillet – heat to medium heat
Add white onions – cook until translucent
Add garlic- saute' until golden yellow (do not burn – as they turn bitter)
Add chicken – cook all the way through and turn up the heat if needed to make sure they sear and do not steam.
Add carrots first- then add the red pepper until you smell the red pepper fragrance
Turn off the heat
Add the Green onions ( turn off heat so green onions will stay green color)
Crumble cashews right in your hands and sprinkle on top ( add amount to your taste)
Serve over a bed of rice!