Make-Ahead Shrimp and Chicken Cashew Curry (2024)

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Fresh, light and full of fabulous flavor, this Shrimp and Chicken Cashew Curry is easy enough for everyday dinner and fancy enough for your most special dinner party.

Sometimes I feel like such a flip-flopper when it comes to the seasons of the year. Each time a new one rolls around, I'm (emphatically) sure it's my favorite. Currently, I'm quite smitten with the idea of falland all the delights it brings; cozy nights at home with family and friends, firesin the hearth, dancingleaves in a zillion brilliant hues, cool, crisp mornings, geese honking their way precisely south, clear, pristinely blueskies... And I would be negligent to not include the plethoraof delicious culinary specialties that the new season brings. This Shrimp and Chicken Cashew Curry is one of our favorites!

Thai cuisine is so perfect for cooler weather

Pumpkins, apples, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg,roasted meats, soups, stews, chilisand curries. Oh yes, and there'snothing like a little nip in the air to make usstart craving warm, delicious flavors. And it's funny how certain foods are absolutelyaddictive; the more weeat them, the more wewant them. Thai cuisinedefinitely falls into that category for us and no one around here seems to mind when I'm testing and tweaking some kind of new curry recipe.

Despite the fact that this Shrimp and Chicken Cashew Curry looks a bit fancy, this recipecomes together in one pot quite quickly. It starts with a couple of spoonfuls of coconut oil and a sliced onion which is sautéed for just a few minutes till it beginsto soften.

Amazing aromas!

Then comes all the good stuff; garlic, ginger, lemongrass, red curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, fish sauce and a touch of sugar. It all goes into the pan and cooks till your kitchen is filled with the mostincredible aroma. Chicken (or vegetable) broth is added next and a slow simmer marries all the wonderful flavors together.

A simple but brilliant technique to keep the chicken tender

I use an old Chinese tenderizing trick with the chicken in this recipe as boneless, skinless chicken breasts can easily dry out or get a bit rubbery. The technique’scalled velveting and is common in Asian cuisine. How does it work?

Slice the chicken breasts nice and thin then marinate in a mixture of egg white, cornstarch, rice vinegarand a touch of oil. It only needs 20 minutes in the marinade, butthe result is magical! Then just slip the chicken intothe simmering sauce and cover tightly. Turn off the heat and go ahead and set the table or finish your dinner prep. 10 minutes later, the chicken will be perfectly cooked. And when you take the first bite, you’ll totally understand why it’s called “velveting” - super tender, melt-in-your-mouth chicken!

We like our curries to have a bit of body, so I whisk together coconut milk and a few spoonfuls of cornstarch till smooth and creamy and slowly add this slurry to the simmering broth. Believe it or not, at this point, you're just aboutdone.Youcan keep going or just turn off the burner, cover and, when you're ready, dinner is just 15 minutes away! I love making this Shrimp and Chicken Cashew Curry for dinner parties, as all the work is done long before guests arrive.

This is a delicious dinner, bursting with boldflavor and loaded withamazinglytender chicken, perfectly cooked shrimp and lots of healthy, crisp-tender veggies.

A topping of toasted, salted cashews, fresh herbs and a light dusting of curry powder adds yet another layer of deliciousness.

I like tokeep bags of bonelesschicken breasts and peeled, deveined shrimp in the freezer, making this currysuper easy to put together, anytime! If you live inland, as we do, frozen shrimp is probably fresher than anything you can buy, since it's usually frozen right on the dock, shortly after it's caught.

We lovethisShrimp and Chicken Cashew Curry served in shallow bowls with jasmine rice. Leftovers are wonderful and make great lunches and quick meals on the run.

So, when winter winds begin to blowand I'm spinning tales of giddiness overpotential snow in the forecast, the delightful fragrance of citrus, hot cocoa on the back burner or the intoxicating aroma of cinnamon rolls wafting throughmy kitchen and I tell you winter ismy favorite season, just laugh and think of me as that little forever changing flip-flopper! But for now, celebrate this wonderful time of yearand make a pan of this fabulous Shrimp and Cashew Curry. You don't have to tell a soul how easy it is, but you can be assured, they'll be telling you how delicious it is!

Café Tips for making this Shrimp and Chicken Cashew Curry

• Be sure to slice the chicken thinly, as it doesn't cook very long and if it's cut too thick it won't get done. If you have trouble slicing the chicken thin, just place the breasts in the freezer for about 15 minutes and then proceed with slicing.
• Although coconut oil adds wonderful flavor to this curry dish, don't run out and buy it just for this. Substitute an equal amount olive oil and it will still be super delish!
• If you don't use fresh ginger and/or lemongrass on a regular basis, considering buying one or both of them in tubes. These tubes made by Gourmet Garden can be found in the produce section of the grocery store and are wonderful to keep on hand. I keep them in the freezer and when I need ginger and/or lemongrass, I simply remove one or both, allow it to thaw just long enough to be able to squeeze out the amount I need. Then I pop them (the tubes) back in the freezer for future use. These condiments will last a long time and you'll never find yourself without one of these ingredients. (Btw, this is not a sponsored pot. I just really like this stuff!)
• I like to purchase organic chicken breasts when I can. I find the meat is more tender and the portions are ridiculously large.
• I keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer, take out what I need and place them in a strainer in the sink. A spray with cold water will defrost them quickly and they're ready to go!
• I've tried a number of different brands of red curry paste and end up going back to this readily available Thai Kitchen brand. You can find it at most larger grocers as well as online. We like things medium spicy so 2 tablespoons of the Thai Kitchen Curry Paste is perfect for us. If you like more heat, use a little more, if you like things mild, stick with 1 tablespoon.I like to start with two, finish the curry and taste. I can always add more, but you can't take the heat away if it's too spicy. Also, different brands of red curry paste will have different levels of heat, so if trying a new brand, it's (again) better to start with less.
• If you're making this ahead, stop after step 5 below. Refrigerate the sauce if it will be out longer than an hour. Shortly before serving, marinate the chicken for 20 minutes. Bring the sauce back to a simmer and slip the chicken and the peeledshrimp into the bubbling broth. Top with the peppers and pea pods. Return the sauceto a simmer for 1 minute then cover and turn off the burner. Keep the cover on and don't peek - remember, there's magic going on! In ten minutes, uncover, garnish, and... voila! Dinner is served!

This recipe was originally published September 28th, 2015. The recipe, pictures and text have been updated and revised.