Taiwanese 3-Cup Chicken 三杯雞
A classic Taiwanese comfort food dish that I adore to eat on repeat when I need something packed full of flavour and easy to make.
The name 3-cup comes from the way it was traditionally made with 1 cup of soy, 1 cup of sesame oil and 1 cup of cooking wine, in the same vein as how pound cake gained its name. Though these days, the measurements are definitely not calling for 1 cup of soy sauce as that would be a lot of sodium!
Ingredients
- 750g chicken thighs, deboned and cut into chunks
- 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil, like rapeseed
- 3 slices of ginger
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 3 dried Chinese red chillies, or sub with 1 tsp chilli flakes, or omit if no spice is preferred
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- Handful of (Thai/Holy) basil, but totally ok to use Italian basil if Thai/Holy basil is hard to get hold of!
Pair it with
Instructions
- Debone the chicken thighs with some kitchen scissors or a small knife (be careful while handling), and cut them into bite-sized chunks.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wok or large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the sliced ginger and garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- If using, add the dried red chillies (or chilli flakes) and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly to release their aroma.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the chicken pieces and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides.
- Pour in the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, and sugar. Stir well to combine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Once the chicken is cooked, add the fresh basil leaves. Stir gently to combine and cook for another minute, allowing the basil to wilt slightly and infuse the dish with its aroma.
- Serve your delicious 3-Cup Chicken hot over steamed white rice. Enjoy the balance of savoury, slightly sweet, and spicy flavours in this comforting Taiwanese classic!
Tips:
- If you find the sauce too thick or drying up while simmering, you can add a splash of water to thin it out.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of chillies or chilli flakes based on your spice preference.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Video demonstration
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