Three Cup Chicken三杯鸡
A Taiwanese staple — bone-in chicken thighs braised in equal parts sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine with ginger, garlic, and a crown of fresh Thai basil. Rich, aromatic, and deeply savory.
3 piece
Rock Sugar
1 bunch
Soy Sauce
2 tbsp
Sesame Oil
1 tbsp
4 slice
Rice Wine
1 tbsp
Thai Basil
rock-sugar
1 bunch
soy-sauce
2 tbsp
sesame-oil
1 tbsp
rice-wine
1 tbsp
Seasoning Guide: Start with the listed baseline amounts, then adjust gradually after tasting. Fine-tune salt, sugar, acid, and finishing oils in small increments.
Cut Chicken into Pieces
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces through the bone.
Prepare Ginger and Garlic
Slice the ginger and peel the garlic cloves. Set aside for stir-frying.
Heat Oil in Pan
Pour oil into a flat-bottomed pan and heat over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.
Fry Aromatics and Set Aside
Stir-fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant, then remove and set aside.
Stir-fry Marinated Chicken
Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pan and stir-fry over high heat.
Stir-fry Until Golden
Continue stir-frying until the chicken is evenly golden on all sides.
Add Rock Sugar
Add the rock sugar to the pan. Let it melt slowly in the rendered chicken fat until it caramelizes slightly.
Add Soy Sauce
Add 50ml of a mixture of light and dark soy sauce. Stir to coat the chicken evenly with the savory-sweet glaze.
Add Fried Garlic and Ginger
Add the previously fried aromatic garlic and ginger.
Add Rice Wine and Braise
Pour in the rice wine, cover, and braise for 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is reduced.
Add Thai Basil and Serve
Add the Thai basil leaves, toss briefly, then transfer to a serving plate.
Serving Suggestion
Serve Three Cup Chicken hot with plain rice and one light vegetable side.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave before serving.