Three-Cup Chicken (Sanbeiji)

Name: Three-Cup Chicken (Sanbeiji)
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 900g Chicken Thigh, bone-in and skin-on, cut into chunks; 80ml Sesame Oil, toasted; 80ml Soy Sauce, light/regular; 80ml Rice Wine, Taiwanese mijiu or Shaoxing; 1 tbsp Rock Sugar, about 15 g; 10 cloves of Garlic, peeled; 6 slices of Ginger, sliced, about 20 g; 1 Red Chili, sliced, optional but common; 2 cups Thai Basil, fresh, loosely packed (about 30 g)

Three-Cup Chicken is a glossy, aromatic Taiwanese stir-fry of tender chicken pieces simmered in a caramelized, savory-sweet sauce until reduced to a clingy glaze. Bright ginger, pungent garlic and fresh Thai basil cut through the richness, making every bite fragrant and deeply satisfying.

Three-Cup Chicken is a glossy, aromatic Taiwanese stir-fry of tender chicken pieces simmered in a caramelized, savory-sweet sauce ... Show more

Traditional Chinese Recipe

Health Grade

C+ · Balanced

Rating

4.1

Time

50 min

Price

1,23 €

Calories

729 kcal

quick

easy

one pot

high protein

Method

Prep the chicken

Cut the Chicken Thigh into roughly 1 1/2-inch chunks and pat them very dry with paper towels. Peel the Garlic, lightly smash the cloves with the flat side of a knife, slice the Ginger into thin coins, and slice the Red Chili if you are using it.

Rinse the basil

Rinse the Thai Basil leaves under cool water, then spin or pat them completely dry. Strip the leaves from any thick stems so they are ready to toss in at the end.

Brown the chicken

Set a large wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat and add the Sesame Oil. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken in a single layer and sear it undisturbed for 4 minutes. Turn the pieces and sear for 4 minutes more until the outside is nicely browned.

Simmer in sauce

Add the Garlic, Ginger, and Red Chili to the pan and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in the Soy Sauce, Rice Wine, and Rock Sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar and scrape up the browned bits. If you browned the chicken in batches, return it and any juices to the pan, then bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce looks glossy and slightly syrupy.

Wilt the basil

Turn off the heat, toss in the Thai Basil, and stir just until the leaves wilt and turn glossy, about 30 seconds. The basil should stay bright green and fragrant.