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Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken
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Three cup chicken is an easy one-pan recipe made by stir-frying bite-size pieces of boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a syrupy sauce made with soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil with garlic, ginger, green onion, chilies and basil. The savory dish pairs perfectly with this garlic crab fried rice dish, two staples from one of my favorite LA restaurants, ROC. Because the recipe cooks quickly over high heat I recommend having your ingredients prepped ahead of time so you can simply add them as you go.
Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken
Table of contents
What is Three Cup Chicken?
After having three cup chicken (San Bei Ji) at a restaurant I just had to look up the origins of the name. The name for this Taiwanese dish actually comes from the original recipe for this dish. The original recipe called for equal cups of soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil. The sauce will reduce more as it will simmer in the pan, you want to get a slightly thick, almost sticky sauce that coats the chicken.
There are debates as to why it called for these measurements; whether it was because recipes were passed down through spoken word rather than written down so it was easier to remember or because in China during the 13th Century a guard made this dish using limited resources for a war hero’s last meal prior to his execution.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Chicken – I use chicken thighs in this recipe because they are both a cheaper cut as well as extremely flavorful. As they are cooked in the sauce the dark meat remains tender and moist. Chicken breasts can also be used if preferred.
- Ginger and garlic – The minced fresh ginger and chopped garlic are quickly cooked in the oil until fragrant before the chicken is added. They add a more complex flavor to the dish.
- Soy sauce – I use reduced sodium soy sauce so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe, adding more if needed.
- Mirin – Mirin is a type of rice wine used as a seasoning. It can be found at an Asian market or online. If you can’t find mirin I recommend substituting with a dry sherry or dry white wine like chardonnay.
- Sesame oil – Sesame oil is made from pressing raw sesame seeds. It’s nutty flavor and high smoke point (410ºF) make it a great cooking oil and flavoring for dishes. Darker toasted sesame oil has a stronger flavor and is great for finishing dishes while light sesame oil is more neutral in flavor. I have used both in this recipe though toasted sesame oil will give it a much stronger sesame flavor.
- Dried red peppers – This dish is traditionally made with whole dried peppers. The peppers flavor the dish without adding an overpowering spice. If you can find them, use Tien Tsin chili peppers also known as Chinese red peppers. If you can’t find them substitute chiles de arbol (a similar size) or 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Thai basil – While Thai basil has a unique flavor, it can be difficult to find at many American grocery stores. If you can’t find it, simply substitute with regular Italian fresh basil leaves.
How to Make Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken
- Stir the sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and brown sugar and set aside.
- Cook the aromatics. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, add the peanut oil, garlic and ginger. Stir constantly until garlic is golden brown, about 30 seconds.
- Brown the chicken. Add the chicken, stirring, until the chicken is browned on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened to the consistency of maple syrup, about 10 minutes.
- Add herbs. Add the red peppers, scallions and basil.
- Serve. To serve, divide the chicken among plates and serve with a side of white rice.
Tips and Tricks for This Recipe
Swaps and substitutions
- Swap the Thai basil for Italian basil if needed.
- The chicken thighs can be swapped for chicken breasts for a leaner cut.
- If you can’t find tien tsin peppers substitute chiles de arbol (a similar size) or 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
How to store
The three cup chicken can easily be made ahead of time and stored refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 4 days. It reheats extremely well. Simply add to a microwave-safe bowl and reheat in 30-second increments until warmed, stirring after each.
Other Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this three cup chicken recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:
Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken
Rate this Recipe
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup Mirin
- ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or another neutral oil)
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 8 dried Tien Tsin chili peppers (or chiles de arbol or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes)
- 4 scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ⅓ cup torn Thai basil leaves (or Italian basil leaves)
Instructions:
- In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil and brown sugar and set aside.
- Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, add the peanut oil, garlic and ginger. Stir constantly until garlic is golden brown, about 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken, stirring, until the chicken is browned on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened to the consistency of maple syrup, about 10 minutes. (If the chicken is cooked through, but the sauce has not reduced enough, remove the chicken from the wok and set aside in a bowl; cover to keep warm.)
- Continue to cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring occasionally until thickened to the desired consistency.
- Return the chicken to the sauce, stirring to combine then add the red peppers, scallions and basil.
- To serve, divide the chicken among plates and serve with a side of white rice.
Notes:
- Swap the Thai basil for Italian basil if needed.
- The chicken thighs can be swapped for chicken breasts for a leaner cut.
- If you can’t find tien tsin peppers substitute chiles de arbol (a similar size) or 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
Nutrition:
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I’ve made this three times now and it keeps getting better! As someone who didn’t really cook until after college, this recipe was really easy to follow. Now that I’ve made this, I’m going to tackle more of your recipes!
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Can’t wait to make this for a small dinner party tonight!
Yay!! I hope everyone enjoys it!