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Three Cup Chicken

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 3 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 600 g bone-in chicken thighs cut into pieces
The Three Cups Sauce
  • 3 tbsp black sesame oil
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp rice wine mijiu or dry sherry
  • 1 tbsp sugar
Aromatics
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 6 slices old ginger
  • 3 dried chili peppers
  • 1 large handful Thai basil add off-heat

Method
 

Fry the aromatics
  1. Start with a cold pan and cold sesame oil. Add ginger slices and cook over low heat until the edges start to curl. Add garlic and dried chilies and stir-fry until fragrant.
Sear the chicken
  1. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken pieces and sear until golden brown, about 3–4 minutes.
Braise
  1. Add soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar. Stir to coat, then cover and braise over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.
Reduce the sauce
  1. Remove the lid and increase heat to high. Stir-fry until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken with a glossy caramel glaze.
Finish with basil
  1. Turn off the heat. Add the Thai basil and toss quickly. The residual heat will release the fragrance without blackening the leaves. Plate immediately.

Notes

  1. Black sesame oil burns easily — always start with low heat. High heat turns it bitter.
  2. Add basil only after turning off heat. It blackens in seconds over flame.
  3. A clay pot or cast iron pan is ideal for serving sizzling at the table.
  4. Bone-in chicken thighs give far more flavor than boneless breast.
  5. Prefer it sweeter? Increase sugar to 1.5 tbsp.