🇨🇳 Chinese Cuisine

三杯鸡 (San Bei Ji)

Three Cup Chicken

Prep Time 40 minutes

Servings 4

Difficulty Easy

A Taiwanese and Jiangxi classic braised with equal parts sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine. Finished with handfuls of fresh Thai basil that wilt into the glossy sauce.

Ingredients

600g chicken pieces on the bone
3 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine
10 slices ginger
8 cloves garlic
2 fresh red chilies
Large handful Thai basil leaves

Instructions

1 Heat sesame oil in a clay pot and fry ginger and garlic until golden.
2 Add chicken pieces and sear until browned on all sides.
3 Pour in soy sauce and rice wine, bring to a boil.
4 Reduce heat, cover, and braise for twenty minutes until sauce is thick.
5 Toss in fresh basil leaves, stir until wilted, and serve in the clay pot.

Did You Know?

The three cups originally referred to one cup each of lard, soy sauce, and rice wine, but modern versions substitute sesame oil for lard.