Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)
Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji) – a Taiwanese classic! Juicy chicken braised in soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil, finished with Thai basil for an irresistible aroma.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lb chicken party wings
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 3 tablespoon sesame oil divided
- 4-5 thin slices fresh ginger
- 10 cloves garlic sliced in half
- 4-5 dried red chili optional
- 1/2 cup shaoxing wine (Chinese rice wine)
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 cup Thai basil loosely packed
Instructions
- (Optional but recommended) Trim off the extra loose skin from the chicken party wings with a pair of scissors. Discard the skin.
- Heat oil and a tablespoon of sesame oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Brown chicken wings until slightly golden. Add the garlic and ginger slices; toss well.
- Splash in some shaoxing rice wine. Add soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and dried chilies (optional); toss well until all the wings are coated. Reduce the heat to medium and cover with a lid. Simmer the wings in the sauce for 15 minutes.
- Uncover and increase the heat to high. Continue to cook to reduce the sauce a little, about 3 minutes. Add the fresh Thai basil leaves (as much as you want) and stir. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before you serve. The sauce will thicken more as it rests. Serve hot with rice and vegetable side dish (see note below).
Notes
Recipe Success Tips
- Use bone-in chicken like wings or drumsticks for the richest flavor, but you can also make this dish with boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs. Just reduce the soy sauce by about 25% and shorten the simmering time slightly.
Don’t skip the Thai basil – it’s the secret to that authentic aroma. - Let the sauce reduce to a glossy glaze – this final step is essential for depth and richness.
- Add most of the sesame oil at the end to infuse the dish with its signature aroma and nutty flavor. Adding it all during browning is not recommended because sesame oil has a low smoking point and can lose its fragrance or even burn, giving a bitter taste
Nutrition
Calories: 585kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 1247mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 888IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 3mg