Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken
February 29th, 2024
This Recipe creates 4 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
‘Three cups’ refers to a traditional Taiwanese chicken recipe that uses three key ingredients: 1 cup of soy sauce, 1 cup of rice wine, and 1 cup of sesame oil. Most modern chefs will adjust the amounts of the various ingredients to maximize the flavor. Traditionally, this recipe would be made with a whole skin-on bone-in chicken, that has been divided into cuts. However, you can use drumsticks, chicken wings, chicken thighs, or even chicken breasts. If using boneless thighs or breasts, go ahead and divide the cuts into bite-sized pieces. This recipe replaces the rice wine with an alcohol-free substitute.
Ingredients:
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1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Chicken Stock
1/4 Cup Apple Juice
1 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Toasted Sesame Oil
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
4 servings of Jasmine Rice
4 Scallions
12 Cloves Garlic
3 Inches (3 ounces) Ginger
2 Thai Peppers, cut in half and seeds removed
2 lbs Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
2 Ounces Fresh Basil Leaves, cleaned and torn or chopped into 1 inch squares
Directions:
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Prepare
In a small bowl, combine the Soy Sauce, Chicken Stock, Apple Juice, Vinegar, Sesame Oil, and Cornstarch.
Whisk until fully integrated.
Prepare the Jasmine Rice, according to the instructions on the side of the bag.
Cut the Scallions, separating the white Stalks from the Green portion.
Cut the White Stalks into 1 inch pieces.
Finely chop the Green portion.
Peel and clean the Garlic. Cut each Clove in quarters, lengthwise.
Smash each Clove quarter.
Peel and clean the Ginger. Cut into toothpicks.
Cut the Chicken Breasts into 1-2 inch cubes.
Stir Fry
Heat a large pan or wok over medium-high heat.
Add 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil and heat until the Oil begins to shimmer lightly.
Add the Garlic, Ginger, and Thai Peppers.
Fry about 3 minutes.
Add the Chicken and mix well.
Continue to fry for a another 5 minutes, until the meat begins to brown.
Whisk the Soy Sauce mixture in the bowl again to ensure it is fully mixed.
Add the Sauce mixture into the wok, pouring around the sides of the bowl.
Mix again well and continue to cook until the Chicken is fully cooked.
Remove from heat.
Stir in the Basil leaves and serve on a bed of Jasmine Rice.
