Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)

Home-style three cup chicken made with boneless chicken thighs simmered in soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil with whole garlic cloves, ginger, chilies, and fresh basil. Sticky, glossy, and ready in 30 minutes.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: basil stir fry, San Bei Ji, three cup chicken

Servings:

Calories: 435kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

CHICKEN AND AROMATICS

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4- inch piece fresh ginger sliced into thin coins
16 garlic cloves peeled and left whole
4-6 dried red chilies tien tsin or árbol
1-2 fresh red Thai chilies sliced
3 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces, whites and greens separated

SAUCE

1/4 cup Taiwanese rice wine mijiu or Shaoxing wine
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil plus 1 teaspoon to finish
2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon rock sugar or brown sugar optional

TO FINISH

2 cups packed Thai basil leaves
Steamed white rice for serving

Instructions

Stir together the rice wine, soy sauce, oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and sugar. Set aside.
Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Fry the ginger 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges curl. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes, until golden in spots. Add the dried chilies and cook 30 seconds.
Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the chicken and stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes, until the outside turns opaque and lightly browned in places.
Pour in the sauce and add the fresh chilies and scallion whites. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a lively simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring often, 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce reduces to a glaze that coats each piece.
Turn off the heat. Add the basil, scallion greens, and the last teaspoon of sesame oil, then toss until the basil wilts. Serve over rice.

Notes

Heat Level: For mild, use 2 dried chilies left whole and skip the fresh chilies. For hot, brake the dried chilies open, use 3 to 4 fresh Thai chilies, and finish with a spoonful of chili crisp.
Bone-In Chicken: Use 2 to 2 1/2 pounds chicken wings (split at the joint) or bone-in thighs chopped into 2-inch pieces. After adding the sauce, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until tender, then uncover, raise the heat, and reduce the sauce to a glaze, 4 to 6 minutes. You can skip the oyster sauce, since the bones add body to the sauce.
Basil: Italian basil works if you can't find Thai basil. Nutritional information estimated without rice.
Nutritional information estimated without rice.

Nutrition