Best Three Cup Chicken Recipes

TAIWANESE-STYLE THREE CUP CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
• Heat sesame oil in skillet, then add ginger and garlic. Cook and stir until the ginger begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in the reserved chicken, sherry, soy sauce, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until there is only 1/4 cup of liquid left in the skillet, about 20 minutes. Stir in the basil and chiles, and increase heat to medium; continue cooking until the liquid is almost gone.

THREE-CUP CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat up the sesame oil in a wok or a large skillet on high heat.
• Add garlic, ginger and serrano peppers, stir fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Add the chicken pieces and cook until it's white in color, about 5 minutes.
• Stir together the soy sauce, rice wine and sugar in a bowl, pour over chicken.
• Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low.
• Let cook, uncovered, until sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.
• Turn heat back up to high and add basil and scallions, cook for another 2 minutes.
• Serve over steamed rice.

THREE CUP CHICKEN WITH GARLIC SPINACH

Steps:

• For the rice: Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs clear, to remove excess starch. Place the rinsed rice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover tightly with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, keep covered and set aside until ready to serve.
• For the chicken: Meanwhile, heat a wok over high heat and add the peanut oil. When it begins to smoke, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry quickly for a few seconds. Then add the chicken and let it settle in the pan for 30 seconds before stir-frying for 2 to 3 minutes until it browns.
• Add the soy sauce, rice wine and toasted sesame oil; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 6 minutes. Stir well and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is reduced to a thick, sticky consistency and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the basil leaves and allow them to wilt slightly.
• For the spinach: In a separate pan or another wok, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the spinach leaves and toss with tongs, or chopsticks until wilted (adding a splash of water to facilitate cooking if desired), 2 to 3 minutes.
• When ready to serve, uncover the pan of steamed rice. Using a fork, fluff up the rice and divide among 4 plates. Serve with a generous portion of the chicken, garnish with chile rings and more basil leaves, if desired. Serve the spinach on the side.

TAIWANESE-STYLE THREE CUP CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
• Heat sesame oil in skillet, then add ginger and garlic. Cook and stir until the ginger begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in the reserved chicken, sherry, soy sauce, water, and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until there is only 1/4 cup of liquid left in the skillet, about 20 minutes. Stir in the basil and chiles, and increase heat to medium; continue cooking until the liquid is almost gone.

THREE CUP CHICKEN (SAN BEI JI)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, scallions, and chilies, if using, and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the chicken pieces and lightly brown, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the rice wine, soy sauce and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until the chicken pieces are cooked through and the sauce has reduced to a thick, slightly syrupy consistency, about 15 minutes. If the sauce is not thick enough, continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced to your desired consistency.
• Stir in the basil and remove from heat. Serve immediately with the rice.

THREE-CUP CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Toast peppercorns in a large flat-bottomed carbon-steel wok or heavy skillet over high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Crush in a mortar and pestle or with a rolling pin. Set aside near the stove. 2. Meanwhile, combine broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine (or sherry), sesame oil, honey (or sugar) and star anise in a medium bowl. Finely chop enough scallions to equal 2 tablespoons and reserve for garnish; cut the remaining scallions into 2-inch lengths. Place the sauce and scallion pieces near the stove. 3. Heat canola oil in the wok (or skillet) over high heat until shimmering. Reduce heat to medium-high; add 2 drumsticks and 2 thighs and cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken over and cook for 3 minutes on the other side, reducing the heat as needed if the pan gets too hot. Transfer the chicken to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken; remove to the plate. Add the scallion pieces, garlic and ginger to the pan; cook, stirring once or twice, until they begin to brown, about 1 minute. Add the crushed peppercorns and stir for 5 seconds. Add the reserved sauce and cook 2 minutes. Add the chicken; stir to coat with the sauce. 4. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, cover the pan and cook, turning the chicken halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone registers 165°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in basil leaves and cook, uncovered, for 1 minute more. Garnish with the chopped scallions and chopped basil.

THREE CUP CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut the wings into three sections. Save the wingtips for stock or discard them. Pat the drum and flat sections dry with paper towels.
• Rehydrate the mushrooms in warm tap water, about 15 minutes. When softened, remove the stems and cut the caps into quarter-moon pieces. Discard the stems.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the oil, ginger slices, garlic, chiles and white sections of the green onions. Stir fry until aromatic and beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Move the aromatics to one side of the pan and add the chicken pieces in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook each piece of chicken until golden brown on all sides, turning occasionally. If the aromatics start to get too dark, remove them to a small plate and reserve.
• When the chicken is golden, add the rice wine, thin soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and mushroom caps. Add the aromatics back to the pot if you removed them. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Loosely cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so all the pieces get color and flavor.
• If the cooking liquid is thin, remove the lid, raise the heat to medium and allow the sauce to reduce. Stir frequently to prevent burning. The bubbles will get larger and start to glaze onto the chicken pieces. When the sauce has reduced to a rich glaze, taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Garnish with the green onion tops and Thai basil if using. Serve immediately.

THREE-CUP CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat a wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons sesame oil. When the oil shimmers, add the ginger, garlic, scallions and peppers, and cook until fragrant, approximately 2 minutes.
• Scrape the aromatics to the sides of the wok, add remaining oil and allow to heat through. Add the chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and crisping at the edges, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add sugar and stir to combine, then add the rice wine and soy sauce, and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat, then simmer until the sauce has reduced and started to thicken, approximately 15 minutes.
• Turn off the heat, add the basil and stir to combine. Serve with white rice.

THREE CUP CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the chicken pieces in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover the meat completely. Bring the water slowly to a simmer, skimming off any scum that forms on the surface. Simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the chicken and discard the water.
• Meanwhile, get organized-this may feel unnecessary, but the stir-frying happens so quickly, and I find it super helpful to measure the liquids ahead of time. Here's the breakdown: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1/4 cup rice wine, 2 tablespoons rice wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/4 cup sesame oil.
• Heat a wok or large heavy-bottomed pot with a cover over high heat until a droplet of water sizzles and evaporates immediately upon contact. Swirl the vegetable oil around the bottom and sides of the wok to coat it evenly. Add the ginger to the wok and stir-fry until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add the 2 tablespoons of rice wine or sherry and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry for another 2 minutes (or less) or until the chicken is browned.
• If you are using a wok, transfer the chicken to a clay pot or Dutch oven with cover. If you are using the heavy-bottomed pot, leave the chicken in it. Add the remaining 1/4 cup rice wine or sherry, the remaining 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and the sesame oil. Cover the pot and simmer the chicken over medium to medium-low heat for 30 minutes, until it is tender and the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce.
• Just before serving, stir in the basil leaves.

THREE CUP CHICKEN WITH GARLIC SPINACH

Steps:

• For the rice: Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs clear, to remove excess starch. Place the rinsed rice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover tightly with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, keep covered and set aside until ready to serve. For the chicken: Meanwhile, heat a wok over high heat and add the peanut oil. When it begins to smoke, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry quickly for a few seconds. Then add the chicken and let it settle in the pan for 30 seconds before stir-frying for 2 to 3 minutes until it browns. Add the soy sauce, rice wine and toasted sesame oil; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 6 minutes. Stir well and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is reduced to a thick, sticky consistency and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the basil leaves and allow them to wilt slightly. For the spinach: In a separate pan or another wok, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the spinach leaves and toss with tongs, or chopsticks until wilted (adding a splash of water to facilitate cooking if desired), 2 to 3 minutes. When ready to serve, uncover the pan of steamed rice. Using a fork, fluff up the rice and divide among 4 plates. Serve with a generous portion of the chicken, garnish with chile rings and more basil leaves, if desired. Serve the spinach on the side.