Three Cup Chicken
We make this Three Cup Chicken on repeat, it's bold, saucy, and full of garlicky, basil-packed goodness. No deep fryer, no takeout, just a ridiculously tasty one-pan dinner that never gets old.
Servings: 6
Calories: 283kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pound chicken thighs boneless and skinless, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 8 cloves garlic halved
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 bunch Thai basil leaves
Sauce
- ¼ cup shaoxing wine
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Toss the chicken pieces together with the baking soda and set aside for 10 minutes. Rinse the chicken with water to wash away the baking soda. Pat dry the chicken with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients; shaoxing wine, soy sauce, dark soy sauce and brown sugar, don't add the sesame oil yet.
- Add the two tbsp of sesame oil to a wok and heat over high medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about a minute until aromatic. Add in the chicken and toss. Stir fry the chicken for about 4 minutes or until no longer pink and starts to lightly brown.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken and reduce the heat to medium. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Make a slurry with the cornstarch and water and add to the wok and stir. The sauce should thicken almost immediately. Drizzle the remaining tbsp of sesame oil over the chicken.
- Add the basil leaves and stir well with the chicken. Serve immediately over cooked rice.
Video
Notes
- Chicken thighs are best here, they stay juicy and soak up the sauce like a dream.
- Don’t skip the baking soda step. It’s quick and makes a big difference in tenderness.
- Shaoxing wine brings depth. Sub with dry sherry if needed, but the real stuff is worth hunting down.
- Use toasted sesame oil for max flavor. Regular will work, but it’s just not the same.
- Thai basil is traditional, but Italian basil works great too. Add it at the end so it stays fresh and fragrant.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 1234mg | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 107IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg
