This is among the most well-known Taiwanese braised hen dishes, referred to as san bei ji (三杯鸡). The identify comes from the normal ratio of 1 cup every of sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine, although nobody truly makes use of that a lot anymore. The dish is believed to have originated in Jiangxi province over 700 years in the past earlier than changing into a staple of Taiwanese residence cooking.
What makes it so good is the mixture of caramelized ginger, complete garlic cloves, and that thick, shiny sauce that adheres to each piece. For those who take pleasure in daring braised dishes like my soy sauce hen, this one belongs in your menu.
I began making three cup hen after consuming it at Taiwanese eating places, the place each place had their very own model effervescent away in clay pots. I got here residence and examined it again and again till I bought a model that works with what I can discover at my native grocery retailer, and my husband now requests it no less than twice a month.
I begin by slowly caramelizing ginger slices in sesame oil, then including smashed garlic and dried chilies to construct the fragrant base. The hen will get seared in the identical pan, then braised in Shaoxing wine and soy sauce till the liquid reduces right into a thick sticky glaze. A handful of recent Thai basil goes in proper on the finish. I actually hope you give this recipe a attempt.
Elements
Consider it or not, three cup hen makes use of lower than ten components, most of which it is best to have in your pantry already. Your desk ought to appear to be the image beneath once you’re able to prepare dinner. I divide the components into 2 teams so the aromatics and braising liquid are able to go.
Aromatics and hen: I take advantage of hen wings, sliced ginger, complete smashed garlic cloves, dried chili peppers, and sesame oil. The ginger must be sliced skinny so it caramelizes evenly, and the garlic must be smashed however left complete so it softens into the sauce because it braises.
In China, three cup hen is all the time made with bone-in chopped up hen items. Dwelling within the US, I choose to make use of hen wings as a result of it’s the closest cuts to seek out right here. Alternatively, you can even use boneless skinless hen chopped into massive bite-size items to prepare dinner this dish.
Braising sauce and end: I mix Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and brown sugar. The wine acts as the primary braising liquid as a substitute of water, which supplies the hen a deeper, extra advanced taste. Recent Thai basil goes in on the very finish so it stays brilliant and aromatic. Italian basil (candy basil) is the closest substitute.
Method Rationalization
The important thing approach in three cup hen is constructing taste in levels utilizing sesame oil because the cooking fats.
Why low warmth issues for sesame oil: Chinese language sesame oil is created from toasted sesame seeds, which supplies it that wealthy, nutty taste. Nevertheless it has a low smoke level, so in the event you warmth it too excessive or too quick, it burns and turns bitter. I preserve the warmth on low for the primary 10 minutes whereas the ginger slowly caramelizes. This infuses the oil with ginger taste with out ruining the sesame style.
Caramelizing the aromatics: The ginger, garlic, and dried chilies all prepare dinner at completely different charges. The ginger goes in first and cooks till the sides curl and switch golden. Then the garlic and chilies go in for one more 5 minutes. This layered strategy means every fragrant will get the correct amount of warmth. Speeding this step is the commonest mistake folks make with this recipe.
Braising and decreasing: In contrast to a fast stir fry, three cup hen is a braise. The hen simmers coated within the wine and soy sauce combination till tender, then the lid comes off so the liquid reduces into that signature thick, shiny glaze. The secret’s persistence in the course of the coated section and a focus in the course of the uncovered section, stirring ceaselessly so the sugar doesn’t burn on the underside.
How one can Make
1. Caramelize the ginger: Warmth sesame oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over low warmth. Add the ginger slices and prepare dinner slowly till they start to brown and curl on the edges.
2. Cook dinner the garlic and chilies: Add the smashed garlic cloves and dried chili peppers to the pan. Proceed cooking on low warmth till the garlic turns gentle golden.
3. Sear the hen: Flip the warmth as much as medium low. Transfer the aromatics to the aspect and add the hen in a single layer. Cook dinner undisturbed till the underside is flippantly browned, then flip and brown the opposite aspect. If the pan is crowded, transfer the aromatics on high of the hen to stop them from burning.
4. Add the braising liquid: Pour within the Shaoxing wine and scrape any brown bits off the underside of the pan with a wood spatula. Add the soy sauce and brown sugar and stir to coat all of the hen items.
5. Braise the hen: Deliver the liquid to a boil, then scale back the warmth to low. Cowl and simmer, turning the hen sometimes so it cooks evenly within the sauce.
6. Cut back the sauce: Take away the lid. The sauce ought to have thickened and began to coat the hen. Whether it is nonetheless watery, proceed cooking uncovered on medium warmth, stirring ceaselessly to stop sticking.
7. Add the basil and serve: Flip off the warmth and stir within the recent Thai basil. Let it wilt for a minute, then switch every thing to a serving plate.
Cooking Ideas
Attempt hen thighs for a meatier model: I like utilizing wings as a result of the pores and skin will get sticky, however boneless skinless thighs are one other nice various. They’re tender and juicy, and braise simply as nicely. I additionally like to make use of drumsticks as nicely.
Use each gentle and darkish soy sauce: I take advantage of a mix of each for the perfect consequence. Gentle soy sauce offers me the primary salty, savory taste, and darkish soy sauce provides sweetness and that deep, appetizing brown colour. If I solely have common soy sauce, it nonetheless works.
Don’t add the basil too early: I all the time add Thai basil on the very finish, off the warmth. It wilts and loses its perfume shortly, so the residual heat is all I would like. After I make this forward, I go away the basil out completely and add it recent after I reheat.
Scrape the underside of the pan after including wine: I all the time deglaze with the Shaoxing wine proper after searing. The brown bits caught to the pan are filled with taste, and the wine lifts them proper into the sauce.
Use a large, heavy skillet: I desire a 12 ” skillet or wok so the hen has sufficient room to sear in a single layer. A dutch oven works too, however I discover the sauce takes longer to scale back due to the narrower opening.
Serving Options
I serve three cup hen straight from the skillet over an enormous bowl of steamed rice, as a result of the sauce is simply too good to waste. On weeknights it’s the complete meal, simply rice and hen. On weekends I add a vegetable like my choy sum with garlic sauce on the aspect. My son will not be an enormous fan of the basil but, so I set a couple of items apart for him earlier than including it.
After I make this for mates, I wish to serve it household fashion alongside 2 or 3 different dishes. It pairs nicely with one thing lighter like my spicy rice noodle salad or a scrumptious fireplace roasted eggplant. I set the skillet proper on the desk so folks can spoon the sauce over their rice. If you’d like a restaurant fashion presentation, switch every thing to a preheated clay pot earlier than serving.
Often Requested Questions
How do I do know when the sauce is lowered sufficient?
I search for the sauce to coat the again of a spoon and cling to the hen with out pooling on the backside of the pan. The consistency thickens extra because it cools, so I pull it off the warmth when it nonetheless seems to be barely unfastened. If I over scale back it, the sugar burns and the sauce turns bitter.
How do I retailer and reheat leftovers?
Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. When reheating, heat the hen in a skillet over medium warmth till the sauce is effervescent. Add recent basil after reheating, not earlier than storing, as a result of cooked basil turns darkish and loses its taste. The sauce thickens because it cools, so it would loosen again up as soon as heated.
What makes three cup hen completely different from different braised hen dishes?
The mixture of sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce because the braising base is what units it aside. I don’t add water in any respect. The wine is the one liquid, and because it reduces, it creates that signature sticky, shiny glaze that you don’t get with different braises.
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My Three Cup Hen recipe is a savory dinner principal dish that includes ginger caramelized in sesame oil, hen wings braised in Shaoxing wine and soy sauce till sticky and glazed, and recent Thai basil stirred in on the finish.
Stop your display from going darkish
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In a 12” heavy-bottomed vast skillet (*Footnote 2) warmth the sesame oil over low warmth and add the ginger. Slowly fry the ginger till it begins to brown and curl on the sides, about 10 minutes.
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Add the garlic and dried chili peppers. Cook dinner till the garlic turns gentle golden, one other 5 minutes.
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Flip the warmth as much as a medium-low (watch out to not flip the warmth too excessive or the sesame oil will burn and turn into bitter). Transfer all of the aromatics to the aspect of the pan and add the hen in a single layer. Rearrange the aromatics on high of the hen to stop from burning, if wanted. When you’ve got bother becoming all of the hen, you possibly can take away the aromatics and add them again later.
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Cook dinner the hen, undisturbed, till flippantly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the hen and prepare dinner till browned on the opposite aspect, one other 5 to 7 minutes.
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Add the Shaoxing wine and use a wood spatula to scrape any brown bits off the underside of the pan. Add again the aromatics in the event you eliminated them beforehand. Gently stir every thing collectively.
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Add the soy sauce and sugar and stir once more to coat all of the hen items.
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Deliver the liquid to a boil, then scale back the warmth to low or medium-low. Simmer coated for 40 minutes. Stir and toss sometimes to coat the hen and verify on the consistency of the sauce.
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After 40 minutes, take away the lid. The sauce ought to have thickened and coated the hen very nicely. If the sauce continues to be watery, prepare dinner uncovered for a couple of extra minutes. Stir ceaselessly to stop sticking.
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Add the basil. Stir and prepare dinner for one more 2 minutes or so. As soon as the sauce is thick and shiny, switch the hen to an enormous serving plate. Serve sizzling over steamed rice as a principal dish.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- Thai basil if attainable, different basil will work high-quality.
- You need to use a wok or dutch oven to prepare dinner this recipe, as nicely. I desire to make use of a big skillet or wok over a dutch oven as a result of it reduces the sauce quicker and creates the right caramelized consequence. For those who use a dutch oven, you would possibly want to go away the pot uncovered longer on the finish of the cooking to scale back the sauce.
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 373kcal, Carbohydrates: 17.9g, Protein: 16.9g, Fats: 25.8g, Saturated Fats: 5.8g, Ldl cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 845mg, Potassium: 239mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4.7g, Calcium: 67mg, Iron: 2mg
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