San Bei Ji — Three Cup Chicken

Chicken braised in equal parts sesame oil, soy and rice wine with plenty of garlic, ginger and basil.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 50 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 800g bone-in chicken thighs, chopped through the bone into 4cm pieces
  • 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rock sugar (or caster sugar)
  • 8 slices fresh ginger
  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
  • 2 dried Chinese red chillies
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • Large handful of fresh Thai basil leaves (or sweet basil)

Method

  1. Pat the chicken dry. Heat the vegetable oil and 1 tbsp of the sesame oil in a heavy-based casserole or clay pot over a medium-high heat.

  2. Fry the chicken in 2 batches, skin side down first, for about 5 minutes per batch until golden. Set aside.

  3. Turn the heat to medium, add the remaining sesame oil, ginger, garlic and chillies and stir for 2 minutes until the ginger and garlic are golden and fragrant.

  4. Return the chicken and add the soy sauces, Shaoxing wine and sugar. Stir and bring to a simmer.

  5. Cover and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

  6. Remove the lid, increase the heat and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is reduced to a sticky glaze.

  7. Turn off the heat, stir in the basil until just wilted, and serve straight from the pot with steamed rice.