Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji)
By Lee Jackson ↣ Published on: October 16, 2020
For an umami explosion, these tiny little morsels of Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken are the perfect, finger-licking treats. Sweet, salty and sticky, they’re an addictive, can’t stop/won’t stop treat any day of the week.
This super-charged Taiwanese treat is one of the best things to come out of our kitchen ever! A super easy preparation for chicken wings. An umami explosion of salty, sweet flavour with a delicious herbal hit of fragrant Thai basil/Holy basil.
I love to serve these wings as part of a larger feast, but I also like nothing more than creating an unholy mess of my hands by serving as a pick-up and chow-down treat.
San Bei Ji is quick and easy to make at home. No pre-marination is required, this dish packs a super flavourful punch.
What is Three Cup chicken?
This super-charged Taiwanese treat is one of the best things to come out of the Cook Eat World kitchens this year. This beloved Taiwanese dish, in fact, has its origins in China; hailing from the South Eastern Jiangxi region. Like many traditional Chinese dishes, three cup chicken or San Bei Ji (sanbeiji) 三杯鸡 made its way to Taiwan, in this case by the Hakka people.
Like many loved and coveted international dishes, there is much folklore surrounding the origins behind the name. Many a tall tale explain its heritage, but the explanation I'm going with is the version where originally the dish was created using a cup each of the three major flavour components; soy, sesame and cooking wine. As you'll see from the recipe, there is not a cup measurement in sight, but this tale still feels like the most likely.
Why it works?
Umami heaven! - Salty soy and sweet sugar are the perfect counterbalance to the fragrance of garlic, ginger and sesame. These three cup chicken wings are completely addictive!
It's quick and easy - there's no marination, the whole dish is a quick and simple stir fry. Ready in around 30-40 minutes!
Stuff You'll Need
Making Three cup chicken is simple! A quick and easy stir fry. To make the dish at home you'll need a few easy to find ingredients.
- Holy Basil - Also known as Thai Basil, this gives the dish its unique herbaceous fragrance. Thai basil is widely available these days, but if you do struggle to find it, you can use regular basil too for very similar results.
- Chicken wings - I like to use chicken wings and mini drumsticks, but regular legs and thighs also work well. You'll need to increase the cooking time to ensure they're cooked and may need to add a little water to ensure the pan doesn't dry out.
- Fresh - Garlic and Ginger give this dish more fresh fragrance.
- Aromatics - We make a stir fry cooking sauce using all the umami you'll ever need from sesame oil, soy sauces, Shaoxing cooking wine, pepper, sugar and a little dried chilli.
Step by Step
Making Three Cup Chicken is easy - let's break it down into 4 simple steps.
- Step 1 / Season the oil - Add fresh ginger and garlic and a couple of dried chillies to some sesame oil. Imagine if you can the aroma - it's quite spectacular.
- Step 2 / Chicken in - The chicken goes in, briefly frying, then followed by our liquids. The flavour-forward umami splendour of dark & light soy, Shaoxing cooking wine and a bit of brown sugar to counteract the saltiness. We're off to a great start! We just need to simmer these tasty treats for 20 minutes until cooked through.
- Step 3 / Reduce the sauce - Now the chicken is cooked, we want to reduce the cooking liquid so that it clings to the chicken pieces. It's a sticky business but creates a wonderfully glossy and richly flavoured sauce. If you reduce the sauce too much, add a little water to loosen things up a bit. it's a forgiving sauce.
- Step 4 / Holy Basil! - The true magic comes in the form of one of my favourite ingredients. Thai Basil, or holy basil is the Asian equivalent of basil. It has a more floral and pronounced aniseed flavouring that that of its Italian counterpart. It is a stroke of genius to add this to the mix. It brings a fantastic fragrance and freshness to the rich, intense sauce.
Pro Tips
- Fast and furious - Have all your ingredients at the ready, everything happens fast, so have it all at hand to avoid a frenzied search for anything.
- Chicken - Substitute chicken wings for thighs or legs. You will need to cook them for longer, so may need to splash in a little extra water. 25-30 minutes should be enough time.
- No Thai Basil? - Instead of Thai basil, use regular basil - you won't get the same fragrant basil experience, but it's pretty damn close.
Serving & Storage Suggestions
- Serve with simple boiled rice. I like to serve mine as part of a larger Chinese or Taiwanese feast.
- I also like to serve this on its own as a finger-licking snack or appetiser. Pop the bowl in the centre of the table and watch them disappear in a matter of minutes.
Any leftovers will stay good in the fridge for 3-4 days. Eat them cold or gently heated in the microwave. You CAN freeze them, but honestly they're better eaten soon after cooking, so I won't recommend freezing on this occasion.
Alternative cooking method
I have also cooked this recipe using the same ingredients, but in a 200ºC/400ºF oven. I mixed all the ingredients together (except the basil) and then tipped the whole thing onto a baking sheet. Then roasted for 30-40 minutes (turning a few times) until sticky. I then mixed through the basil and served.
Ready to get cooking?
As you can see, Three Cup Chicken is a quick, easy and very effective use of chicken wings! Left unsupervised, I would gladly and easily much my way through the entire bowl.
I love to serve them to friends and family and watch them fight over them. And the great news is that cooking them en-masse is just as easy - I often double or triple the recipe to cook for larger (greedier) groups.
More delicious Taiwanese & Chinese recipes to make at home.
If you liked this san bei ji three cup chicken, then you'll also love more of my Chinese and Taiwanese offerings. Make them all!
- Chinese Shandong Roast Chicken
- Ginger Scallion Sauce
- Duck Congee
- Chinese Braised Pork Belly – Hong Shao Rou (Instant Pot Style)
- Chinese Cucumber Salad
- Lu Rou Fan (Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice Bowl)
- Pork Rib Soup with Noodles
- Chicken Egg Foo Young
- Chinese Chilli Oil Dumplings
- Chinese Xinjiang Lamb Skewers
- Chinese Eggplant
- Shantung Lamb Ribs
Any Questions? (FAQ)
Have a question about San Bei Ji, Three Cup Chicken? Let me know in the comments.
"San Bei Ji" is a Mandarin term that translates to "Three-Cup Chicken" in English. In this context, "San" means "three," "Bei" means "cup," and "Ji" means "chicken." The name refers to the three main ingredients that are used in equal proportions to create the sauce for this dish: soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine. It highlights the importance of these three ingredients in the recipe and distinguishes it from other chicken dishes.
Three cup chicken is a popular dish from Taiwan. It is considered a Taiwanese specialty and is widely enjoyed in Taiwan and its culinary culture. The dish has gained recognition internationally and can be found in Taiwanese restaurants and establishments around the world. Its origins can be traced back to Taiwanese cuisine, where it has become a beloved and iconic dish.
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Ingredients
- 3 tbsp sesame oil (dark, premium quality)
- 6 slices ginger (fresh)
- 6 garlic cloves (peeled and left whole)
- 2 dried red chillies (optional)
- 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine
- pinch white pepper
- 1 bunch Thai basil leaves (removed from stem - stems discarded)
- 2.2 lb Chicken drummettes / wings combined (1kg)
Instructions
- Over a high temperature, heat the sesame oil in a wok or Chinese clay pot until hot. Add the ginger, garlic and chillies and stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the chicken and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes to get the pan nice and hot again. Add ½ cup water, the dark soy, light soy, sugar, Shaoxing and pepper and stir well.
- Reduce the heat to low/medium, pop on a lid and let the chicken simmer gently for 20 minutes until cooked through.
- Remove the lid and turn up the heat to reduce the sauce, so that it’s rich, glossy and sticks to the meat. Then remove from the heat.
- Stir in the basil and let it wilt in the hot sauce before serving. Serve hot!
Notes
- Be prepared - Have all your ingredients at the ready, everything happens fast, so have it all at hand to avoid a frenzied search for anything.
- Change the chicken - Substitute chicken wings for thighs or legs. You will need to cook them for longer, so may need to splash in a little extra water. 25-30 minutes should be enough time.
- No Thai Basil? - Instead of Thai basil, use regular basil - you won't get the same fragrant basil experience, but it's pretty damn close.
- Pair it with plain boiled rice for a satisfying meal. I personally enjoy serving it as a delightful addition to a Chinese or Taiwanese feast. Alternatively, it can be served as a finger-licking snack or appetizer, standing alone. Simply place the bowl in the center of the table, and you'll witness it vanish within minutes.
- If you have any leftovers, they can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. They can be enjoyed either cold or gently heated in the microwave. While it is possible to freeze the leftovers, I would recommend consuming them soon after cooking for the best taste, so freezing may not be the ideal option in this case.
- I have also prepared this recipe using identical ingredients, but instead of cooking it on the stovetop, I opted for the oven method at a temperature of 200ºC/400ºF. To start, I combined all the ingredients, excluding the basil, and poured the mixture onto a baking sheet. I roasted it for approximately 30-40 minutes, turning it a few times throughout, until it achieved a sticky consistency. Finally, I added the basil, mixed it through, and served the dish.
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