Three Cup Chicken – Taiwanese San Bei Ji
This post may contain affiliate links.This Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji) is savory, aromatic, and packed with the irresistible flavors of garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and fresh basil. It’s an easy, flavor-packed chicken dish that’s perfect with a bowl of steamed rice.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
🏷️ Recipe Name: Three Cup Chicken – Taiwanese San Bei Ji
⏱️ Ready In: ~ 25 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 4 portions
🔥 Calories: 415 kcal per portion (estimate)
🧾 Main Ingredients: Chicken thigh fillet, garlic, ginger, chilis, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, palm sugar, Thai basil leaves.
🥗 Dietary Info: Gluten-free
🧠 Difficulty: Very easy
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Three Cup Chicken, or San Bei Ji (三杯雞), is a classic Taiwanese chicken dish known for its rich, savory sauce and wonderful aroma from sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and fresh basil. The chicken cooks until tender and beautifully coated in the flavorful sauce, making it especially good with a bowl of steamed rice.
If you enjoy Taiwanese comfort food like my Tomato Egg Stir Fry or Steamed Bao Buns, this is another recipe you should try. It uses simple ingredients, comes together easily, and delivers the bold, fragrant flavors that make Taiwanese home-style cooking so comforting.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Chicken thigh fillet – I prefer boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicy and tender during cooking. Cut them into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly and absorb the sauce well.
Thai basil – This gives Three Cup Chicken its distinctive fragrant flavor. Thai basil works especially well because of its slightly spicy, anise-like aroma. If you cannot find it, regular basil can be used, although the flavor will be a little different.
Soy sauce – I use a combination of dark soy sauce and light soy sauce for both color and savory flavor. You can also use regular soy sauce in place of dark soy sauce and fish sauce in place of light soy sauce, depending on what you have available. The finished flavor and color may vary slightly.
Shaoxing wine – Adds depth and a warm, aromatic flavor to the sauce. It is commonly used in Chinese and Taiwanese cooking and works especially well with chicken.
Sesame oil – One of the signature ingredients in Three Cup Chicken. It gives the dish its rich, nutty aroma, so I wouldn’t leave this one out.
Chilies – Use as much or as little as you like. Remove the seeds or reduce the amount for a milder dish, or add more if you enjoy extra heat.
Garlic and ginger – These aromatics form the flavor base of the dish. I like using a generous amount because they become wonderfully fragrant as they cook in the sesame oil.
Palm sugar – Adds a mild caramel-like sweetness that balances the salty and savory ingredients. You can substitute brown sugar, or use a little sweet soy sauce (kecap manis) instead. If using sweet soy sauce, reduce the other soy sauce slightly so the sauce does not become too salty or too dark.
Mushroom powder – Optional, but I like adding a little for extra umami and depth. You can simply leave it out if you don’t have any.
How to Make Three Cup Chicken
STEP 1. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, about 1–2 inches wide. Place the chicken in a bowl, then add the Shaoxing wine and soy sauce (Image 1). Mix well and let it marinate for 10–15 minutes (Image 2).
Heat some cooking oil and sesame oil in a wok (Image 3). Add the minced garlic and ginger (Image 4), then stir-fry until fragrant.
STEP 2. Transfer the marinated chicken to the wok and pour in the remaining marinade/sauce (Image 5). Add the palm sugar and mushroom powder (Image 6). Stir well and cook the chicken, turning the pieces occasionally, until they change color and are lightly browned (Image 7). Cover the wok with a lid and cook for 5 minutes (Image 8).
STEP 3. Add the chilies and Thai basil (Images 9 and 10). Stir-fry for about 1 minute (Image 11). Once the Thai basil has wilted and the chicken is well coated with the sauce, turn off the heat (Image 12). Serve hot with steamed rice.
Pro Tips
- Don’t skip the short marinade – Even 10–15 minutes gives the chicken time to absorb the soy sauce and Shaoxing wine before cooking.
- Sauté the aromatics until fragrant – Let the garlic and ginger cook briefly in the oil before adding the chicken. This helps release their aroma and builds the flavor of the sauce.
- Let the chicken cook before covering – Stir-fry the chicken first until the outside changes color and starts to brown slightly. Then cover the wok so the chicken can finish cooking while staying tender.
- Adjust the chilies to your taste – Use fewer chilies or remove the seeds for a milder Three Cup Chicken. Add more if you like it spicy.
- Add the Thai basil at the end – Thai basil wilts very quickly. Add it during the final minute of cooking so it stays fragrant and doesn’t lose too much of its fresh flavor.
- Watch the sauce near the end – The sauce should reduce enough to coat the chicken rather than stay watery. If there is still too much liquid after removing the lid, cook uncovered for another minute or two.
Serving Suggestions
Three Cup Chicken is best served with a bowl of hot steamed rice to soak up the rich, savory sauce. For vegetables, pair it with Green Beans Stir Fry or Bok Choy Stir Fry for a simple and balanced meal.
If you would like to add a soup, Egg Drop Soup is a light and comforting choice that works well with the bold flavors of the chicken. For another easy chicken dish to try on a different day, my Chicken Mushroom Stir Fry is also a great option.
To finish the meal, serve it with a refreshing Cucumber Juice Drink or a glass of Lychee Tea. Both are light enough to complement the savory, aromatic flavors of San Bei Ji without competing with them.
Three Cup Chicken FAQs
The name traditionally refers to the three main seasonings used in the dish: sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine. The exact proportions can vary from recipe to recipe, so you do not necessarily need to use a literal cup of each ingredient.
San Bei Ji (三杯雞) is the Chinese name for Three Cup Chicken. It is a popular Taiwanese dish made with chicken, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, garlic, ginger, chilies, and plenty of fresh basil.
Yes. Thai basil gives the dish a more distinctive aromatic flavor, but regular basil can be used if that is what you have available. Add it near the end of cooking so it stays fragrant.
Absolutely. Reduce the amount of chilies, remove the seeds, or leave the chilies out entirely. The dish will still have plenty of flavor from the garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, and basil.
If you do not have Shaoxing wine, you can use another Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry. The flavor will be slightly different, but the recipe will still work.
Storage
Store any leftover Three Cup Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, simply warm it in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes until heated through, or microwave it until hot. If the sauce has thickened too much in the fridge, you can add a small splash of water before reheating.
More Chicken Dishes
Three Cup Chicken – Taiwanese San Bei Ji
Ingredients
- 650 gr chicken thigh fillet
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 cm ginger
- 3 pcs chilis
- 15 gr basil leaves Thai
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce dark
- 2 tsp palm sugar
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp mushroom powder optional
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces, about 1–2 inches wide. Place the chicken in a bowl, then add the Shaoxing wine and soy sauce. Mix well and let it marinate for 10–15 minutes.
- Heat some cooking oil and sesame oil in a wok. Add the minced garlic and ginger, then stir-fry until fragrant.
- Transfer the marinated chicken to the wok and pour in the remaining marinade/sauce.
- Add the palm sugar and mushroom powder. Stir well and cook the chicken, turning the pieces occasionally, until they change color and are lightly browned. Cover the wok with a lid and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the chilies and Thai basil. Stir-fry for about 1 minute. Once the Thai basil has wilted and the chicken is well coated with the sauce, turn off the heat. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Notes
- Don’t skip the short marinade – Even 10–15 minutes gives the chicken time to absorb the soy sauce and Shaoxing wine before cooking.
- Sauté the aromatics until fragrant – Let the garlic and ginger cook briefly in the oil before adding the chicken. This helps release their aroma and builds the flavor of the sauce.
- Let the chicken cook before covering – Stir-fry the chicken first until the outside changes color and starts to brown slightly. Then cover the wok so the chicken can finish cooking while staying tender.
- Adjust the chilies to your taste – Use fewer chilies or remove the seeds for a milder Three Cup Chicken. Add more if you like it spicy.
- Add the Thai basil at the end – Thai basil wilts very quickly. Add it during the final minute of cooking so it stays fragrant and doesn’t lose too much of its fresh flavor.
- Watch the sauce near the end – The sauce should reduce enough to coat the chicken rather than stay watery. If there is still too much liquid after removing the lid, cook uncovered for another minute or two.
Three Cup Chicken is one of those simple dishes that is packed with flavor. I love the aroma of the sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and fresh basil, and that savory sauce is just so good with a bowl of steamed rice!