Home-styleMedium 45 min serves 3

Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken

Name: Taiwanese Three-Cup Chicken
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Home-style
Ingredients: chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on; sesame oil; light soy sauce; Shaoxing wine; fresh ginger, thickly sliced; garlic cloves, smashed; scallions, cut into 4-cm lengths (white + green)

台式三杯鸡 · tái shì sān bēi jī

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version uses skin-on chicken thighs for richer flavor and avoids deep-frying — unlike restaurant versions that often add sugar or cornstarch slurry.

My aunt in Tainan cooked this every Sunday after temple visits — she’d toast sesame oil in her black iron wok until it shimmered, then add ginger, garlic, and scallions, filling the whole alley with fragrance. She always said, 'The cups must be equal: one cup soy, one cup wine, one cup oil — no cheating.'

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More chicken recipes →Quick & Easy Comfort Food

Ingredients

chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on鸡腿肉（带骨带皮）🛒 local600 g
sesame oil芝麻油🏮 asian60 ml
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian60 ml
Shaoxing wine绍兴酒🏮 asian60 ml
fresh ginger, thickly sliced老姜（厚片）🛒 local40 g
garlic cloves, smashed大蒜（拍松）🛒 local15 g
scallions, cut into 4-cm lengths (white + green)小葱（白绿段）🛒 local80 g

chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on: Cut into 4–5 cm pieces; pat dry before cooking

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".

Spice level

Saltiness

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Instructions

1Heat a heavy-bottomed wok or skillet over medium heat. Add sesame oil and swirl to coat. Toast ginger slices until edges curl and aroma rises — about 1 minute.
姜片微卷即止
🔍 Look for Medium heat 1 分钟 · 1 minute
Visual: 姜片边缘微卷；油面微漾但未冒烟Ginger edges curl slightly; oil shimmers but does not smoke
You know it's right when: 厨房充满坚果香气Fragrant, nutty aroma fills the kitchen
2Add smashed garlic and stir 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not brown.
闻香即转
🔍 Look for Medium heat 30 秒 · 30 seconds
Visual: 蒜瓣变半透明，略带浅金斑点Garlic turns translucent with light golden flecks
You know it's right when: 辛香料释放辛辣甜香Aromatics release pungent, sweet scent
3Add chicken pieces in a single layer. Sear undisturbed for 2 minutes until golden-brown on one side.
不翻动，定型上色
🔍 Look for Medium-high 2 分钟 · 2 minutes
Visual: 鸡块表面形成深金褐色脆壳Chicken surface develops deep golden crust
You know it's right when: 滋滋声趋稳；边缘可轻松掀起Sizzling sound steadies; edges lift easily
4Flip chicken, then pour in light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and 60 ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook 15 minutes.
沸后转小火焖
🔍 Look for Medium-low 15 分钟 · 15 minutes
Visual: 汤汁在锅盖边缘轻滚；锅盖内持续凝结水汽Liquid bubbles softly at edge of lid; steam condenses steadily
You know it's right when: 蒸汽稳定上升；汤汁减少约三分之一Steam rises consistently; liquid reduces by ~⅓
5Uncover, increase heat to medium-high. Add scallions and stir gently. Cook uncovered 5–7 minutes until sauce thickens to glossy glaze and clings to chicken.
收至油亮挂汁
🔍 Look for Medium-high 5–7 分钟 · 5–7 minutes
Visual: 酱汁能挂勺背，划痕处清晰不闭合Sauce coats back of spoon and leaves clear trail when dragged
You know it's right when: 气泡变大、粘稠‘噗噗’声；香气更醇厚Bubbles slow to large, syrupy pops; aroma deepens

Tips

· Use bone-in, skin-on thighs — collagen and fat render into rich, unctuous sauce.
· If Shaoxing wine is unavailable, substitute dry sherry (not cooking wine).
· Do not substitute dark soy sauce — it adds unwanted color and bitterness here.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine