**Three-Cup Chicken with Garlic Spinach: A Flavorful Taiwanese Delight**
Originating from Taiwan, Three-Cup Chicken is a delectable dish bursting with savory flavors. The name derives from the three main ingredients used in its preparation: soy sauce, rice wine, and sesame oil. Succulent chicken pieces are browned and then braised in this aromatic sauce, resulting in tender meat infused with a harmonious blend of sweet, salty, and savory notes. This recipe also incorporates garlic and spinach, adding layers of depth and freshness to the dish. Additionally, this article presents two other variations of Three-Cup Chicken: one featuring mushrooms and the other with bell peppers. These variations offer unique flavor profiles while staying true to the essence of the classic dish. Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with these flavorful renditions of Three-Cup Chicken!
CREAMY SPINACH GARLIC PARMESAN CHICKEN
Creamy spinach garlic Parmesan chicken is a delicious, fast and easy dinner recipe. Perfect served over pasta or with a simple side salad.
Provided by Alida Ryder
Categories Dinner
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts between two sheet of parchment paper and thin out with a meat mallet or a rolling pin. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper.
- Brown chicken in a large pan or skillet for 5-6 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the onions and garlic to the pan and cook until soft and translucent.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
- Pour in the cream, sour cream and lemon juice. Season to taste. Allow the sauce to simmer for 5-7 minutes until thickened then add the Parmesan and chicken back to the sauce.
- Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 5 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Serve with pasta or rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 284 kcal, Carbohydrate 5 g, Protein 30 g, Fat 16 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, Cholesterol 115 mg, Sodium 345 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, ServingSize 1 serving
THREE CUP CHICKEN
This is Taiwan's national dish. The "three cups" refer to the primary ingredients: soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil. I must admit, I use less than a full cup of sesame oil! It is originally a Chinese dish, but very popular in Taiwan. This version, with Thai basil, is made in the Taiwan style. The traditional Jiangxi recipe has no basil.
Provided by Jet Tila
Categories main-dish
Time 1h30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Cut the wings into three sections. Save the wingtips for stock or discard them. Pat the drum and flat sections dry with paper towels.
- Rehydrate the mushrooms in warm tap water, about 15 minutes. When softened, remove the stems and cut the caps into quarter-moon pieces. Discard the stems.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the oil, ginger slices, garlic, chiles and white sections of the green onions. Stir fry until aromatic and beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Move the aromatics to one side of the pan and add the chicken pieces in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook each piece of chicken until golden brown on all sides, turning occasionally. If the aromatics start to get too dark, remove them to a small plate and reserve.
- When the chicken is golden, add the rice wine, thin soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and mushroom caps. Add the aromatics back to the pot if you removed them. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Loosely cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so all the pieces get color and flavor.
- If the cooking liquid is thin, remove the lid, raise the heat to medium and allow the sauce to reduce. Stir frequently to prevent burning. The bubbles will get larger and start to glaze onto the chicken pieces. When the sauce has reduced to a rich glaze, taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Garnish with the green onion tops and Thai basil if using. Serve immediately.
THREE CUP CHICKEN WITH GARLIC SPINACH
Steps:
- For the rice: Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs clear, to remove excess starch. Place the rinsed rice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover tightly with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, keep covered and set aside until ready to serve. For the chicken: Meanwhile, heat a wok over high heat and add the peanut oil. When it begins to smoke, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry quickly for a few seconds. Then add the chicken and let it settle in the pan for 30 seconds before stir-frying for 2 to 3 minutes until it browns. Add the soy sauce, rice wine and toasted sesame oil; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 6 minutes. Stir well and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is reduced to a thick, sticky consistency and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the basil leaves and allow them to wilt slightly. For the spinach: In a separate pan or another wok, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the spinach leaves and toss with tongs, or chopsticks until wilted (adding a splash of water to facilitate cooking if desired), 2 to 3 minutes. When ready to serve, uncover the pan of steamed rice. Using a fork, fluff up the rice and divide among 4 plates. Serve with a generous portion of the chicken, garnish with chile rings and more basil leaves, if desired. Serve the spinach on the side.
LEMON AND GARLIC CHICKEN WITH SPICED SPINACH
This is a heavenly combination; I'm not sure what I like best, the subtly spiced spinach or the chicken. They make a great combo. When you add the rinsed spinach to the pan after cooking the chicken it will wilt in the liquid left on the leaves after washing, and it will deglaze the pan at the same time.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, quick, main course
Time 30m
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Cut each chicken breast into 2 equal pieces (3 if they are 12 ounces or more) and place in the bowl. Stir together and refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes.
- Combine ground allspice, coriander or cumin, and cinnamon in a small bowl or ramekin and set aside.
- Remove chicken from the marinade and pat dry (discard marinade). Place two sheets of plastic wrap (1 large sheet if you have extra-wide wrap) on your work surface, overlapping slightly, to make 1 wide sheet, and brush lightly with olive oil. Place a piece of chicken in the middle of plastic sheet and brush lightly with oil. Cover the chicken with another wide layer of plastic wrap. Working from the center to the outside, pound chicken breast with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about 1/4 inch thick. (Don't pound too hard or you'll tear the meat. If that happens it won't be the end of the world, you'll just have a few pieces to cook.) Repeat with the remaining chicken breast pieces.
- Season pounded chicken breasts with salt and pepper on one side only. Dredge lightly in the flour (you won't use all of it).
- Turn oven on low. Heat a wide, heavy skillet over high heat and add the oil. When oil is hot, place one or two pieces of chicken in the pan - however many will fit without crowding the pan. Cook for for 1 1/2 minutes until bottom is browned in spots. Turn over and brown on other side, about 1 1/2 minutes. (Do not overcook or chicken will be dry.) Transfer to a platter or sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. If there is more than a tablespoon of fat in the pan, pour some (but not all) of it off into a jar or bowl.
- Turn burner heat down to medium. Add ground spices to the pan and when they begin to sizzle add spinach and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and deglazing the bottom of the pan with the liquid that comes off the spinach, until spinach wilts, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a platter or to plates and serve with the chicken.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 333, UnsaturatedFat 14 grams, Carbohydrate 10 grams, Fat 18 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 34 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 591 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram, TransFat 0 grams
THREE-CUP CHICKEN
Ask 30 people how to make this simple Taiwanese recipe, and you'll receive 30 different responses. Some fry the chicken before braising it, use more oil, less wine, different blends of soy sauce. Debates rage over how thick the sauce should be, over which parts of the chicken to use. (Few follow the folk recipe that calls for making the sauce with a cup each of sesame oil, soy sauce and rice wine. "If you actually cook it that way," says Eddie Huang, the Taiwanese-American chef who inspired the television program "Fresh Off the Boat," "you'll be in trouble.") Our reporting and testing led us to the recipe below. Use it as a starting point, and then make it your own.
Provided by Sam Sifton
Categories dinner, easy, lunch, quick, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Heat a wok over high heat and add 2 tablespoons sesame oil. When the oil shimmers, add the ginger, garlic, scallions and peppers, and cook until fragrant, approximately 2 minutes.
- Scrape the aromatics to the sides of the wok, add remaining oil and allow to heat through. Add the chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and crisping at the edges, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add sugar and stir to combine, then add the rice wine and soy sauce, and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat, then simmer until the sauce has reduced and started to thicken, approximately 15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add the basil and stir to combine. Serve with white rice.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 673, UnsaturatedFat 32 grams, Carbohydrate 10 grams, Fat 48 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 40 grams, SaturatedFat 12 grams, Sodium 764 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
Tips:
- Choose high-quality chicken: Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks for the best flavor and texture. If you prefer boneless, skinless chicken, be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot: This will help to distribute the heat evenly and prevent the chicken from sticking.
- Don't crowd the pot: Cook the chicken in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pot. This will help to ensure that the chicken cooks evenly.
- Cook the chicken until it is cooked through: The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit before serving.
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh garlic, ginger, and spinach will give the dish the best flavor.
- Garnish with green onions: Green onions add a pop of color and flavor to the dish.
Conclusion:
Three-cup chicken is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. The tender chicken, flavorful sauce, and fresh vegetables make this dish a hit with everyone who tries it. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal that is sure to please, give three-cup chicken a try.
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