Three Cup Chicken (三杯鸡)

🇹🇼 Taiwan

Servings: 4 to 6 Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 70 minutes Total: 85 minutes

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken wings (or boneless thigh cut into large bite-size pieces, or drumsticks)
1/4 cup sesame oil
3 inches ginger, thinly sliced
16 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
6 dried chili peppers
1/3 cup Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 bunch basil, stems removed

Heat sesame oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over low heat. Add ginger and fry slowly until it browns and curls at the edges, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic and dried chili peppers. Cook until garlic turns light golden, about 5 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-low. Push aromatics to the side and add chicken in a single layer, rearranging aromatics on top if needed.
Cook chicken undisturbed until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes, then flip and brown the other side, another 5 to 7 minutes.
Add Shaoxing wine, scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom. Return aromatics to the pan if removed, and stir together.
Add soy sauce and sugar, stirring to coat all the chicken.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low or medium-low. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove lid; sauce should be thickened and coating the chicken. If still watery, cook uncovered a few more minutes, stirring frequently.
Add basil, stir, and cook 2 more minutes until sauce is thick and glossy. Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot over steamed rice.