Instant Pot Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji) 三杯鷄
User Reviews
5
-
Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
55 mins
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Servings
2 - 4
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Calories
304 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Lunch, Dinner
Instant Pot Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji) 三杯鷄
Description
Instant Pot Three Cup Chicken (San Bei Ji) uses equal parts sesame oil, rice cooking wine, and soy sauce combined with rock sugar, ginger, garlic, dried chili, and fresh Thai basil to create its namesake sauce. Chicken drumsticks are sautéed with aromatics, deglazed, then pressure cooked briefly to achieve a tender texture without drying. This method preserves the vibrant flavors of ginger and garlic and integrates the sweetness of rock sugar with the salty umami of soy sauces.
The dish yields richly flavored chicken with a glossy sauce that clings well to the meat. Fresh Thai basil scattered at the end adds a bright herbal note that balances the savory and spicy elements.
Serve this dish with steamed rice to soak up the sauce. The recipe includes an optional thickener to adjust the sauce consistency if desired.
After cooking, rate the recipe in the comments to share your experience and improvements.
Ingredients
- 8 (827g) chicken drumstick chopped (or whole
- ¼ cup (63ml) sesame oil
- ¼ cup (63ml) rice cooking wine or Shaoxing rice wine
- ¼ cup (63ml) soy sauce regular
- 15 grams (1 tbsp) rock sugar raw cane sugar; Chinese: 黃冰糖
- 32 grams ginger , peeled & thinly sliced
- 14 garlic peeled & crushed, cloves
- 3 dried red chili Chinese
- ½ tablespoon (7.5ml) dark soy sauce
- 10 - 16 Thai basil fresh leaves
Optional Thickener:
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water cold
Instructions
- Prepare Pressure Cooker: Heat up your pressure cooker over medium heat (Instant Pot: press Sauté button). Make sure your pot is as hot as it can be (Instant Pot: wait until indicator says HOT).
- Sauté Ginger and Garlic: Add ¼ cup (63ml) sesame oil, 32g sliced ginger, and 14 garlic cloves in the pressure cooker. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sauté Chicken Drumsticks: Add in the chopped or whole chicken drumsticks. Then, sauté for 3 minutes. Pour in ¼ cup (63ml) rice cooking wine and let it boil for a minute to evaporate some of the alcohol content.
- Pressure Cook Chicken: Add ¼ cup (63ml) regular soy sauce, 3 dried Chinese red chili, and 15g (1 tbsp) rock sugar. Close the lid and pressure cook at For Chopped Chicken Drumsticks: High Pressure for 5 minutes + 10 minutes Natural Release or For Whole Chicken Drumsticks: High Pressure for 8 minutes + 10 minutes Natural Release. Open the lid carefully.
- Thicken Sauce: Place chicken pieces in a large serving bowl. Heat up your pressure cooker (Instant Pot: press Sauté button), and bring the sauce back to a boil. Add in roughly 1/2 tbsp (7.5ml) dark soy sauce to give it some color and sweeten it a little. Optional: Mix 2 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water and stir the mixture into the sauce one third at a time until desired thickness.
- Taste & Adjust Seasoning: Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with more regular soy sauce if necessary. Stir in 10 – 16 fresh Thai basil leaves.
- Serve: Pour the sauce into the large serving bowl with chicken. Mix well. Serve immediately with your favorite side dish.
Notes
- After cooking, rate the recipe in the comments to share your experience and improvements.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2- 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 304 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 304kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 25g | 50% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 127mg | 42% |
| Sodium | 491mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 358mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 105IU | 2% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 23mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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