Three Cup Chicken is one of Taiwan’s national dishes. It gets its name from the original recipe which includes one cup each of sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine for one whole chicken. With simple aromatics, ginger, garlic, (Thai) basil, and scallions, the dish’s simple, straightforward flavors are layered and made more complex by their addition and the cooking method.
I have turned this beloved dish into spring rolls, and now, out of sheer laziness, I turned it into a mayonnaise-less gown salad to be spooned onto soft bread for easy packed lunches.
Three Cup Chicken Salad
2 c pulled chicken, packed
1 T ginger, grated
1 T garlic, grated
2 stalks scallions, chopped
1 T agave
2 T low sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 T toasted sesame oil
Handful of (Thai) basil leaves, roughly torn or shocked
In a bowl, combine the ginger, garlic, scallions, agave, soy sauce, and basil leaves. Heat the sesame oil until it shimmers, then pour the hot oil over the sauce mixture. It should bubble and crackle. Stir and let sit five minutes to lightly cook. Then, pour the sauce over the pulled chicken. Let marinate for half an hour before serving for best flavor. Serve with toast, sandwich rolls, guabao, crisps, or on a wrap.
Stereotype Rebel 