The Scoop
Three cups, one seriously flavorful dinner!
 This Taiwanese-inspired classic brings together tender chicken thighs, garlic, ginger, soy, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and fragrant Thai basil in a glossy, savory-sweet sauce.
Serve it over rice and let the basil hit the pan at the end for that unmistakable aromatic finish.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup Shaoxing wine
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 bunch Thai basil leaves
- rice, optional, cooked, for serving
Directions
- Toss the chicken pieces together with the baking soda and set the mixture aside for 10 minutes.
- Rinse the chicken with water to wash away the baking soda and pat dry the chicken with paper towels.
- Mix the Shaoxing wine, the soy sauce, the dark soy sauce, and the brown sugar in a small bowl.
- Add two tablespoons of the sesame oil to a wok, heating it over medium-high heat.
- Add the garlic and the ginger, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add in the chicken and toss, stir-frying until no longer pink and starting to lightly brown, about 4-minutes.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the chicken and reduce the heat to medium. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.
- Make a slurry with the cornstarch and the water by combining it, then add it to the wok and stir. The sauce should thicken almost immediately.
- Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil over the chicken.
- Add the basil leaves and stir well with the chicken.
- Serve immediately over cooked rice.
×
