Three-Cup Chicken With Homemade Noodles

A staple of Taiwanese home cooking, three-cup chicken (san bei ji) is a punchy, sweet, weeknight-friendly dish usually eaten with white rice. Its name comes from the apparent ratio of its core ingredients: one cup of Shaoxing rice wine, one cup of soy sauce, and one cup of sesame oil—though few recipes actually use this exact combination. Our three-cup chicken recipe has a little more Chinese cooking wine and a little less sesame oil than most, resulting in a slightly sweeter, thicker, and more robust sauce that clings easily to its value-add starch: homemade scissor-cut noodles.

If you’ve never made homemade noodles before, these simple scissor-cut ones are an approachable place to start. Don’t be afraid to adjust based on the feel of the dough: If it’s too dry, add a touch more water, and if it’s too sticky, add a touch more flour. By simply snipping the dough directly into boiling water, you get noodles with an adorable curled-in shape and satisfying chew. They’re an excellent companion to the saucy, aromatic chicken dish.

As with most high-heat cooking, the process moves quickly—cut the meat into bite-size pieces (we opt for skinless, boneless chicken thighs, which are less hassle than skin-on, bone-in cuts), then coat with cornstarch and stir-fry in a quickly infused garlic and chile oil. A large skillet or wok both work here; just be sure to mix your sauce ahead of time so it’s ready to pour over the chicken pieces when the time is right. Use regular, not toasted, sesame oil here. Toasted sesame oil is intended for finishing; it will do in a pinch, but its nuttier flavor can turn acrid when cooked for too long. Add fresh basil (if you can find them, Thai basil leaves are ideal) to the pan in the last minute of cooking so they wilt just slightly.

This recipe is part of Make Your Own Noodles. Check out all of the recipes—plus expert tips, handy guides, and more.