Watch Cooking Channel

Three Cup Chicken with Garlic Spinach

Photo: Three Cup Chicken with Garlic Spinach

TOTAL TIME: 50 min
Prep: 10 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 40 min
 
YIELD: 2 to 4 servings
LEVEL: Easy

ingredients

STEAMED RICE:
  • 1 3/4 cups jasmine rice
      CHICKEN:
      • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
      • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
      • One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thin coins
      • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
      • 1/4 cup light soy
      • 1/4 cup Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
      • 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil (see Cook's Note)
      • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
      • 1 small handful Thai basil leaves, or Italian basil, plus extra for garnish
        SPINACH:
        • Two 6-ounce bags baby spinach leaves
        • Pinch sea salt
          GARNISH:
          • 1 medium red Fresno chile, seeded and sliced into rings, for garnish
            recipe tools

              • COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT

                  

              Sign in

              All fields are required.

              E-mail Address:

              Password:

              Remember me on this computer

              Signing in

              Please enter your email address and we will send your password

              E-mail Address

              Your password has been sent and should arrive in your mailbox very soon.

              Not a member?

              Sign up for My Cooking Channel to share photos, show off your style, and connect to an enthusiastic and helpful community.

              It's free and easy.

            • Print Recipe

            Directions

            Cook's Note: It's important to use toasted sesame oil, which reduces as it cooks, and not pure sesame oil, which will continue to cook and not reduce or thicken. The final dish should be slightly sticky.

            For the rice: Rinse the jasmine rice until the water runs clear, to remove excess starch. Place the rinsed rice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and add 2 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover tightly with a lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, keep covered and set aside until ready to serve.

            For the chicken: Meanwhile, heat a wok over high heat and add the peanut oil. When it begins to smoke, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry quickly for a few seconds. Then add the chicken and let it settle in the pan for 30 seconds before stir-frying for 2 to 3 minutes until it browns.

            Add the soy sauce, rice wine and toasted sesame oil; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 6 minutes. Stir well and add the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is reduced to a thick, sticky consistency and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in the basil leaves and allow them to wilt slightly.

            For the spinach: In a separate pan or another wok, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the spinach leaves and toss with tongs, or chopsticks until wilted (adding a splash of water to facilitate cooking if desired), 2 to 3 minutes.

            When ready to serve, uncover the pan of steamed rice. Using a fork, fluff up the rice and divide among 4 plates. Serve with a generous portion of the chicken, garnish with chile rings and more basil leaves, if desired. Serve the spinach on the side.

            COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT

                

            Sign in

            All fields are required.

            E-mail Address:

            Password:

            Remember me on this computer

            Signing in

            Please enter your email address and we will send your password

            E-mail Address

            Your password has been sent and should arrive in your mailbox very soon.

            Not a member?

            Sign up for My Cooking Channel to share photos, show off your style, and connect to an enthusiastic and helpful community.

            It's free and easy.

            Review This Recipe

            You must be logged in to review this recipe.

            or Sign Up to Review

            5

            Newest Ratings and Reviews

            Read all 15 reviews

            • on April 15, 2013

              Flag

              Delicious. I used toasted sesame oil, but still had to add more brown sugar and cornstarch to get it to thicken.

              people found this review Helpful.
              Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

            • on September 27, 2012

              Flag

              This dish was delicous. We used regular sesame oil rather than toasted. I think that may make a difference on the thickness of the sauce. Very good otherwise.

              people found this review Helpful.
              Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

            • on September 11, 2012

              Flag

              Easy and quick to make. My fiance normally does the wok cooking, so I was a bit nervous to try the dish. It turned out beautifully! The only disappointment was that there weren't more leftovers for lunch the next day.

              people found this review Helpful.
              Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
            Advertisement

            On TV

            *ALL TIMES EASTERN
            ON AIR
            NOW
            TONIGHT
            10:00
            PM

            what's hot

            Tripping Out with Alie & Georgia
            Tripping Out with Alie & Georgia Host: Alie Ward & Georgia Hardstark

            Get Cooking Channel on your TV.

            Learn How