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    Home » Chicken » Four Cup Chicken (四杯雞)

    Published: Nov 25, 2019 · Last Modified: Oct 23, 2020 by Jeannette ·

    Four Cup Chicken (四杯雞)

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    You’ve all heard of the Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken, but it’s time to discover a new chicken favourite with our Four Cup Chicken! Juicy, succulent chicken tenderly simmered in its juices until it becomes a divine savoury glaze. You’ll love how EASY it is to make at home!

    Chicken on a plate

    Juicy Four Cup Chicken Recipe

    When it comes to BIG family dinners, this Four Cup Chicken recipe ticks all the right boxes: a deliciously satisfying soy-infused flavour profile, an easy no-fuss experience and the incredibly comforting taste of home. 

    This is a recipe inspired by a fantastic Chinese recipe YouTube channel 美食台foodvideo with a few tweaks of my own. It’s the perfect way to bring all your loved ones to the table…even those from miles away!

    What is four cup chicken?

    Our Four Cup Chicken is a Cantonese spin on the traditional Three Cup Chicken the Taiwanese have perfected. It originated from Shunde, a district in the Guangdong province found in the Pearl River Delta, which has an abundance of freshwater fish. 

    While this is by no means a fish recipe, Four Cup Chicken reflects what the Shunde people hold dearest to their hearts – simple ingredients that emphasise humble flavours. What’s unique about Four Cup Chicken is that it’s noticeably lighter, which means you can enjoy MUCH more of it!

    Every time I see our Four Cup Chicken in all its deliciously moist glory, I’m instantly reminded of home.

    Four Cup chicken on a plate

    What you'll need for Four Cup Chicken

    • 1 whole chicken (feet, bottom and head removed)
    • 8 slices ginger
    • 1 medium purple onion, sliced
    • 1 bundle coriander, cut into thirds  
    • 4 spring onions, divided to fit in the wok
    • 100 mL cooking oil
    • 120 mL light soy sauce (affiliate link)
    • 120 mL rice wine (affiliate link)
    • 3 tbsp sugar
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 3 star anise (affiliate link)
    • 1 Chinese cinnamon (affiliate link)
    Spring onion, coriander, ginger, onion, cinnamon, star anise and bay leaves

    How to make Four Cup Chicken

    Ginger and spring onion in a wok

    Add oil to a wok on high heat and cook the ginger and spring onions until fragrant.

    Light soy sauce and sugar in a wok with spring onion and ginger

    To that, add the light soy sauce, rice wine and sugar. Stir until well combined.

    Coriander in a wok with onion, sauce and dry spices

    After 2 minutes, add the coriander, onion, bay leaves, cinnamon and star anise. Bring to a boil.

    Chopsticks on top of ingredients in a wok

    Optional: put 2 wooden chopsticks in the wok to keep your chicken above the base. This will result in a beautiful golden brown and stop it from charring.

    Four Cup Chicken Steps

    Place the chicken on top of the chopsticks and pour the sauce over the chicken until it is coated. Put a lid on top and let it cook for 5 minutes.

    Rotate the chicken to its side and pour sauce over the chicken until it’s covered. Place a lid on and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Repeat this step until the whole chicken is golden and cooked through.

    It should take about 25 minutes all up, but to test it poke a chopstick through the chicken. If no liquid comes out, it will be ready to take out.

    Rest the chicken until you are ready to serve.

    We like to use a cleaver to chop the chicken up before enjoying it with Ginger Scallion Sauce (薑蔥油) 
    and rice!

    More Juicy Chicken Recipes To Try!

    If you love this recipe, don’t miss out on a chance to bring more succulent chicken to the table!

    • Honey Glazed Ginger Chicken
    • Vietnamese Chicken Ragu (Ga Ragu)
    • Rice Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Rice
    • Saliva Chicken (Sichuan Chicken in Chili Oil 口水鸡)
    Four cup chicken held by chopsticks
    Chicken on a plate

    Four Cup Chicken (四杯雞)

    If you love the Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken, give this easy and light Four Cup Chicken a try! It's a recipe that brings everyone home to your dinner table!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Author: Jeannette

    Ingredients

    • 1 whole chicken (feet, bottom and head removed)
    • 8 slices ginger
    • 1 medium purple onion, sliced
    • 1 bundle coriander, cut into thirds
    • 100 mL cooking oil
    • 120 mL light soy sauce (affiliate link)
    • 120 mL rice wine (affiliate link)
    • 3 tbsp sugar
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 3 star anise (affiliate link)
    • 1 Chinese cinnamon (affiliate link)

    Instructions

    • Add oil to a wok on high heat and cook the ginger and spring onions until fragrant.
    • To that, add the light soy sauce, rice wine and sugar. Stir until well combined.
    • After 2 minutes, add the coriander, onion, bay leaves, cinnamon and star anise. Bring to a boil.
    • Optional: put 2 wooden chopsticks in the wok to keep your chicken above the base. This will result in a golden brown and stop it from charring.
    • Place the chicken on top of the chopsticks and pour the sauce over the chicken until it is coated. Put a lid on top and let it cook for 5 minutes.
    • Rotate the chicken to its side and pour sauce until it’s covered. Place a lid on and let it simmer for another 5 minutes. Repeat this step until the whole chicken is golden and cooked through.
      It should take about 25 minutes all up, but to test it poke a chopstick through the chicken. If no liquid comes out, it will be ready to take out.
    • Rest the chicken until you are ready to serve.
    • Use a cleaver to chop the chicken up before enjoying it with rice!

    Notes

    • This recipe was inspired by 美食台foodvideo‘s Four Cup Chicken!
    Tried this recipe? Tag me TODAY!If you recreated this authentic recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram at @wokandkin.

    SHARE YOUR CREATION!

    If you recreated this authentic recipe, I’d love to see it! Tag @wokandkin on Instagram with the hashtag #wokandkin! See you there!

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    Jeannette on Wok & Kin

    Hello, I’m Jeannette!

    I’ll be sharing recipes that will give you front row access to authentic Chinese and Vietnamese cuisines. Find out about how I discovered my love for cooking and who inspired it all here!

     

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    « Rice Cooker Chicken and Mushroom Rice
    Chinese Fish Soup (魚頭爐) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Veena Azmanov says

      January 06, 2020 at 5:44 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for such a flavorful chicken recipe. So easy to make too. Best for a festive Dinner option too.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 06, 2020 at 5:46 am

        Thanks, Veena! Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    2. Adriana says

      January 06, 2020 at 6:15 am

      5 stars
      I am always looking for good chicken recipes and this is a must-try. The condiments are fantastic combination. Loved using the star anise gives a nice flavor.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 06, 2020 at 6:18 am

        Thanks, Adriana! I’m glad you liked the recipe!

        Reply
    3. Tonje says

      January 06, 2020 at 6:32 am

      5 stars
      This looks so juicy and delicious, I can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 06, 2020 at 6:51 am

        I hope you like it, Tonje!

        Reply
    4. Irina says

      January 06, 2020 at 7:10 am

      5 stars
      We enjoy chicken recipes, and this one seems to become our new favorite. Your pictures are mouthwatering, the recipe is step by step explained. Going to make it ASAP!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 06, 2020 at 7:17 am

        That’s wonderful to hear! Thank you, Irina!

        Reply
    5. Adrianne says

      January 06, 2020 at 8:00 am

      5 stars
      This chicken looks seriously amazing!! I love the golden colour of the skin and also how delicious it looks on that place. The ingredients seem simple and recipe easy to follow, thanks!

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 06, 2020 at 8:15 am

        Thanks, Adrianne!

        Reply
    6. Dannii says

      January 06, 2020 at 9:51 am

      Oooh, I love anything with ginger. So this sounds delicious.

      Reply
      • Jeannette says

        January 06, 2020 at 10:03 am

        Ginger’s great with so many things!

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes

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