Three-Cup Chicken Noodles
By David YuPublished on April 3, 2026
Time
30 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
12 ounces fresh lo mein noodles or 8 ounces spaghetti1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided2 teaspoons vegetable oil 8 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed, sliced crosswise ½ inch thick6 tablespoons soy sauce 6 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry2 tablespoons packed brown sugar 2 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), sliced on bias ¼ inch thick1–2 Fresno chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded, and sliced thin crosswise1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
Before You Begin
Chewy fresh lo mein noodles are especially good in this dish, but spaghetti works just fine. To save time, prep your ingredients while the water comes to boil.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Add 12 ounces fresh lo mein noodles or 8 ounces spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes for lo mein and 7 to 12 minutes for spaghetti. Drain noodles and rinse under cold running water. Drain well and set aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, 8 minced garlic cloves, and 2 teaspoons grated ginger in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to turn golden brown, about 4 minutes.
- Add 1 pound chicken thighs, trimmed, sliced crosswise ½ inch thick; 6 tablespoons soy sauce; 6 tablespoons rice wine; and 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and sauce is reduced and begins to cling to chicken, about 6 minutes.
- Add 2 heads baby bok choy, sliced on bias ¼ inch thick and 1–2 Fresno chiles, halved, seeded, and sliced thin crosswise and cook until bok choy is just beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Add noodles and toss to combine. Off heat, stir in 1 cup Thai basil leaves and remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Garnish with extra basil and serve.
Time
30 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
12 ounces fresh lo mein noodles or 8 ounces spaghetti
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed, sliced crosswise ½ inch thick
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), sliced on bias ¼ inch thick
1–2 Fresno chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded, and sliced thin crosswise
1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
Ingredients
12 ounces fresh lo mein noodles or 8 ounces spaghetti
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed, sliced crosswise ½ inch thick
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), sliced on bias ¼ inch thick
1–2 Fresno chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded, and sliced thin crosswise
1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
Ingredients
12 ounces fresh lo mein noodles or 8 ounces spaghetti
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed, sliced crosswise ½ inch thick
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), sliced on bias ¼ inch thick
1–2 Fresno chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded, and sliced thin crosswise
1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
Why This Recipe Works
This dish brings the robustly savory, slightly sweet flavors of Taiwanese three-cup chicken to a saucy noodle dish. We begin by slowly cooking lots of garlic with ginger in sesame oil (one of our three “cups” of liquid) until golden brown and sweet. The remaining two “cups” of liquid—soy sauce and rice wine—go into the pan with brown sugar (a sub for the rock sugar in the traditional dish). We simmer sliced chicken thighs in the sauce until it begins to thicken to a glazy consistency that clings to the meat, then add sliced bok choy and Fresno chiles. We stir in chewy fresh lo mein, which soaks up some of the flavorful sauce, thickening it a little more. Thai basil stirred in off heat adds pops of bright herbaceous notes.
Before You Begin
Chewy fresh lo mein noodles are especially good in this dish, but spaghetti works just fine. To save time, prep your ingredients while the water comes to boil.
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Add 12 ounces fresh lo mein noodles or 8 ounces spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes for lo mein and 7 to 12 minutes for spaghetti. Drain noodles and rinse under cold running water. Drain well and set aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, 8 minced garlic cloves, and 2 teaspoons grated ginger in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to turn golden brown, about 4 minutes.
- Add 1 pound chicken thighs, trimmed, sliced crosswise ½ inch thick; 6 tablespoons soy sauce; 6 tablespoons rice wine; and 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and sauce is reduced and begins to cling to chicken, about 6 minutes.
- Add 2 heads baby bok choy, sliced on bias ¼ inch thick and 1–2 Fresno chiles, halved, seeded, and sliced thin crosswise and cook until bok choy is just beginning to soften, about 1 minute. Add noodles and toss to combine. Off heat, stir in 1 cup Thai basil leaves and remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Garnish with extra basil and serve.
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