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Saliva Chicken—Mouthwatering Chicken

April 6, 2015 45 Comments

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One of the most famous Szechuan style chicken dishes–poached chicken in chili sauce

mouth watering chicken-Saliva Chicken

The Chinese name is “口水鸡” (Kou Shui Ji), so it is sometimes translated into Saliva chicken directly. This name may sound quite weird or uncomfortable. Mouthwatering chicken is a better one. Whenever you get a chance to visit an authentic Szechuan restaurant, order it!!!

The short poaching cooking skill will make the chicken meat super tender and it is also used in Cantonese white cut chicken. After cooking, soak the chicken in iced water can tighten the skin. There are several important tips to make perfect Saliva chicken at home with tender texture and excellent Szechuan style mala flavor.

About the chicken
I would recommend using whole chicken (younger ones around 2 pounds) for this recipe as a whole chicken offers maximum Chicken skin (the best part of this dish).

Clean the chicken and remove feet and head. In a large pot, add chicken, green onion and 3-4 slices of ginger and cooking wine. Then pour enough water to cover the chicken. Bring the content to a boiling with medium fire and continue cooking for around 8 minutes (for longer ones, you may need 10-15 minutes). Turn off the fire, cover the lid and let the chicken stay for around 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken out and soak it with iced water. Turn over several times during the process until the chicken is completely cooled down. Cut chicken into chunks when it is completely cooled down to get smooth edges.

water mouthing chicken step

About the chili oil
Szechuan style chili oil is the soul of this dish. Store-bought ones are good enough!! Additionally, chili oil should be prepared firstly because the color of the red oil will become brighter after hours of resting. I list the ingredient for around 1 cup of oil. However we only need around 4 to 6 tablespoons in this recipe. You can use this chili oil in many other Szechuan style dishes like bon bon chicken, or Szechuan style chicken noodle salad.

If you want to get an authentic Sichuan style chili oil from whole peppers, check this.

water mouthing chicken step2
mouth watering chicken-Saliva Chicken

mouth watering chicken-Saliva Chicken

If you love spicy chicken, check my favorite Chongqing Mala Chicken.

5 from 4 votes
Print
Saliva Chicken-Mouthwatering Chicken
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
 
Famous Szechuan style chicken salad--mouthwatering chicken
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Sichuan cuisine
Keyword: chicken
Servings: 2
Calories: 1440 kcal
Author: Elaine
Ingredients
  • 1 chicken , around 2 pound
  • 4 ginger slices
  • 2 green onions
  • 1 tablespoon cooking wine
  • Peanuts , toasted and crushed
  • White sesame seeds , toasted
Chili oil
  • 2 slices of ginger
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chili flakes
  • 1.5 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn , or powder
  • 1.5 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Other ingredients for the Sauce
  • 4-6 tablespoons Szechuan style chili oil
  • 2 tablespoons black vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoon cooking wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves , smashed
  • 1/2 tablespoon minced green onion
  • Minced coriander
Instructions
Szechuan combined chili oil
  1. In a small bowl, mix chili powder, Sichuan peppercorn, five spice powder and sesame seeds.
  2. In a pan, add bay leaves, cumin, ginger slices and star anise, pour in around 1 cup of oil and heat until hot over slowest fire (if the spices are overheated, they become bitter). Discard all the spices and leave the oil only.

  3. Pour the hot oil directly to the powder mixture in the small bowl. You will smell the strong aroma during the process. Set the Szechuan combined chili oil aside. I highly recommend you making the chili oil in the previous day so there are sometime for the spices mix together. Or if you do not have pepper flakes, check this post introducing how to make chili oil from whole chili peppers.

Prepare the chicken
  1. Clean the chicken and remove feet and head. In a large pot, add chicken, green onion and 3-4 slices of ginger and cooking wine. Then pour enough water to cover the chicken. Bring the content to a boiling with medium fire and continue cooking for around 8 minutes (see note 1 for the adjusting of the time needed). Turn off the fire, cover the lid and let the chicken stay for around 20 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, prepare enough iced water. Transfer the chicken out and soak it with iced water. Turn over several times during the process until the chicken is completely cooled down. Cut into chunks and lay in the serving bowl.
  3. Mix around 4 to 6 tablespoons of chili oil with other ingredients to prepare the sauce.
  4. Toast peanuts and white sesame in pan until aroma and then crush with a rolling pin or crusher.
  5. Pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish with toasted peanuts and white sesame seeds and enjoy!
Recipe Notes

For larger chicken, lengthen the poach time but no longer than 15 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Saliva Chicken-Mouthwatering Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 1440 Calories from Fat 990
% Daily Value*
Fat 110g169%
Saturated Fat 25g156%
Cholesterol 340mg113%
Sodium 963mg42%
Potassium 1258mg36%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 90g180%
Vitamin A 3660IU73%
Vitamin C 11.1mg13%
Calcium 190mg19%
Iron 9.3mg52%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

mouth watering chicken-Saliva Chicken

Learn Chinese via Chinese Food Menu

Saliva Chicken   口水鸡  kǒu-shuǐ-jī       kǒushuǐ means saliva

Filed Under: Featured, poultry, Recipes, Sichuan Food

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  1. Bob says

    January 30, 2020 at 4:13 am

    Hi Elaine, how are you today? Would you mind sharing background information/knowledge/significance of this dish? I have a project and choose this and there aren’t really websites about it. Reply when you can.

    Thanks^^

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      February 5, 2020 at 1:58 pm

      Sorry Bob for the late reply. We are in the suspending because of the now disease in China and I am just back to work.Yes, I would love to help.

      Reply
  2. Christine says

    October 4, 2020 at 10:53 pm

    After boiling the chicken, do you dispose of the chicken cooking liquid or add it to the chili oil as part of the sauce???

    Reply
    • Elaine says

      October 6, 2020 at 7:15 pm

      Christine,
      I don’t use the liquid for boiling the chicken in this particular recipe.

      Reply
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Hi, Welcome!

Please not be limited by site name, as Elaine shares Chinese recipes beyond Sichuan dishes. Know me more from About Page

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