Sichuan Mouthwatering Saliva Chicken (Kou Shui Ji)
Easy and authentic Sichuan Mouthwatering Chicken (Kou Shui Ji) – tender poached chicken in a bold, spicy, and savory chili sauce. Perfect as an cold appetizer or main dish!
What Is Mouth-Watering Chicken
Mouthwatering Chicken is a popular Sichuan dish. The name Kou Shui Ji literally translates to “Saliva Chicken.” It is a cold poached chicken dish drenched in a bold flavorful sauce made from Sichuan peppercorns, chili oil, garlic, soy sauce, and black vinegar. The chicken is tender and juicy, often served skin-on, sliced, and drizzled with the spicy, savory, slightly sweet sauce.
This dish is traditionally eaten as a cold appetizer, similar to Ginger Scallion Oil Chicken.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make the best Sichuan Mouth-Watering Chicken:
- Chicken Thigh
- Ginger
- Scallion or Green Onion
- Shaoxing Wine
- Garlic
- Soy Sauce
- Chinese Black Vinegar
- Sesame Oil
- Sugar
- Chili Oil
- Sichuan Pepper or Sichuan Peppercorn
- Sesame Seeds
- Cilantro, for garnish
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Mouth-Watering Chicken
- Poach the Chicken: Place chicken thigh, ginger, and scallion in a pot filled with water. Bring it to a boil.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let it sit for another 10 minutes with the lid on.
- Ice Bath: Remove the chicken and plunge it into a bowl of ice bath.
- Make the Sauce: In a bowl, combine garlic, green onions, soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, Sichuan pepper, chili oil, and sesame seeds.
What to Serve with Mouth-Watering Chicken
These are my favorite dishes to serve with mouth-watering chicken:
Substitutions
- Chicken Legs: You can also use chicken thighs or chicken wings.
- Vinegar: If you don’t have Chinese black vinegar, use rice vinegar.
- Heat Level: Adjust the amount of chili oil and peppercorns for less or more heat.
- Sichuan Pepper: Sichuan pepper is the star flavor of this recipe. You can use Sichuan peppercorn and grind the Sichuan pepper yourself, or you can get store-bought ground Sichuan pepper. If you can’t find Sichuan peppercorn, you can substitute with white pepper or black pepper, but note that you will not get that classic mouth-numbing taste.
Equipment
How to Store and Reheat
To Store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To Reheat: This dish is best served cold or at room temperature. If reheating is preferred, you can microwave the chicken to reheat.
Top Tips for Success
Don’t Skip Ice bath: This step is key for creating a firm, bouncy chicken texture.
Use bone-in chicken: It retains more flavor and moisture during poaching. I usually remove the bones after the ice bath.
Fresh Sichuan peppercorns: For maximum aroma, I recommend getting whole peppercorn and freshly grind it into Sichuan pepper powder.
Don’t overcook: Chicken should be tender, not dry. Use a thermometer if unsure—aim for 165°F (74°C).
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Sichuan Mouthwatering Saliva Chicken (Kou Shui Ji)
Ingredients
- 2-3 chicken legs
- 2 scallion, cut in half
- 4 ginger slices
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing Wine
- 4 clove garlic, minced
- 2 scallion or green onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp Sichuan pepper, *see note*
- 2 tbsp chili oil, homemade or store-bought
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- cilantro, for garnish
- crushed peanuts, for garnish
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large pot, add chicken, scallion, ginger slices and Shaoxing wine. Fill the pot with water, enough to cover the chicken.
- Bring it to a boil. Skim off any scum. Then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and let the chicken sit in the pot (with the lid on) for another 10 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked chicken into a bowl of ice bath. This stops the cooking and firms up the texture.
- To make the sauce, combine minced garlic, chopped scallion, soy sauce, black vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, Sichuan pepper, chili oil, and sesame seeds in a bowl. Mix until well combined.
- To serve, slice the cooled chicken and arrange it on a serving plate. I like to remove the chicken bone before slicing.
- Spoon the sauce generously over the chicken. Garnish with crushed peanuts and cilantro. Serve cold immediately and enjoy!
