A vibrant dish with multiple layers of flavour, mouth-watering chicken is a classic of Sichuan cuisine. It makes a great cold dish for a festive feast.
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What is mouth-watering chicken
Sichuan Mouth-watering Chicken is one of the most popular dishes of Sichuan cuisine. Its Chinese name 口水鸡 (Kou Shui Ji) literally means “Saliva Chicken” which isn’t necessarily an appealing term, but it certainly conveys the appeal of this classic dish.
This delicacy is served as a cold appetiser in typical Chinese multi-dish meals, similar to how Scallion Oil Chicken and Bang Bang Chicken are enjoyed. I particularly like eating it on warm days.
It also makes a great addition to festive feasts, such as Chinese New Year meals. The colour of chilli oil corresponds with the New Year Red. It can be prepared in advance making your festive meal stress-free.
Prepare the chicken in 3 steps
Traditional mouth-watering chicken calls for a whole chicken served chopped with skin and bones. In my recipe, I use whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick attached) instead. For the convenience of the diners, I usually remove the bones prior to slicing. Please feel free to alter the recipe based on your own preference. Chicken thighs and chicken wings are good options as they are also tender and tasty cuts of the chicken.
To cook the chicken legs, there are three steps which take approximately the same time (please adjust the length if you use a whole chicken or other cuts). This particular process will help to fully cook the chicken while still retaining its shape (without falling apart).
- Simmer the chicken in water with Shaoxing rice wine, scallions and ginger for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and allow the remaining heat to cook the chicken for a further 10 minutes.
- Cool the chicken in icy water for 10 minutes.
Make the chilli oil from scratch
Looking at the red, vibrant colour of the chilli oil in mouth-watering chicken, I guess you would immediately understand why this classic Sichuan dish is given such a name. When my 9-year-old son first saw this dish and asked its name, he commented: “It does make me drool!”
Not only does chilli oil make this dish appetizing, it also provides the key flavour: hot and super aromatic. I highly recommend that you make the chilli oil from scratch. It’s a versatile condiment that goes with many Chinese dishes. If you are passionate about Sichuan cuisine, it’s essential to have it in your cupboard. Check out my post on “Make your own chilli oil” in which you can find detailed instruction and a tutorial video).
Make a multi-flavoured sauce
Sichuan mouth-watering chicken is more than just a “hot” dish. It has a sophisticated, multi-layered taste: garlicky, gingery, umami (from the fresh chicken stock), savoury (from soy sauce), sour (from Chinese black rice vinegar), sweet, nutty (from peanuts & sesame) and mouth-numbing (from Sichuan pepper).
Sichuan pepper (花椒) is used in powder form in this recipe. However, I suggest you grind whole Sichuan pepper yourself instead of using a shop-bought one. Freshly toasted and ground Sichuan pepper has a much stronger taste and will make a noticeable difference. Please refer to my post on “Sichuan pepper and how to grind it” for instructions.
Other chicken recipes
Chicken is such a versatile ingredient, right? Here are some classic chicken dishes you might like:
📋 Recipe card
Mouth-watering chicken (Kou Shui Ji, 口水鸡)
Video
Ingredients
Group 1
- 3 whole chicken legs, thigh and drumstick attached
- 1 stalk scallions, cut in half
- 5 slices ginger
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine
Group 2
- 2 tablespoon raw peanuts/cashew nuts, skinless
Group 3
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 60 ml fresh chicken stock (made with the ingredients from Group 1), 1/4 cup
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon black rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground Sichuan pepper, see note 1
Group 4
- 1 stalk scallions, finely chopped
- 60 ml homemade chilli oil, 1/4 cup, see note 2
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Cook the chicken
- Place all the ingredients from Group 1 into a pot filled with water (enough to immerse the chicken).
- Bring it to a full boil then turn the heat down. Leave to simmer with a lid on for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and keep the chicken in the pot (covered) for a further 10 minutes.
- Then transfer the chicken into a bowl of cold water (ideally with ice cubes). Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Toast the nuts
- While waiting for the chicken to cook, toast the peanuts/cashew nuts in a cold wok over a low heat until they become lightly brown.
- Leave to cool then crush them into small pieces.
Prepare the sauce
- Combine all the ingredients from group 3 (see note 1).
Assemble the dish
- Carefully remove the bones of the chicken legs. Slice the flesh into 1-2 cm wide strips.
- Pour the sauce into a serving plate. Lay the chicken in.
- Garnish with crushed peanuts/cashew nuts and scallions.
- Pour the chilli oil (see note 2) over and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Notes
Your Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
For Australian followers, the chicken pieces in this recipe, which is the drumstick and thigh are sold as chicken marylands at the supermarket.
Usually chicken legs here only refers to the drumstick.
Thank you for pointing this out! Yes, I mean whole chicken legs, with the thigh and drumstick attached. It’s helpful to know they’re sold as chicken Marylands in Australia. I’ll improve the wording in the recipe to avoid confusion.