When you see the name of this recipe, “mouth water”（口水 Kǒushuǐ), which can be translated as “saliva chicken,” maybe you wonder what is saliva chicken? In Chinese, mouth (口 pinyin: Kǒu) water (水 pinyin: shuǐ) means to salivate. What? Saliva chicken? No. The best English translation is “mouth-watering chicken.” This is because the dish is from Sichuan cuisine: simmered chicken covered with a spicy sauce made with Sichuan peppercorns, xiaomila (millet) chili peppers, and chili oil. Spicy dishes will make you secrete saliva. So, in English, we call it Sichuan Mouth-watering Chicken. The preparation of this dish is not very difficult, if you are interested, you can try it.
Hints and tips for making Sichuan Mouth-watering Chicken:
This recipe calls for simmering the chicken to cook it, and create a tasty chicken broth for the sauce. If possible, use a wok dedicated to simmering and steaming, or a large, deep saucepan. Try to avoid using your seasoned stir-fry wok, as the boiling water will strip the seasoning from the pan.
To skim the foam from the boiling water, wrap a strip of cheesecloth around a large spoon and drag it lightly across the surface. When the foam is removed, wash the cheesecloth in hot, soapy water, then launder it with your kitchen towels. Do not use fabric softeners or dryer sheets in the laundry.
If using dried xiaomila peppers, rehydrate them first.
Sichuan Mouth-watering Chicken
Equipment
- 1 wok
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1 serving plate
- 1 large saucepan (optional, for simmering the chicken)
- 1 wok spatula or ladle
Ingredients
- 1 chicken half
For the broth:
- 2 green onions cut into strips
- 3 g fresh ginger sliced
- 3 g Sichuan peppercorns
- 10 ml Shaoxing cooking wine
- water to cover the chicken
For the sauce:
- 2 green onions finely chopped
- 2 g fresh ginger chopped
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 dried xiaomila “millet” peppers chopped
- 10 ml oyster sauce
- 5 ml Baoning vinegar
- 8 ml light soy sauce
- 3 ml sugar, white (granulated)
- 20 ml reserved chicken broth
- 20 ml caiziyou (roasted rapeseed oil) or other cooking oil
For finishing:
- 15 ml chili oil
- 3 ml Sichuan peppercorn oil
- 3 ml toasted sesame oil
- sesame seeds to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients and wash them.
- Finely chop two of the green onions, 2g ginger, 5 garlic cloves, and the xiaomila peppers, and set aside. For simmering the chicken, slice the remaining 3g of ginger about the thickness of a coin, and cut the remaining green onions into long strips.
- Add enough water to the pot to cover the chicken, then add the chicken, all the peppercorns, some ginger slices, green onions and the cooking wine. Then bring to a boil over high heat until the foam appears. Skim the foam from the surface. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.1 chicken half, 2 green onions, 3 g fresh ginger, 3 g Sichuan peppercorns, 10 ml Shaoxing cooking wine , water to cover the chicken
- Remove the cooked chicken from the broth, rinse with cool water, and set aside on a plate to cool.
- Pour the broth into a heat-proof bowl to save for use in the sauce.
- Chop the chicken into pieces and arrange on a plate.
- Heat 20 ml of oil to 140°C (284°F). Put the green onion, ginger, xiaomila chilies, and garlic together in a mixing bowl, then pour the hot oil over these ingredients to release their flavor. Stir this well to combine, then add oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, and aged vinegar.2 green onions, 2 g fresh ginger, 5 cloves garlic, 3 dried xiaomila “millet” peppers, 10 ml oyster sauce, 5 ml Baoning vinegar , 3 ml sugar, white (granulated), 20 ml caiziyou (roasted rapeseed oil), 8 ml light soy sauce
- Add 20ml of chicken broth and stir well. Finally, add the chili oil, peppercorn oil and sesame oil. Stir again to combine.20 ml reserved chicken broth, 15 ml chili oil, 3 ml Sichuan peppercorn oil, 3 ml toasted sesame oil
- Pour the prepared sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with some sesame seeds, and you’re done.sesame seeds
Notes
- For the beauty of the final product, try not to break the skin of the chicken when cutting the chicken.
- To skim the foam, wrap a strip of cheesecloth around a slotted spoon or spatula and drag it gently over the surface. The foam will cling to the cheesecloth. You can wash the cheesecloth with hot soapy water, and then launder it with your kitchen towels (do not use fabric softeners or dryer sheets).
- When simmering the chicken, try to avoid using your seasoned wok. The boiling water will strip the seasoning. Either use a wok dedicated for simmering and steaming, or use a large saucepan to simmer the chicken.
- If using dried xiaomila chili peppers, rehydrate them.
Nutrition
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THIS RECIPE IS EXCELLENT!!!
A “must make”!!