Mouth Watering Chicken Recipe
Today, I’m excited to share a recipe for a classic dish from Sichuan—Mouthwatering Chicken (Kou Shui Ji). This dish features tender, juicy chicken that starts with a burst of rich, savory flavor, followed by a subtle, spicy kick. The perfect balance of spiciness, aroma, and tenderness makes it a favorite among many food lovers.
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Many people might be put off by the name "Mouthwatering Chicken," mistakenly thinking it refers to saliva. However, the name actually highlights how irresistibly delicious this dish is—so good it makes your mouth water just thinking about it. The preparation is straightforward, and here are some important tips and techniques to help you create this flavorful dish.
1.About Mouthwatering Chicken
Mouthwatering Chicken, or "Kou Shui Ji," is a traditional dish from Sichuan, renowned for its rich blend of spices and the perfect balance of numbing, spicy, and savory flavors. This dish is so beloved that it has earned the praise, "Famed throughout Sichuan and unparalleled across twelve provinces."
The key to preparing Mouthwatering Chicken lies in the broth used to cook the chicken. The broth must be handled with care to preserve the soluble proteins in the meat, which enhances the chicken's tenderness and imbues it with its distinct aroma and flavor.
As for the name, "Mouthwatering Chicken" might initially sound unappealing, but there's a charming story behind it. The famous Chinese writer Guo Moruo once wrote in his work, *Tan Bo Qu*: "In my youth, I would eat white-cut chicken in my hometown of Sichuan, the tender white meat paired with bright red chili oil—just thinking about it makes my mouth water..." It is from this vivid description that the dish got its name, and it has since become a well-known delicacy.
2.Choosing the Right Chicken
The key ingredient for Mouthwatering Chicken is, of course, the chicken itself. You can opt for a whole chicken, chicken thighs, or even chicken breast. In Sichuan, the dish is traditionally made with free-range chickens, known for their rich flavor and firm texture. However, authentic free-range chicken can be hard to find in the U.S., so regular chicken works just fine.
For this recipe, I used chicken thighs. They’re boneless, making them easy to work with, and they result in tender, juicy meat. But feel free to use your preferred cut of chicken.
3.Ingredients and Substitutes
Mouthwatering Chicken can be made with various ingredients, depending on personal preference. Here are the ingredients I use for this recipe:
Ingredients: Chicken thighs, chili powder, garlic, peanuts, ginger.
Seasonings: Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, sesame oil, cooking wine, scallions, sesame seeds, star anise, bay leaves, soy sauce, and black vinegar.
Important Tip:
All of these ingredients are commonly available, and the seasonings can be easily found at Chinese grocery stores.
4.How to Debone Chicken Thighs
Deboning chicken thighs is a simple process. Here’s how you can do it:
Prepare the Chicken: Start by blanching the chicken thighs in boiling water until they are fully cooked. Place the cooked thighs on a clean cutting board.
Position the Chicken: Hold the chicken thigh firmly on the cutting board with one hand, keeping it steady.
Cut Along the Bone: Using a sharp kitchen knife, start cutting along one side of the bone, beginning at one end of the meat. Cut close to the bone to preserve as much meat as possible.
Separate the Meat from the Bone: Carefully cut through the connective tissues surrounding the bone, gradually working your way around it until the bone is completely detached from the meat.
Remove the Bone: Once the bone is fully separated, gently pull it out from the meat using your hand or knife.
Final Check: Inspect the deboned thigh to ensure no bone fragments remain.
Always be cautious when handling sharp knives, and work on a clean surface to maintain food safety.
5.Serving Suggestions
Mouthwatering Chicken is a cold dish that pairs wonderfully with Jasmine Rice, Easy Egg Fried Rice, or Chow Mein. These sides complement the bold flavors of the chicken and create a satisfying meal.
6.More Chicken Recipes
Easy Big Plate Chicken (Da Pan Ji)
Low-Fat Grilled Chicken Gizzards
I hope you now have a better understanding of Mouthwatering Chicken. Let’s dive in and make this delicious dish together!
INGREDIENTS
MAIN INGREDIENTS
- 300g (2 pieces) chicken thighs
ACCESSORIES
- 6g chili powder
- 2g garlic
- 150g peanuts
- 10g ginger
- Green onions, as needed
SEASONINGS
- 5g Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 piece cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cooking wine
- White sesame seeds, as needed
- 2 star anise
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Prepare the Ingredients:
Thaw the 2 chicken legs and rinse them under cold water to remove any blood. Place them in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Let it boil until the scum rises to the top, then remove the chicken and discard the water.
STEP 2
After boiling, rinse the chicken legs thoroughly under clean water to remove any remaining impurities.
STEP 3
Clean the pot and refill it with water. Add the green onion segments and 3-4 slices of ginger. Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, remove the chicken legs.
Tip:
Rinse the chicken legs with cold water after removing them. Avoid using chopsticks to handle the chicken as the skin is thin and can easily tear, affecting the presentation.
STEP 4
Place the chicken legs back into the pot and add enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the chicken legs sit, covered, for approximately 10 minutes.
STEP 5
Transfer the cooked chicken legs to a bowl of ice water. This helps to keep the meat tender and juicy.
STEP 6
Prepare the sauce: Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 150g of peanuts to the cold oil and cook on low heat until they are about 70-80% cooked. Remove the peanuts from the oil once done.
STEP 7
In the same pan with the oil, cook over low heat. Add the prepared Sichuan peppercorns, bay leaves, dried chili peppers, star anise, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods. Sauté slowly until fragrant.
Tip:
Once the spices have released their aroma, remove them from the oil. You'll be left with flavorful scented oil.
STEP 8
Pour the hot oil over the prepared chili powder and sesame seeds in the bowl.
STEP 9
Finely chop the garlic and ginger and set aside.
STEP 10
Add soy sauce, sesame oil, the minced garlic and ginger, chopped green onions, and crushed peanuts to the bowl with the chili oil. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.
STEP 11
Bone the chilled chicken legs and cut them into even pieces.
STEP 12
Place the cut chicken pieces into a bowl and pour the prepared sauce over them.
STEP 13
Your delicious Mouthwatering Chicken is ready to enjoy!
Recipe analyzer
- Recipes: Mouth Watering Chicken Recipe
- Main Ingredients:6
- Servings per recipe:1
- Servings size:471 g
-
Energy (calories)：1471 kcal
-
Protein：89.53 g
-
Fat：101.77 g
Why gray?
-
Carbohydrates：59.65 g
-
Protein: 24%350 kcal
-
Fat: 60%884 kcal
-
Carbohydrates: 16%237 kcal
The ratio shows whether the proportion of both fatty acids in your diet is optimal. Red color means too much of Omega 6 or too little of Omega 3. The data are rounded off and approximate.
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