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.
INGREDIENTS
- 300g (2 pieces) chicken thighs
DIRECTIONS
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.
After boiling, rinse the chicken legs thoroughly under clean water to remove any remaining impurities.
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.
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.
Transfer the cooked chicken legs to a bowl of ice water. This helps to keep the meat tender and juicy.
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.
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.
Pour the hot oil over the prepared chili powder and sesame seeds in the bowl.
Finely chop the garlic and ginger and set aside.
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.
Bone the chilled chicken legs and cut them into even pieces.
Place the cut chicken pieces into a bowl and pour the prepared sauce over them.
Your delicious Mouthwatering Chicken is ready to enjoy!