Saliva Chicken (Sichuan Chicken in Chili Oil 口水鸡)

This is called ‘Saliva Chicken’ for a reason – the recipe will yield the most succulent and silky Sichuan chicken you’ve EVER eaten. It’s smothered in a wildly aromatic chili oil and can be served hot or cold. Make it ahead of time and let the flavors soak right in!

Mouthwatering for all the right reasons

You haven’t had chicken until you’ve tried a Sichuan style Saliva Chicken. This is a hero of a dish and deserves to be served as part of the A-list of mains.

That wonderous mountain of protein may LOOK like it’s all for show, but let me tell you what you’ll be getting yourself into:

• Super tender chicken pieces with a perfectly firm bite that just slides in your mouth. Yes, it’s that silky.
• A sauce pool that cascades down in a waterfall of spicy and robust aromatics. It’s almost identical to our Sichuan Garlic Chili Oil, so you know you’re in for a treat.
• A recipe that only gets better with time. The longer you let the flavors absorb, the tastier it will be. Make it in advance and give yourself that extra ME time.

If you want a meal that’s going to make every mouth at the table water (before, during AND after), Saliva Chicken is a must-try!

Why this recipe works

• Turning off the temperature for Saliva Chicken to slowly cook in the residual heat will result in a tender and juicy bite.
• Infusing aromatics into the oil means there is a subtle yet fragrant kick of flavor in the sauce.
• Cooling using an ice bath ensure the meat stays firm and the skin smooth.

What you’ll need

For the poultry

About the poultry

This Saliva Chicken recipe is traditionally made using the whole bird, but you can certainly use the cut that you prefer.

For the chili oil

About the cooking oil

It’s best to use a neutral flavored oil so that the aromatics can really come through. Great options with a high smoking point include peanut, vegetable, canola, grapeseed or rice bran oil.

For the sauce

About the vinegar

You can find black vinegar in Chinese supermarkets. If it’s not available, you can substitute it for white rice vinegar.

For the garnish

About the herbs

They can all be found fresh in Asian grocery stores. Herbs are often sold in bundles so you will more than likely get more than needed for this Saliva Chicken recipe, but they can be used to garnish many other dishes.

How to make this recipe

The poultry

Smash the ginger until flat.

Wash and cut the leeks into 15 cm (6″) segments or 1 cm (0.4″) segments if using a large one.

Bring the water to a boil in a large wok or pot and add the smashed ginger, leek, salt, green peppercorns and Shaoxing rice wine.

Start making Saliva Chicken by dunking the bird in from the neck or head until the body is completely submerged, then lift it out of the water to let the liquid drain out of the inside.

Repeat this step 3 times. This is done to cook everything evenly from the inside out.

Submerge the chicken into the pot of water. Put the lid on and turn off the heat, then let it sit in the heated water for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until cooked.

Tip: Poke a chopstick deep into the flesh. If blood comes out, it needs to sit in the heated broth for longer.

After 1 hour and 30 minutes, prepare a large bowl of ice cold water. Take the chicken out of the pot and put it in the ice bath to cool. Reserve 4 tbsp of the remaining stock.

The chili oil

On a low heat, lightly toast the sesame seeds for 5 minutes or until golden.

In a bowl, combine the chili powder, white sesame seeds and salt.

Add the spring onion, garlic, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon and Sichuan peppercorns into the oil and heat it for 5 minutes or until the ingredients have browned and oil is smoking.

Pour the oil through a sieve into the chili powder mix so the spring onion, garlic, bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon and Sichuan peppercorns are removed.

Stir well, then let it rest as you prepare the sauce.

The Sauce

Smash the ginger, garlic and chili using a mortar and pestle until it resembles a paste.

Stir it together with the spring onion, salt, sugar, light soy sauce, black vinegar and reserved stock.

Pour in the chili oil and stir. Set aside to be used on the Saliva Chicken.

How to cut whole chicken Chinese style

Cut off the neck and head from the end of the neck, just above the breast area. You can make a split using the cleaver then use your hand to hit the knife until it cuts all the way through.

If you want to keep the head for presentation, cut that from the neck.

Lift the wing up and make a slice where it meets the body. Continue cutting through in the same direction until you reach the joint.

This will be softer than bone, so you can use the hand-hitting technique to cut it from the bone. Repeat for the other wing.

Use the cleaver to find the joint between the leg and the breast, then slice through the flesh to the joint. Cut through that and you’ll end up with the leg and thigh. Repeat on the other side.

Cut the leg from the thigh where the joint is. Repeat for the other leg.

To remove the backbone, hold its body by the tail so it stands up vertically and cut from the base of the tail all the way down.

You will come across a few bones along the way, but cut through them.

Cut the leftover breast piece in half long ways.

Now that all the pieces are cut, you can chop them into smaller pieces, roughly 2cm (0.8″) thick.

To plate them, scoop the cleaver under the cut pieces, place your hand over cut pieces to hold them in place and lift them onto the plate.

Then use your hand to gently slide everything off the cleaver. They will sit together as they were cut.

To serve Saliva Chicken, lay the cut pieces over a bed of cucumber strips and pour the chili sauce over it to cover the entire surface.

Serve immediately as is or refrigerate to enjoy cold!

FAQs

Tips for the best results

• Make the chili oil in advance. This will give the ingredients an opportunity to release their flavors deeper into the oil for a more fragrant result.
• Use a sharp cleaver. Any knife that is blunt or too thin will make it difficult to cut, potentially resulting in loose bits rather than whole pieces.
• Keep the bone on. Cooking any meat with the bone means extra flavor from the marrow found within the bone. You’ll end up with juicier, more flavorful protein.
• Let the sauce absorb into the meat. Give the dish an hour to rest with the sauce over it. This will help every piece absorb all the great flavor!

More recipes for poultry lovers

• Four Cup Chicken (四杯雞) – You’ll enjoy the textures and familiar flavors in this homey soy-based side dish.
• Braised Wings and Mushrooms in Oyster Sauce – Nothing beats traditional Cantonese sauces when they’re infused in juicy mushrooms and wings.
• Honey Glazed Ginger Chicken – Sweet, savory and wonderfully sticky, this side dish is the perfect rice companion.
• Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken (鹽酥雞) – Finger lickin’ goodness is what you’ll get with this fun appetizer. The Sichuan peppercorn kick works well with Saliva Chicken!

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