Kou Shui Ji口水鸡
Sichuan "mouth-watering chicken" — poached chicken leg chilled in ice water for silky skin, then sliced and drenched in a fiery, numbing sauce of chili oil, Sichuan peppercorn oil, soy, and vinegar.
Whole Chicken Leg
1 piece
2 slice
Shaoxing wine
1 tbsp
Scallions
1 piece
1 clove
White Sesame Seeds
Sugar
1 tbsp
Salt
0.25 tsp
Soy Sauce
2 tbsp
Rice Vinegar
3 tbsp
Sichuan Peppercorn
1 tbsp
Sesame Oil
0.5 tbsp
1 tbsp
shaoxing-wine
1 tbsp
birds-eye-chili
1 piece
sugar
1 tbsp
salt
0.25 tsp
soy-sauce
2 tbsp
rice-vinegar
3 tbsp
sichuan-peppercorn
1 tbsp
sesame-oil
0.5 tbsp
chili-oil
1 tbsp
Seasoning Guide: Start with the listed baseline amounts, then adjust gradually after tasting. Fine-tune salt, sugar, acid, and finishing oils in small increments.
Add Ginger
Add ginger slices to the pot of water. This removes gamey odors from the chicken during poaching.
Bring to a Boil
Bring to a boil over high heat.
Cover and Simmer
Cover the pot with a lid and let the chicken simmer until cooked through.
Remove and Set Aside
Lift out the ingredients and set aside.
Mix the Sauce
Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth and well blended.
Cut Chicken Thigh into Pieces
Cut the cooked chicken thigh meat into bite-sized pieces.
Optionally Line Bowl with Cucumber
Optionally line the bottom of the bowl with shredded cucumber.
Drizzle Sauce Over Chicken
Generously drizzle the prepared spicy sauce over the chicken pieces.
Serving Suggestion
Serve Kou Shui Ji hot with plain rice and one light vegetable side.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave before serving.