Savory and flavorful mouth watering chicken is a well known and popular Sichuan cuisine like mapo tofu dish. In this saliva chicken recipe, it has simple ingredients. Also, this mouth watering chicken recipe has both instant pot and stove top methods to guide you how to make delicious mouth watering chicken at home for your meal or feast.
Love Chinese food? Check out these Chinese cured pork belly, beef broccoli, Chinese steamed pork patty, ginger scallion crab, beef with bitter melon recipes.
What is mouth watering chicken?
Mouth watering chicken in Chinese (口水雞 or 口水鸡 ) literally translated as saliva chicken. In mandarin pinyin it calls kǒu shuǐ jī or in Cantonese it calls hau shui gai. It is a famous Szechuan dish and often serves as a cool dish.
Sichuan cuisine is well known for its richness of seasoning condiments, integrating savory, spicy, freshness, fragrance and tenderness. Therefore, this mouth watering chicken recipe is focused with rich condiments savory, spicy, sour, sweet, freshness, fragrance and tenderness.
When I made this dish, my husband asked me what it was. I replied saliva chicken. He immediately thought it was made of saliva. I laughed out loud. Sure, the name of “Saliva Chicken” doesn’t sound decent and makes you think of saliva. People named it “Saliva Chicken” because it is so good and delicious that it makes you drool. Also, Sichuanese love spicy food and add a lot of peppercorn to make it spicy, the numbness of the mouth and water flows out unconsciously after eating it.
What are the ingredients for mouth watering chicken?
In this saliva chicken recipe, I used simple ingredients. And, most of the ingredients you can get at regular grocery stores. The main ingredients are chicken thighs, ginger, green onions, garlic, paprika, chili peppers, salt, sugar, soy sauce, black vinegar, vegetable oil and water.
Cooking tips for how to make instant pot mouth watering chicken:
- Cut green onions into half. Then, use the top white part for cooking the chicken. The bottom green part of the green onion is cut into pieces for the sauce.
- Put the chicken thighs, top part of green onion, ginger and water into the instant pot. Close the lid and vent, push the manual button, adjust time for 5 minutes at high pressure and naturally release pressure.
- After the chicken is done, put them into an ice bath for 3 minutes. This shocking process stops the cooking process and allows the skin to become “crunchy” in. Also, it allows a nice layer of gelatin to solidify.
- It is best to remove the bone before cutting the chicken.
- You can adjust the amount of chili peppers for your spiciness.
- Paprika only gives the bright red color to this dish.
- Also, adjust the amount of soy sauce to your saltness.
- Heat up vegetable oil around 375 F-400F. You can dip a pair of wooden chopsticks to test if there are any bubbles around it. Or, use a thermometer to measure the temperature.
- Be careful when pouring the hot oil over the sauce. Then, mix it well and add water, soy sauce and black vinegar.
- Mix the sauce well before pouring on the cooked and cut chicken.
FAQs:
This saliva chicken or mouth watering chicken recipe is mildly spicy because I only used 1 teaspoon of chili pepper. If you want spicier, you can adjust the amount of chili peppers. Paprika is only given a bright red color to the dish and it's not spicy at all.
Yes, of course you can use a whole chicken. But, cooking time is different. You can check out this white cut chicken post for how to use an instant pot to cook a whole chicken.
Of course, you can. Put the chicken thighs in a pot with water. Boil the chicken thighs for 15 minutes. Then, turn off the fire and cover the lid for 15-20 minutes.
Black vinegar originates from Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province in China. It is black in color and has a malty, woody, fruity taste and smoky flavor. Also, it is mild and less acidic than a regular white vinegar. I do not recommend substituting with regular vinegar in this recipe.
Instructions for how to make instant pot mouth watering chicken:
Preparation:
- Wash and cut 4 sticks of green onions into half. (The top white part uses it to cook with the chicken. The bottom green part uses it for the sauce.)
2. The bottom green part of the green onion cut them into pieces and set it aside.
3. Peel a small piece of ginger. (It's around 1 oz or 28 grams.)
4. Cut the peeled ginger into 4 slices.
Cooking:
5. Wash and put 4 pieces of chicken thighs into the instant pot pressure cooker. (It's around 2.5 pounds.)
6. After that, put the top part of green onions and ginger slices into the instant pot.
7. Pour 2 cups of water into the pressure cooker. Close the lid and vent, push the manual button, adjust time to 5 minutes at high pressure and naturally release pressure.
Sauce:
8. Meanwhile, peel 1 small medium sized whole garlic. (It's around 10 garlic cloves.) Then, mince the garlic.
9. Next, put 3 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of chili peppers into the bowl. Then, mix it well.
10. The following step, put the minced garlic into the bowl.
11. Then, put the bottom green onion from step 2 into the bowl.
12. After, heat up ¼ cup of vegetable oil in the pan. Make sure the oil is hot enough. You can dip a wooden chopstick to test if there are bubbles around it. Or, use a thermometer. The temperature is around 375 F- 400F.
13. Pour the hot oil over the sauce and mix it well. ( Be careful when pouring the hot oil.)
14. Add 3 tablespoons of water, 2.5 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of black vinegar into the sauce and mix it well.
15. When the chicken is cooked, take the chicken out.
16. Then, put the cooked chicken thighs into the ice bath for 3 minutes. (Put 2 cups of ice and 4 cups of water into the big bowl.)
17. Cut the chicken thighs into pieces and put them on the plate. It is best to remove bones before cutting them because it is easier to cut.
18. Lastly, keep stirring the mixture sauce from step 14 and slowly pour over the cut chicken.
Enjoy this savory and delicious instant pot mouth watering chicken or saliva chicken recipe! Also, check out these kung pao chicken, sesame oil chicken rice, orange chicken, Thai green curry and baked whole chicken recipes.
Instructions for how to make stove top mouth watering chicken:
Preparation:
1. Wash and cut 4 sticks of green onions into half. (The top white part uses it to cook with the chicken. The bottom green part uses it for the sauce.)
2. The bottom green part of the green onion cut them into pieces and set it aside.
3. Peel a small piece of ginger. (It's around 1 oz or 28 grams.)
4. Cut the peeled ginger into 4 slices.
Cooking:
5.Wash and put 4 pieces of chicken thighs into a pot.
6. After that, put the top part of the green onions and ginger slices into the pot.
7. Pour 5 cups of water into the pot and make sure the water covers the chicken. Turn on the heat to medium small. Let the chicken cook and boil it for 15 minutes. Then, turn off the fire and cover the lid for 15-20 minutes.
Sauce:
8. Meanwhile, peel 1 small medium sized whole garlic. (It's around 10 garlic cloves.) Then, mince the garlic.
9. Next, put 3 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of chili peppers into the bowl. Then, mix it well.
10. The following step, put the minced garlic into the bowl.
11. Then, put the bottom green onion from step 2 into the bowl.
12. After, heat up ¼ cup of vegetable oil in the pan. Make sure the oil is hot enough. You can dip a wooden chopstick to test if there are bubbles around it. Or, use a thermometer. The temperature is around 375F-400 F.
13. Pour the hot oil over the sauce and mix it well. ( Be careful when pouring the hot oil.)
14. Add 3 tablespoons of water, 2.5 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of black vinegar into the sauce and mix it well.
15. When the chicken is cooked, take the chicken out.
16. Then, put the cooked chicken thighs into the ice bath for 3 minutes. (Put 2 cups of ice and 4 cups of water into the big bowl.)
17. Cut the chicken thighs into pieces. It is best to remove bones before cutting them because it is easier to cut.
18. Lastly, keep stirring the mixture sauce from step 14 and slowly pour over the cut chicken.
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Mouth Watering Chicken
Video
Ingredients
- 4 pieces Chicken thighs (With bone & skin it's around 2.5 pounds)
- 4 sticks Green onion (White top part)
- 4 slices Ginger (1 oz or 28 grams)
- 2 cups Water (2 cups for instant pot and 5 cups for stove top)
Sauce:
- 1 whole Garlic (Small medium sized it's around 10 garlic cloves)
- 4 sticks Green onion (Green bottom part)
- 3 teaspoons Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Chili peppers
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- ¼ cup Vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons Water
- 2.5 tablespoons Soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Black vinegar
Instructions
Instant Pot Method:
- Wash and cut 4 sticks of green onions into half. (The top white part uses it to cook with the chicken. The bottom green part uses it for the sauce.)
- The bottom green part of the green onion cut them into pieces and set it aside.
- Peel a small piece of ginger. (It's around 1 oz or 28 grams.)
- Cut the peeled ginger into 4 slices.
- Wash and put 4 pieces of chicken thighs into the instant pot pressure cooker. (It's around 2.5 pounds.)
- After that, put the top part of green onions and ginger slices into the instant pot.
- Pour 2 cups of water into the pressure cooker. Close the lid and vent, push the manual button, adjust time to 5 minutes at high pressure and naturally release pressure.
- Meanwhile, peel 1 small medium sized whole garlic. (It's around 10 garlic cloves.) Then, mince the garlic.
- Next, put 3 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of chili peppers into the bowl. Then, mix it well.
- The following step, put the minced garlic into the bowl.
- Then, put the bottom green onion from step 2 into the bowl.
- After, heat up ¼ cup of vegetable oil in the pan. Make sure the oil is hot enough. You can dip a wooden chopstick to test if there are bubbles around it. Or, use a thermometer. The temperature is around 375 F- 400F.
- Pour the hot oil over the sauce and mix it well. ( Be careful when pouring the hot oil.)
- Add 3 tablespoons of water, 2.5 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of black vinegar into the sauce and mix it well.
- When the chicken is cooked, take the chicken out.
- Then, put the cooked chicken thighs into the ice bath for 3 minutes. (Put 2 cups of ice and 4 cups of water into the big bowl.)
- Cut the chicken thighs into pieces and put them on the plate. It is best to remove bones before cutting them because it is easier to cut.
- Lastly, keep stirring the mixture sauce from step 14 and slowly pour over the cut chicken.
Stove Top Method:
- Wash and cut 4 sticks of green onions into half. (The top white part uses it to cook with the chicken. The bottom green part uses it for the sauce.)
- The bottom green part of the green onion cut them into pieces and set it aside.
- Peel a small piece of ginger. (It's around 1 oz or 28 grams.)
- Cut the peeled ginger into 4 slices.
- Wash and put 4 pieces of chicken thighs into a pot. (It's around 2.5 pounds.)
- After that, put the top part of the green onions and ginger slices into the pot.
- Pour 5 cups of water into the pot and make sure the water covers the chicken. Turn on the heat to medium small. Let the chicken cook and boil it for 15 minutes. Then, turn off the fire and cover the lid for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel 1 small medium sized whole garlic. (It's around 10 garlic cloves.) Then, mince the garlic.
- Next, put 3 teaspoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of chili peppers into the bowl. Then, mix it well.
- The following step, put the minced garlic into the bowl.
- Then, put the bottom green onion from step 2 into the bowl.
- After, heat up ¼ cup of vegetable oil in the pan. Make sure the oil is hot enough. You can dip a wooden chopstick to test if there are bubbles around it. Or, use a thermometer. The temperature is around 375F- 400F.
- Pour the hot oil over the sauce and mix it well. ( Be careful when pouring the hot oil.)
- Add 3 tablespoons of water, 2.5 tablespoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of black vinegar into the sauce and mix it well.
- When the chicken is cooked, take the chicken out.
- Then, put the cooked chicken thighs into the ice bath for 3 minutes. (Put 2 cups of ice and 4 cups of water into the big bowl.)
- Cut the chicken thighs into pieces. It is best to remove bones before cutting them because it is easier to cut.
- Lastly, keep stirring the mixture sauce from step 14 and slowly pour over the cut chicken.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make instant pot mouth watering chicken:
- Cut green onions into half. Then, use the top white part for cooking the chicken. The bottom green part of the green onion is cut into pieces for the sauce.
- Put the chicken thighs, top part of green onion, ginger and water into the instant pot. Close the lid and vent, push the manual button, adjust time for 5 minutes at high pressure and naturally release pressure.
- After the chicken is done, put them into an ice bath for 3 minutes. This shocking process stops the cooking process and allows the skin to become “crunchy” in. Also, it allows a nice layer of gelatin to solidify.
- It is best to remove the bone before cutting the chicken.
- You can adjust the amount of chili peppers for your spiciness.
- Paprika only gives the bright red color to this dish.
- Also, adjust the amount of soy sauce to your saltness.
- Heat up vegetable oil around 375 F-400F. You can dip a pair of wooden chopsticks to test if there are any bubbles around it. Or, use a thermometer to measure the temperature.
- Be careful when pouring the hot oil over the sauce. Then, mix it well and add water, soy sauce and black vinegar.
- Mix the sauce well before pouring on the cooked and cut chicken.
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