Saliva Chicken
Hot Dishes

Saliva Chicken

timer 15 MIN
signal_cellular_alt Medium
person 4 servings
Recipe
Saliva Chicken

About This Recipe

This Sichuan-style Spicy Chicken Legs recipe delivers bold, mouthwatering flavors with tender, juicy meat and a fiery kick. Chicken legs are gently poached in cooking wine for a succulent texture, then shocked in an ice bath to lock in moisture. The star of the dish is the aromatic spicy red oil—infused with chili powder and numbing Sichuan peppercorns—which adds depth and heat. A tangy-sweet sauce balances the spice, blending light soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil for a perfect harmony of flavors. Toasted peanuts and sesame seeds provide a satisfying crunch, while fresh cilantro adds a bright finish. Adjust the spice level to your liking for a customizable dish that’s irresistibly fragrant and packed with umami. Ideal for spice lovers, this recipe brings authentic Sichuan heat to your table with minimal effort!

Instructions

Detailed preparation guide

servings 4
Total Time 15m

shopping_basket Ingredients

Main Ingredients
  • chicken legs 4 pieces (about 600g)
The aromatics
  • peanuts 50g
  • sesame seeds 2 tbsp
  • cilantro ¼ cup chopped
The sauce & seasonings
  • cooking wine 2 tbsp
  • chili powder 1 tbsp
  • Sichuan peppercorns 1 tsp
  • sesame oil 1 tbsp
  • light soy sauce 1 tbsp
  • vinegar 1 tbsp
  • sugar 1 tsp
  • salt to taste

menu_book Directions

1
Step 1
Step 1
Boil water in a pot with cooking wine, add chicken legs and cook for 5 minutes. If using large chicken legs or three-yellow chicken, adjust the time to 8-15 minutes.
2
Step 2
Step 2
After that, turn off the heat and cover the pot to simmer for 10 minutes. For large chicken legs or whole chicken, add time to around 15 minutes.
3
Step 3
Step 3
Then, remove the chicken legs and put them in an ice bath to cool down. If the water does not cover the chicken legs, manually flip them over to cool the skin.
4
Step 4
Step 4
After that, cut the chicken legs into pieces.
5
Step 5
Step 5
Put chili powder in a bowl and grind some Sichuan peppercorns, the amount of Sichuan peppercorns depends on your desired level of spiciness. Then, heat oil and pour it over the chili powder and Sichuan peppercorns to make spicy red oil.
6
Step 6
Step 6
Let the oil sit for a while until the chili powder and Sichuan peppercorns settle, then take the upper layer of red oil to use.
7
Step 7
Step 7
Next, make the sauce. Mix cooking wine, salt, sugar, vinegar, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and spicy red oil in a bowl. Adjust the taste according to your preference, add more vinegar if you like it sour, more sugar if you like it sweet, and more red oil if you like it spicy.
8
Step 8
Step 8
Roast peanuts and sesame seeds in a pan until fragrant.
9
Step 9
Step 9
Lightly crush the peanuts and mix them with sesame seeds and the sauce, then pour the mixture over the chicken pieces and top with a sprinkle of cilantro.

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