eat good, feel good 03: mouthwatering chicken - this is what it looks like to actually enjoy eating high protein
Alice Sun (@alicecsun) shares a unique view into her life through the ways she uses food to nurture wellness, cross cultural divides, and bring people together, all through the medium of storytelling.
Alice Sun
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July 29, 2026
I didn’t grow up eating Sichuan food. My family is Shanghainese, which means our flavors lean sweeter, lighter, more delicate, and most importantly, NOT SPICY.
Having Sichuan food later in college was mind blowing, with its spiciness and numbing flavor.
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My first mouthwatering chicken, made me realize the name isn’t an exaggeration…With it’s unique sauce, it creates a flavor that makes your mouth water before you’ve even taken a bite, and once you start eating it, stopping becomes genuinely difficult. In Chinese the name literally translates to something between “addictive” and “mouth-watering,” which tells you everything you need to know about what you’re getting into.
And because spicy food is best enjoyed in hot weather, it’s the flavor I crave most in summer.
The other thing about mouthwatering chicken that doesn’t get talked about enough is that it’s genuinely high protein without trying to be. A whole poached or roast chicken, sliced and served cold with a sauce built around chili oil, soy sauce, Sichuan peppercorns, and a lot more. This is to make your own at home!
Start with making the sauce, combining the soy sauce (3 Tbsp), chili oil (3 Tbsp), vinegar (1 Tbsp), oyster sauce (1 Tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), bouillon powder (1 tsp), garlic cloves (2 cloves), peppercorn powder (1 tsp), sesame oil (1 tsp), water (¼ cup), and ice cubes (4–5 cubes).
Give everything a thorough mix, then mix in the lemon slices.
Let the sauce’s ingredients get to know each other so prep chicken and cucumber (1) while you’re waiting.
Shred as much chicken as you’d like into thin strips with your fingers.
Thinly slice cucumber using a vegetable peeler so they turn into ribbons.
On a plate, make a little mound of cucumber ribbons, then place the shredded chicken on top.
Mix the sauce one last time, then pour over everything, including the ice.
Top with scallions — enjoy with noodles or rice!
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