Big Plate Chicken
A hearty, flavorful Xinjiang-style braised chicken dish widely popular across China for its bold, spiced taste and filling portions
Story
Big Plate Chicken, or dà pán jī in Mandarin, originated in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region as a nourishing, shareable meal for nomadic communities and long-distance travelers. It has since become a nationwide staple, celebrated for its tender braised chicken, crisp vegetables, and fragrant, mildly spiced sauce. The dish is almost always served with chewy hand-pulled noodles or warm flatbread to soak up its rich, savory broth, making it a go-to choice for family dinners, casual gatherings, and restaurant meals alike.
Ingredients
chicken leg, two pieces
dried noodles
200g
potato (medium), two pieces
green bell pepper, two pieces
scallion, one stalk
garlic, half a head
ginger, two slices
star anise, one piece
bay leaf
2 slices
Sichuan peppercorn
20 grains
dried chili pepper
10 pieces
light soy sauce
3 tablespoons
sugar
2 tablespoons
beer
1 bottle
salt
to taste
green pepper
Instructions
1
Step 1
Wash the chicken legs, cut them into chunks, boil in cold water until no blood foam rises, remove from the pot, rinse thoroughly with cold water and set aside.
2
Step 2
Cut the potatoes and green bell peppers into rolling chunks, and cut the scallion, ginger and garlic into appropriate pieces.
3
Step 3
Put a slightly larger amount of oil in the pot, add white sugar and Sichuan peppercorns, stir-fry until the white sugar turns slightly reddish, then add the chicken chunks and stir-fry.
4
Step 4
When the chicken chunks turn slightly colored, add the scallion, ginger and garlic, stir-fry until fragrant, then add the potatoes and stir-fry for a while.
5
Step 5
Add beer that covers all the ingredients, along with bay leaves and star anise, then simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
6
Step 6
When the stew thickens and the potatoes turn soft and fluffy, add the green bell peppers and stir-fry until they are fully cooked. Cook the noodles until they are 80-90% done, pour the stewed chicken chunks over the noodles, drizzle with plenty of the stew sauce, then transfer to a plate and serve.
