Big Plate Chicken (Chinese Da Pan Ji) with Noodles

For readers who’ve been to or lived in some parts of China, a big dish of “big plate chicken” (大盘鸡, da pan ji) is like coming home. It’s one of those dishes that has caught on like wildfire in larger Chinese cities, and many restaurants have added it to their menus. This Chinese chicken stew recipe originated in the Xinjiang, China where bold and tasty spices are used like in our Xinjiang Fried Chicken. 大盘鸡, da pan ji also has a special place in my heart, because it makes me miss China—especially all that wonderful food. We’re all reminiscing about it these days—the ability to just walk out of the apartment, hail a cab for 3 bucks, and have a big, wonderful meal for 20-30 bucks. You can’t beat it. I’m not going to lie, authentic big plate chicken should probably be cooked with a whole chicken, cut into small pieces with bones and skin still intact. That’s how it’s made in restaurants in China, and it’s a well-known fact that Asians love to gnaw on bones (plus, meat on the bone tends to be more tender and juicier). I’ve decided not to put you through that whole chicken preparation process, so we’re going to use the next best thing: boneless chicken thighs. I think the brilliance of “big plate chicken” is in the noodles at the bottom of the plate, which soak up all the wonderful sauce. We hope you and your families will enjoy this truly wonderful one plate meal! You’ll need:

Big Plate Chicken: Recipe Instructions

Start by marinating the chicken. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a bowl with the light soy sauce, sesame oil, shaoxing wine, and cornstarch. Set aside for 20 minutes while you prep the rest of the ingredients. When you’re ready to cook, heat the oil in a wok over low heat. Add the star anise, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, whole dried red chilies, and sugar. Cook this mixture for 2 minutes, making sure they don’t burn. Add the chicken and turn up the heat. Stir-fry until the chicken is seared. Add the potatoes and carrots and stir-fry for a minute. Then add the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium. Cover the wok and cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. While the chicken is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil. Follow the package instructions to cook the dried noodle of your choice (preferably a thicker-style flat noodle). Drain. Once the potatoes are cooked through, by now, there should be at least 1 – 1-1/2 cup of liquid in the wok, so add more water if needed. To your wok, stir in the bell peppers. Cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the scallions, and season with salt to taste. Note: If you want more sauce, add a little more water to the wok. If the sauce is too thin, just turn up the heat to reduce and thicken the sauce. Now transfer the noodles to a large plate, and cover with your chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with scallions and serve immediately! This Big Plate Chicken dish is a one plate meal with chicken, vegetables and noodles all in one dish. Enjoy this one folks!