大盘鸡大盤雞

Name: 大盘鸡 (大盤雞)
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (about 1.2 kg), chopped through the bone into bite-size pieces; 3 medium potatoes, cut into large chunks; 2 green bell peppers (or long green peppers), roughly cut; 8-10 dried red chilies, plus 1 fresh red chili; 5 slices ginger, 6 garlic cloves, 2 star anise, 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick; 2 tbsp rock sugar, 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp doubanjiang (chili bean paste), 1 bottle/can beer; Fresh wide belt noodles (皮带面) or pappardelle, for serving

dà pán jī ㄉㄚˋ ㄆㄢˊ ㄐㄧ daai6 pun4 gai1

A heaping platter of chicken, potatoes, and peppers in a glossy spiced sauce, dapanji is Xinjiang's great communal dish — meant to be shared family-style, with hand-pulled belt noodles dropped into the leftover sauce at the end.

The story behind it

"Big-plate chicken" emerged in Xinjiang in the 1980s–90s, often traced to highway eateries around Shawan that fed long-haul drivers crossing the region's vast distances. It reflects Xinjiang's crossroads cooking: Sichuan-style heat from dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns meets the cumin and star anise of Central Asian and Hui Muslim kitchens. The defining ritual is finishing the meal by tossing wide, chewy biangbiang-style noodles (皮带面) into the rich sauce at the bottom of the plate, so nothing goes to waste.

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (about 1.2 kg), chopped through the bone into bite-size pieces
3 medium potatoes, cut into large chunks
2 green bell peppers (or long green peppers), roughly cut
8-10 dried red chilies, plus 1 fresh red chili
5 slices ginger, 6 garlic cloves, 2 star anise, 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick
2 tbsp rock sugar, 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp doubanjiang (chili bean paste), 1 bottle/can beer
Fresh wide belt noodles (皮带面) or pappardelle, for serving

Steps

Blanch the chicken pieces in boiling water for 2-3 minutes to remove scum, then drain and rinse.
In a dry wok over medium heat, melt the rock sugar in a little oil until amber, then add the chicken and stir-fry until the pieces are coated and lightly browned.
Push the chicken aside and add ginger, garlic, dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, and doubanjiang; fry until fragrant, then stir in both soy sauces.
Pour in the beer plus enough hot water to nearly cover, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add the potato chunks and simmer 15 minutes more until tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened; stir in the peppers and fresh chili for the last 3-4 minutes.
Taste and adjust, then tip everything onto a large platter; cook the wide noodles separately and toss them through the remaining sauce to finish the meal.