Easy Big Plate Chicken（Da Pan Ji）

Big Plate Chicken is a specialty dish from Xinjiang, originating from Shawan County in the late 1980s. This dish features chicken and potatoes as its main ingredients. After meticulous cooking, the chicken is tender and spicy, while the potatoes are soft, sweet, and moist, creating a spicy and fragrant overall flavor. Due to its rich texture and unique taste, Big Plate Chicken has become not only a must-have dish for entertaining guests but also a top favorite during important family festivals such as the Chinese New Year dinner.

Big Plate Chicken is a vibrant dish known for its tender and spicy chicken and soft, sweet, and moist potatoes. It balances spiciness with fragrance, offering a coarse yet intricate texture. Economical and ideal for gatherings with friends and family, this article will delve into the legendary origins of Big Plate Chicken and uncover its unique cooking techniques.

1.About Big Plate Chicken:

The Big Plate Chicken originated in the 1980s in Shawan County, Xinjiang. Legend has it that this dish was first created by a chef named Li Shilin in a roadside restaurant. At that time, workers from a construction company visited the restaurant and requested a dish featuring a whole chicken stir-fried and served in a large plate. Hence, the dish was named Big Plate Chicken. Over the years, Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken has evolved into one of the representative cuisines of Xinjiang.

The main ingredients of Big Plate Chicken include chicken pieces and potato chunks. In terms of seasoning, it incorporates a rich variety of spices and a generous amount of chili peppers to create a strong flavor and aroma. Particularly during the stewing process, the flavors of the chili peppers and spices penetrate deeply into the ingredients, giving Big Plate Chicken its spicy yet not greasy taste profile.

2.Choosing Chicken:

For Big Plate Chicken, it's important to use bone-in chicken as it enhances the flavor. Chicken breast meat is typically the most tender, while chicken thighs offer a thicker and more substantial texture, each contributing its own style. This time, I've chosen chicken thighs, which when stewed together with various spices and seasonings, maintain their distinctive flavor and texture.

3.Regarding side dishes:

①Potatoes are an essential ingredient in Big Plate Chicken. They should be peeled and cut into large chunks to better absorb the flavors of the chicken and seasonings.

②Green peppers play a dual role in Big Plate Chicken, primarily enhancing its color and flavor. In this recipe, their spiciness takes a backseat, serving mainly to enrich the dish's visual appeal and overall taste.

③Adding onions to Big Plate Chicken helps enhance the flavor and increase its appetite appeal. After peeling and removing the root, onions should be thinly sliced, approximately 3 to 5 millimeters thick.

4.Regarding ingredients:

The main ingredients for Big Plate Chicken include garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili peppers, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, etc. Seasonings consist of dark soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, oyster sauce, and so forth. These are common ingredients used in Chinese cuisine and can generally be purchased at Asian supermarkets or online platforms like Amazon.

5.Big Plate Chicken production process:

The cooking process of Big Plate Chicken involves mainly stir-frying, stewing, and simmering.

Stir-frying process: Heat an adequate amount of oil in a pan, sauté minced garlic and spices such as star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chili peppers until fragrant. Then add chicken pieces and stir-fry over high heat.

Stewing: Add vegetables, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and other seasonings, along with an appropriate amount of water. Simmer over low heat. Typically, this process takes 20-30 minutes to ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked and flavorful.

Braising process: When the chicken and vegetables are cooked through, cover the pot and let it simmer for three minutes on high heat to reduce the sauce before serving.

Today, with the current development, Big Plate Chicken is no longer just a specialty of Xinjiang but a delicacy enjoyed across the country. Let's learn together how to prepare this dish and experience the timeless charm of Big Plate Chicken.