Big Plate Chicken (Chinese Da Pan Ji)
August 16, 2025
My good friend would order this dish out at traditional Chinese restaurants all the time. After maybe our 10th time eating out, I decided it can’t be that hard to make at home. I was right. Below is a slightly modified version of the recipe linked, given I prefer a thicker sauce. Traditionally served with hand pulled noodles, a side of simple white rice is also perfect.
Ingredients:
For the marinade:
4 – boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped (bone-in works, too, but more difficult to cut)
1 – Tsp. soy sauce
1 – Tbls. dark soy sauce (optional, for color)
For the rest of the dish:
3 – Tbls. oil (neutral high-heat such as avocado)
4 – Star anise
1 – Cinnamon stick
5 – Bay leaves
6 – Slices of fresh singer
5 – Cloves of garlic, chopped
1 – Tbls. Sichuan peppercorns
6-10 – whole dried chilies
1 ½ – Tsp. sugar
2 – Medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 – Carrot, thinly sliced
2 – Tsp. dark soy sauce
1 ½ – Tsp. light soy sauce
2 – Tbls. Shaoxing wine
3-5 – Cups water (start with less, depending on your sauce preference)
8 – Oz dired noodles of your choice (optional, can also be fresh, if available, or served with white rice)
1 – Red bell pepper
1 – Green bell pepper
1 – Tbls. corn starch
Salt to taste
1 – Scallion, sliced (optional)
Directions:
- Start by marinating the chicken. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and transfer to a bowl with the marinade ingredients. 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, 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 noodles. Drain.
- Once the potatoes are cooked through, by now, there should be at least 1 1 1/2 cups 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. Taste the dish and season with salt to taste.
- (Optional) Remove about 1/2 cup of the water/sauce and whisk together with the additional cornstarch. Stir back into the pot. Adjust as you like.
- Now transfer the noodles to a large plate, and cover with your chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with scallions and serve immediately.
Notes:
I prefer a thicker sauce, hence the additional cornstarch slurry mixed in at the end. Adjust with the slurry or water to your preference. If you want more sauce, add a little more water to the wok.
Source:
https://thewoksoflife.com/big-plate-chicken-noodles/#recipe
Post Tags:
Big Plate Chicken, Chicken, Chinese, Sichuan, stir-fry,