Da Pan Ji / Big Plate Chicken
大盘鸡
English: Big Plate Chicken
Chinese: 大盘鸡
Pinyin: da pan ji
Literal: Big Plate Chicken
Da pan ji (大盘鸡) translates literally as “big plate chicken,” which is exactly what it is: a generous, hearty dish of bone-in chicken pieces and potatoes braised in a lightly spiced broth, served over thick, slippery noodles known as dai mian (“belt noodles”) in Chinese. Eating da pan ji takes blackbelt-level chopstick skills; my first time with the dish, I naively went for a buried noodle, twisting and tugging at it. My friends leaned back, watching wide-eyed as the long noodle slithered through my grasp, splattering sauce across my crisp white shirt.
Most of the recipes I write in Tea & Oranges have a long history dating back hundreds, or thousands of years, but da pan ji is a new addition to the China food scene. It was invented in the 1990s by a Sichuan chef who moved to Xinjiang and sought to recreate the flavours of home. This origin explains the prominent use of chilies and Sichuan peppercorns, ingredients not traditionally associated with Uyghur cuisine. The dish was designed as a quick, satisfying meal for truckers passing through the deserts of Xinjiang, Not much has changed in the last twenty years; on my last trip through the province, roadside stops still sell Big Plate and Small Plate chicken in shaded canteens out of the scorching heat.
Everyone loves da pan ji. Today, da pan ji has become one of Xinjiang’s most popular culinary exports. It’s a favorite on menus across China, with entire restaurant chains devoted exclusively to this dish—a rarity in a country where variety is typically the hallmark of dining establishments.
As with so much Chinese food, da pan ji tastes like it’s been cooking for hours, when actually, all the flavours come together over a lethargic thirty minutes or so. This is not a chaotic flash-fried wok dish, nor is it an all-day braise. The recipe list might seem long, but there’s not too much prep: everything ends up in the wok within ten minutes.
Serves 4.
Notes on the Ingredients
Beer - The secret ingredient to a home-cooked da pan ji is a bottle of local beer. I’ve made versions with water, with chicken stock and with beer, and I do think the latter adds a sourness almost like a tomato-based sauce, and balances out the flavours much more.
Spices - Other recipes add ‘thirteen spice’, but where possible, I always use fresh and whole spices. There are not thirteen here, but it’s enough. My secret ingredient is an aged orange peel, but it’s not absolutely essential if you can’t find one.
Pixian Bean Paste (郫县豆瓣) - There are lots of types of doubanjiang or bean paste, but the Pixian (郫县) style from Sichuan is the most famous, and is necessary for this dish, so don’t get mixed up with chilli oil or chilli pastes. You need to make sure your bean paste is a dull red colour from the chilli. This paste is what gives da pan ji it’s depth.
Belt Noodles (带面) Belt-noodles are usually homemade by the restaurant and home cook. They are wide, 2-inch thick slaps, snaking under the da pan ji, often half a metre long. If you’re lucky, your Chinese supermarket will sell dried packets, but if not, I’ve included a recipe below.
Ingredients
600g chicken thigh and/or leg
1-2 tablespoons oil
40g white rock sugar
2 spring onions - cut into two-inch pieces
1 small red onion - thinly sliced
8 slices ginger
8 garlic cloves - sliced
2-4 dried chillies
3 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 pieces of dried orange peel
1.5 tablespoon Pixan paste
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
500ml beer
350g potatoes - peeled and diced
1 green pepper - chopped into chunks
Belt Noodles | 带面 | dai mian
Ingredients
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240ml) water (lukewarm)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Method
Prepare the chicken: chop the chicken into rough chunks about the size of a golf ball. You can debone the chicken if you prefer, but it’s traditional to leave the meat bone in.
Heat a large wok over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the sugar and reduce the heat. Allow the sugar to melt slowly into the oil, tilting the pan occasionally. Do not stir, as stirring will cause the sugar to crystallise.
Once the sugar reaches a caramel color, increase the heat. Add the chicken pieces and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until the chicken is coated in caramel and browned.
Add the red onion, spring onion, garlic, ginger, star anise, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, chillies, Sichuan peppercorns, salt, dried orange peel, and Pixan paste. Stir-fry for a few minutes until fragrant.
Drizzle in the soy sauce, followed by the beer. Bring to a boil for 1 minute, then add the potatoes. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Stir in the green peppers and cook uncovered for another 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles for 3 minutes if fresh, or longer if using dried noodles.
Fish out the ginger, star anise, orange peel, cinnamon and bay leaves and discard.
Use the largest plate you have. Drain the noodles and slide them onto the plate. Ladle the chicken and sauce over the noodles, then serve at the centre of the table for everyone to enjoy.
Method
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Gradually add the lukewarm water while stirring with chopsticks or a spoon until the mixture comes together.
Knead the dough on a clean surface for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
After resting, knead the dough briefly and divide it into 6-8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and then into a log shape, about 6-8 inches long.
Coat the logs lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking, cover with a damp cloth, and let them rest for another 20-30 minutes.
On a lightly oiled surface, take one log and press it flat with your palm. Use a rolling pin to flatten it further into a long, thin strip.
With your fingers, gently pull both ends of the strip to stretch it into a long, even belt shape, about 1-2 inches wide. Be careful not to tear it.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 1-2 minutes until they float to the surface and are tender yet chewy.
Drain and immediately toss the cooked noodles with a little oil to prevent sticking.
