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Chinese

Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken

Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken combines tender chicken, potatoes and peppers in a warmly spiced soy-based stew served with wide wheat noodles.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 1 September 2026Updated

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Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken

1 hr 15 mintotal

Prep 25 min · Cook 50 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Medium
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

No inactive time is required; the stew cooks actively on the stovetop, with the final sauce reduction happening after the potatoes soften.

Method

  1. Heat the neutral oil in a deep frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add the sugar and stir until it melts into a light amber syrup; do not let it turn dark or smoke.

  2. Add the chicken and turn the pieces through the caramel. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on several sides.

    5–6 min

  3. Add the onion, dried red chilli peppers, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, star anise and Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry for 2 minutes, until the onion begins to soften and the spices are fragrant without burning.

    2 min

  4. Pour in the Shaoxing wine and scrape up the browned residue from the pan. Add the tomato, soy sauce and dark soy sauce, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the tomato begins to break down.

    2–3 min

  5. Add the potatoes and the portion of water reserved for braising. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are nearly tender.

    20 min

  6. Add the green and red bell peppers. Continue cooking uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until the peppers are tender-crisp, the potatoes are cooked through and the sauce has reduced enough to coat the chicken. Confirm that the thickest chicken piece has reached 74°C and contains no pink flesh.

    8–10 min

  7. While the stew finishes, bring the remaining water to a boil in a saucepan and add the portion of salt reserved for the noodles. Cook the noodles according to their thickness until tender but still pleasantly chewy, then drain thoroughly.

  8. Taste the stew and adjust only with the remaining salt if needed. Spread the hot noodles on a wide serving platter, spoon the chicken, potatoes, peppers and sauce over them, and serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

The chicken should be tender and cooked through, the potatoes soft enough to pierce easily without collapsing, and the peppers still slightly crisp. The sauce should cling to the ingredients while remaining fluid enough to coat the noodles.

Getting it right

Tip

Caramelize the sugar only to a pale amber colour. Dark caramel becomes bitter, and the bitterness intensifies as the braising sauce reduces.

What to serve it with

Serve from a wide communal platter while the noodles are hot, placing the chicken and vegetables over them so they absorb the sauce.

Common mistakes

The potatoes collapse before the chicken is tender.
Brown the chicken first, keep the caramel pale, and simmer the potatoes only until they can be pierced. Over-reducing the sauce makes the noodles heavy.

Substitutions

  • Chicken Thigh — Chicken Breast may replace the thigh meat for a leaner variation. Cut it into large even pieces, add it after the potatoes have cooked for several minutes and still confirm a centre temperature of 74°C to reduce the risk of dryness.
  • Noodles — Flat Rice Noodles may replace the wheat noodles. Their texture is softer and the dish becomes less traditional; check the soy sauces separately when managing gluten exposure.
  • Shaoxing Wine — Water may replace Shaoxing wine for an alcohol-free version. The sauce will be milder and will have less fermented aroma.
  • Dried Red Chili Peppers — Use fewer dried red chilli peppers for a milder stew. Reducing them changes the heat level but preserves the main chicken, potato and spice structure of the dish.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate big plate chicken and sauce in a shallow covered container for up to 3 days, keeping cooked noodles separate for up to 2 days. Freeze the stew without noodles for up to 2 months.