Xinjiang Big Plate Chicken is a famous dish in the Xinjiang region, with multiple accounts of its origin. The true origin cannot be traced but it likely emerged around the late 1980s. The main ingredients are chicken and potato chunks, cooked together with belt noodles. The dish is colorful, featuring tender and spicy chicken alongside soft and sweet potatoes. It has a blend of spiciness and fragrance, combining coarseness with delicacy. It's also economical and perfect for family gatherings and friends' reunions.
Complete Recipes: Method One
Ingredients:
A fresh chicken (preferably freshly slaughtered), four potatoes, mushrooms, four green and red bell peppers, an adequate amount of scallions, ginger, and garlic, a few cinnamon sticks, star anise, bay leaves, fennel seeds, a handful of coriander, about seven or eight Sichuan peppercorns, a handful of garlic cloves, a bunch of Thai chili peppers (adjust according to taste preference), and some belt noodles (wide pulled noodles).
Cooking Process:
Step 1: Cut the fresh chicken into one-inch cubes. Prepare all the necessary ingredients.
Step 2: Heat up plenty of oil and fry the Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant.
Step 3: Add sugar to the hot oil and stir-fry to caramelize. Add the chicken pieces to color them. If you don't want to use caramelized sugar for coloring, you can use soy sauce instead. Add scallions, ginger, garlic, Thai chili peppers, and various spices, and stir-fry for several minutes.
Step 4: Add salt and cooking wine.
Step 5: Add the mushrooms and simmer for 15 minutes (the cooking time may vary depending on the tenderness of the chicken).
Step 6: Pour in the potatoes and continue to cook over low heat until the potatoes are cooked through.
Step 7: Add the green and red bell peppers. The spiciness mainly comes from the Thai chili peppers.
Step 8: After a brief stir-frying, the dish is ready to be served! Place it on a large plate (the larger the plate, the better). The belt noodles should be as wide and thin as possible and can be placed on top of the chicken.
Step 9: Finally, let's take a look at our side dishes. Sugar-tossed tomatoes can help relieve the spiciness; otherwise, prepare plenty of beer or cold drinks!
Complete Recipes: Method Two
First, start by heating up the wok and pouring in oil. Once the oil reaches about 70% heat, add white granulated sugar (for coloring). Keep stirring continuously so that the sugar blends well with the hot oil. Do not let the sugar cook for too long, as it might turn bitter and affect the overall appearance of the dish. After stirring for about 30 seconds, quickly add the chicken pieces. You'll hear a sizzling sound as the chicken hits the oil. Keep stirring to ensure even coloring. When the chicken is 80% done, remove it and set it aside on a plate.
Next, reheat the oil and add the potatoes. Listen to the crisp sound as they hit the oil – the round, plump potatoes mix with the oil and change color from light to dark, from white to yellow, releasing a special aroma. Don't cook the potatoes for too long, as they will become too soft and ruin the overall appearance of the dish. Transfer them to the same plate as the chicken and set them aside.
Then, heat the oil once more. This is the last time, so don't be bothered by the repetition. Add the bright red Thai chili peppers and stir-fry them in hot oil. Pay extra attention to safety during this step, as you don't want any accidents. Next, add the scallions, ginger, and garlic, stir-fry to release their unique aromas. Remember not to cook them on too high heat, as burning them would be embarrassing!
Afterward, add the chicken back to the wok and continue stirring. If the wok isn't big enough, be careful not to make too large movements. The chicken and potato pieces are eager to escape the heat! Once they're mixed together, add the seasonings: specialized Big Plate Chicken seasoning, salt, and fermented broad bean paste. Stir until most of the moisture is gone, then add water. Cover the wok and let it simmer. Let them enjoy the intense heat for about half an hour!
During the simmering process, don't forget to add green peppers, mushrooms, and beer to neutralize the flavors. After about half an hour, it's time to serve. A delicious local specialty – Big Plate Chicken – is now ready. Garnish with coriander, grab a piece by hand, and taste it. It's really good! The spiciness goes straight to your heart, while the fragrance lingers in your stomach. It's incredibly satisfying, especially knowing that you made it yourself. If you're craving Big Plate Chicken, why not try making it using this method?
Complete Recipes: Method Three
Ingredients:
Chicken thighs (700 grams), Potatoes (200 grams), Green peppers (100 grams)
Seasonings:
Cooking oil (50 grams), Cooking wine (50 grams), Soy sauce (5 grams), Salt (10 grams), Sugar (5 grams), Scallions (20 grams), Ginger (10 grams), Garlic (10 grams), Dried chili peppers (10 grams), Sichuan peppercorns (10 grams), Fermented broad bean paste (10 grams), Star anise (5 grams), Bay leaves (2 grams), Cinnamon sticks (3 grams)
Note:
The nutritional data for the ingredients in this table were provided by Nutrition Source Native Cuisine.
1. Pour oil into a pan. Once heated, lower the heat and add the Sichuan peppercorns, frying them until fragrant. Then, remove them from the pan.
2. Add white granulated sugar to the pan and stir slowly to dissolve it completely. Add the chicken pieces and immediately stir-fry them over high heat to ensure each piece is coated with the caramelized sugar.
3. When the chicken turns golden brown, add a little soy sauce and fermented broad bean paste. Follow with scallion segments, crushed garlic cloves, ginger, dried chili peppers, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and bay leaves.
4. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes, then add water and begin stewing. The water should just cover the chicken.
5. Once the broth starts boiling, add the potatoes and gently mix them with the chicken. Place the potatoes on top of the chicken. First, boil over high heat for 6 minutes, then simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
6. When the broth is nearly evaporated, add the green peppers and stir-fry evenly before serving. Taste the broth and adjust the saltiness if needed by adding a little more salt.
Complete Recipes: Method Four
Main Ingredients:
Three-yellow chicken
Secondary Ingredients:
Large potatoes, green peppers, red peppers, scallions, ginger, Pixian Douban sauce, dried chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon sticks, soy sauce, beer, salt, sugar, oil
1. Clean the three-yellow chicken and cut it into small pieces. Blanch it in boiling water to remove blood and impurities.
2. Cut the dried chili peppers into sections and slice the scallions and ginger.
3. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pot. Once warm, add the Sichuan peppercorns and fry them over low heat until fragrant. Remove them from the oil.
4. Add one tablespoon of sugar and stir rapidly to dissolve it.
5. As the sugar turns a caramel color, add the chicken