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4.89 from 9 votes

Instant Pot Chinese Chicken Stew

Make this Spicy Hot Xinjiang Classic Instant Pot Chinese Chicken Stew (Dapanji or Big Plate Chicken; Chinese: 大盤鷄)! Comforting, flavorful, tender pressure cooker chicken & potatoes - so simple yet delicious!
Servings 4
Marinate 2 hours
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

Marinade

Thickener

  • 2 tablespoons (18g) cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) water

Instructions

  • Marinate Chicken: Chop 1.5 - 2 lb chicken leg quarters into smaller pieces. In a mixing bowl, marinate chicken with 2 tbsp (30ml) regular soy sauce and 1 tbsp (15ml) rice wine for at least half an hour to up to 8 hours.
  • Toast Spices: Add 1 tbsp (15ml) peanut oil and 1 tsp (5ml) sesame oil in Instant Pot. Place 1 bay leaf, 6 dried red pepper, 1.5 tsp (4g) Sichuan pepper, half (2g) cinnamon stick, and 1 (1g) star anise in Instant Pot. Heat them up using the "Sauté More" function for roughly 3 minutes. The spices will slowly release their aroma.
  • Saute Onion and Garlic: Once the spices are fragrant and the oil starts to smoke, add in chopped onion and 6 crushed garlic cloves. Saute for roughly 2 minutes.
  • Saute Ingredients with Chili Bean Sauce: Add in marinated chicken and all the leftover marinade. Add in 2 tbsp (36g) chili bean sauce, 1.5 tbsp (22.5g) tomato paste, and 1 tsp (5g) sugar. Saute for roughly 3 minutes.
    *Pro Tip: If your Instant Pot is extra sensitive to the burn error, layer the tomato paste (without mixing it in) on top of everything right before pressure cooking.
  • Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour in ½ cup (125ml) unsalted chicken stock, then completely deglaze the bottom of the pot with wooden spoon.
  • Pressure Cook Chinese Chicken Stew: Add in potato chunks. Close the lid and turn Venting Knob to Sealing position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 3 minutes, then 10 minutes Natural Release. Remove the lid carefully.
  • Cook Bell Pepper: Add in 1 (100g - 200g) green or/and red bell pepper. Bring the Instant Pot to a boil using the "Saute Normal" function. Let the bell peppers cook for roughly 1 minute.
  • Thicken and Season Sauce: If you find the sauce too watery, you can thicken the sauce - mix 2 tbsp (18g) cornstarch with 3 tbsp (45ml) cold water in a small mixing bowl. Then, add the cornstarch mixture one third at a time to thicken the sauce until desired thickness (you don’t have to use all the thickener. Use according to your preferences). Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if desired.
  • Serve Instant Pot Chinese Chicken Stew: Your deliciously spicy Chinese Chicken Stew (Dapanji) is ready to be served. Serve the Chinese Instant Pot Chicken Stew on a large tray, mixing bowl, or a large plate. Enjoy!~ :)

Notes

Rate Amy + Jacky's Recipe: If you've tried our recipe, rate the recipe in the Comments section. Thank you!
Author: Amy + Jacky
Calories: 469kcal

Nutrition

Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 688mg | Potassium: 1090mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1380IU | Vitamin C: 69.8mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 5.9mg