If you use whole chicken, cut into pieces. You can also use bone-in, skin-on leg quarters, drumsticks, or chicken thigh pieces
If cooking with Instant Pot pressure cooker:
Turn on saute mode. Add the oil and preheat until it says "hot". Add the chicken pieces to brown them slightly. Do this in batches. Remove the chicken pieces. You will have some extra oil from the browning the chicken. Add the rock sugar and cook until it melts and turn slightly brownish
Add Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon. Saute for about 3 minutes until really fragrant
Deglaze with cooking wine. Use the spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to release the brown bits from browning the chicken earlier. Add the chicken pieces back, potato pieces, tomatoes, and the rest of the seasonings
Pour in water. Close the lid. Turn the sealing valve to "sealing". Press "pressure cooker" and make sure it's on "high pressure". Set the timer to 10 minutes. When it's done cooking, release the pressure immediately. Have a taste and adjust the seasonings as needed
If cooking on the stove:
Preheat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces to brown them slightly. Do this in batches. After that you will have some more oil from the chicken too. Add Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, dried chilies, cinnamon, and ginger slices. Saute for about 1 minute until really fragrant
Add Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, dried chilies, green chilies, cinnamon, onion, and ginger slices. Saute for about 3 minutes
Deglaze with cooking wine. Use the spatula to scrape the bottom of the wok or skillet to release the brown bits from browning the chicken earlier. Add the chicken pieces back and the rest of the seasonings
Pour in water. Bring the water to a simmer and then close with a lid and let the it gently simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the drumsticks are tender. If you use smaller pieces of chicken, the cooking time is shorter. 5 minutes before the end of cooking time, add the potatoes, chilies, and tomatoes and cook for until the potatoes and veggies are soft
Uncover the lid and have a taste. Adjust the seasonings to ryou preference
Cook the noodles:
When the pressure cooker is depressurizing if you are cooking with pressure cooker, or when you add potatoes and veggies if you cook on the stove, bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for a minute or so.
Assembling:
Transfer the cooked noodles to a large serving plate without rinsing the noodles. Pour the cooked chicken and everything else on top of the noodles.