In January 2016, at the U.S. Championships Chen became the first American man to land two quadruple jumps in the short program. On January 24, he became the first male single's skater to land four quadruple jumps in a long program. He finished third overall behind Adam Rippon and Max Aaron, the former not attempting any quads and the latter landing two. This event reignited the long-standing debate within the figure skating community over whether artistry should trump athleticism. While attempting a jump during exhibitions on the same day, Chen sustained an avulsion injury to his left hip, leading to surgery on January 27. He withdrew from the 2016 World Junior Championships in Debrecen, Hungary, and the 2016 World Championships in Boston.