Chen switched to ice dance and teamed up with Layla Karnes in the 2015–16 season. Together, they were the 2016 U.S. national juvenile ice dance champions and the 2017 U.S. national intermediate silver medalists. Chen then moved to Michigan to live with his mother, and he then changed coaches and began training with Marina Zoueva prior to the next season. He competed with Gianna Buckley during the 2017–18 season, winning the 2018 U.S. national novice silver medal. Chen then skated two months with Anna Lavrova during the 2018–19 season, but the partnership ended before the 2019 U.S. Championships.