Craving that irresistibly savory and peppery dish from your favorite Chinese restaurant? This Black Pepper Chicken Recipe is your answer. Forget the takeout line and the delivery fees; you can whip up this Panda Express classic in your own kitchen in under 30 minutes. It’s faster, fresher, and packed with so much more flavor.
We’ve crafted this recipe to be incredibly simple without sacrificing that authentic restaurant taste. The secret lies in the perfectly balanced sauce and a simple technique to get the chicken unbelievably tender. Get ready to make this your new go-to weeknight meal.
Why You’ll Love This Black Pepper Chicken Recipe
- Quick and Easy: From prep to plate, this entire meal comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
- Bold, Savory Flavor: A rich, glossy sauce with a pungent kick from freshly ground black pepper makes every bite an absolute delight.
- Better Than Takeout: Control the ingredients, reduce the sodium, and get a much fresher taste for a fraction of the cost of ordering out.
What is Black Pepper Chicken?
Black Pepper Chicken is a popular Chinese-American stir-fry dish. It features bite-sized pieces of chicken cooked with vegetables like celery and onions, all coated in a savory, umami-rich sauce. The defining characteristic is the bold, aromatic flavor of coarse black pepper, which gives the dish its signature kick.
Key Ingredients for the Perfect Stir-Fry
This recipe uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients to create its signature flavor. Here’s what you’ll need to gather.
For the Chicken
- Chicken Breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breast is lean and cooks quickly. We’ll slice it thin to ensure it stays tender.
- Cornstarch: This is the key to our “velveting” technique, creating a light coating that protects the chicken from overcooking and helps it stay juicy.
- Soy Sauce & Rice Vinegar: A splash of each in the marinade adds the first layer of savory flavor.
For the Black Pepper Sauce
- Oyster Sauce: Provides a deep, savory, and slightly sweet umami base for the sauce.
- Soy Sauce: Adds essential saltiness and color. Use low-sodium to better control the salt level.
- Dark Soy Sauce: This is mainly for color, giving the sauce its rich, dark hue.
- Rice Vinegar: A touch of acidity balances the richness of the other ingredients.
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper: The star of the show! Coarsely ground pepper provides the best texture and most potent flavor.
- Garlic & Ginger: Freshly minced aromatics are a must for a vibrant stir-fry.
How to Make Black Pepper Chicken (Step-by-Step)
Follow these simple steps to create a restaurant-quality meal at home.
- Prepare the Chicken: Slice the chicken breast into thin, bite-sized pieces. In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with cornstarch, soy sauce, and rice vinegar until evenly coated. Let it sit for about 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Mix the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Set it aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and celery, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Cook the Chicken: Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet and add the marinated chicken to the empty side in a single layer. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Combine and Serve: Pour the prepared black pepper sauce over everything in the skillet. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and vegetables. Serve immediately.
Tips for Restaurant-Quality Results
A few simple tricks can elevate your homemade stir-fry from good to great.
The Secret to Tender Chicken (Velvetting)
The simple act of coating the chicken in cornstarch before cooking is a basic form of velveting. This technique creates a protective barrier that locks in moisture, resulting in incredibly tender and juicy chicken every time.
Use Freshly Ground Black Pepper
For a dish named after black pepper, using the pre-ground stuff just won’t do. Freshly cracked, coarse black pepper provides a much more aromatic and pungent flavor that is essential to the dish’s character.
Don’t Crowd the Pan
To get a good sear on your chicken and vegetables, make sure your wok or skillet is hot and not overcrowded. If necessary, cook the chicken in two batches to ensure it stir-fries rather than steams.
Serving Suggestions
This Black Pepper Chicken Recipe is fantastic served over a bed of fluffy white or brown rice to soak up all the delicious sauce. For a different twist, try it with noodles or a side of steamed vegetables. A bowl of our vibrant Lemon Herb Rice also makes for a refreshing pairing.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, or microwave until warmed through. The vegetables will lose some of their crispness, but the flavor will still be fantastic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are a great alternative. They are naturally more tender and flavorful. Simply cut them into bite-sized pieces and follow the recipe as written.
The sauce is made by whisking together a base of oyster sauce and soy sauce with rice vinegar for balance, dark soy sauce for color, and a generous amount of coarsely ground black pepper for its signature flavor.
This dish has a pungent, peppery ‘kick’ rather than the heat you’d get from chili peppers. The spice level comes entirely from the black pepper and is more aromatic than fiery. You can adjust the amount of pepper to your preference.
Black Pepper Chicken is most commonly served with steamed white or brown rice. It also pairs wonderfully with lo mein noodles, quinoa, or a side of steamed broccoli or bok choy.
Velveting is a Chinese cooking technique used to give meat a soft, tender, ‘velvety’ texture. The simplest method, which we use here, involves coating the sliced chicken in a mixture of cornstarch and liquid before stir-frying it.
More Delicious Dinner Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, you’re sure to love some of our other easy dinner solutions. Try our sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Bites for another quick chicken dish. For a different kind of stir-fry, our Shrimp Stir Fry with Noodles is a guaranteed winner. And for a hands-off meal, you can’t beat this Slow Cooker Shredded Beef recipe.
Black Pepper Chicken Recipe
Black Pepper Chicken Recipe (Better Than Takeout!)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chicken breast, cornstarch, 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp rice vinegar. Toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Set aside to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, prepare the sauce by whisking together the oyster sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, dark soy sauce, 1 tsp rice vinegar, and the coarsely ground black pepper. Set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and celery and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the vegetables and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet. Add the marinated chicken to the other side in a single layer. Let it cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to get a nice sear, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Pour the prepared black pepper sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Stir everything together and cook for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and coats everything evenly.
- Serve immediately over rice or noodles.
Notes
Don't Crowd the Pan: If your skillet isn't large enough, cook the chicken in two separate batches to ensure it sears properly.
Vegetable Variations: Feel free to add other vegetables like bell peppers or mushrooms.
Share Your Creation!
We love seeing what you create in your kitchen! If you make this Black Pepper Chicken Recipe, please leave a comment below and let us know how it turned out. Don’t forget to snap a photo and share it on Pinterest!
