Make Black Pepper Chicken stir fry for your next easy weeknight dinner and thank us later! It has tender chicken, fresh veggies, and a rich and savory black pepper sauce. Serve this zesty chicken stir fry with fluffy steamed rice, lo mein or rice noodles, and roasted broccoli.
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The signature black pepper sauce in this chicken dish gives bold flavor in every bite. It's a great balance of sweet, savory, and peppery flavors. The best part? You probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry already!
If you love this dish, you'll love our Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry, Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry, and this Beef Teriyaki.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Easy and Fast: Even if you're not in the mood to cook, you can have dinner on the table quickly and effortlessly with this Chinese black pepper chicken.
- Better than Takeout: Sometimes Chinese takeout takes too long and leaves you feeling overly full. But this homemade version is balanced, flavorful, and even better than your favorite takeout!
- Incredibly Flavorful: We love the sauce in this chicken recipe. It's scrumptious and you can customize it based on what level of spiciness you prefer.
Ingredients
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs are ideal for this dish because they will stay tender and juicy even when cooked in high heat. You could use boneless, chicken breasts too though they'll cook a bit faster.
- Asian Sauces and Seasonings: Hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar bring authentic flavors to this dish. You can find all of them in the international aisle of the grocery store.
- Fresh Ginger and Garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic add bright, zesty flavor to the peppered chicken. You can buy pre-minced if you're short on time but fresh will give the most flavor.
- Green Bell Peppers, Onions, and Celery: The combination of vegetables creates a great stir-fry base and crunchiness.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch thickens the sauce and helps create a coating on the chicken to crisp it up.
- Chicken Broth: Use a low-sodium broth to avoid the dish becoming overly salty.
- Honey: Honey adds sweetness to balance the spicy flavors and seasonings.
- Seasonings: We're going to use cracked black pepper, salt, and chili powder in this pepper chicken recipe.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Spicier Version: Add extra chili powder, sambal oelek, sriracha, chili garlic oil, or Thai chilies for extra heat and complexity.
- Add Extra Veggies: Throw in some mushrooms, zucchini, or cauliflower to add in even more textures and nutritional value.
- Add Nuts: Add a nutty crunch by incorporating toasted cashews or peanuts at the end of cooking.
- Gluten-Free: To make this recipe gluten-free, look for gluten-free hoisin. If you're thinking of adding soy sauce, use tamari instead.
How To Make Black Pepper Chicken
Here's exactly how to make this chicken dish! It's so easy!
- Step 1: Make the Sauce. Whisk together the chicken broth, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, honey, rice wine vinegar, garlic, black pepper, chili powder, and ginger.
- Step 2: Dredge the Chicken. Add the chicken, cornstarch, salt, and black pepper to a bowl. Mix until the chicken is completely coated.
- Step 3: Cook the Chicken. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until it's browned on both sides. Set it aside on a plate while you cook the veggies.
- Step 4: Saute the Vegetables. Add the garlic, ginger, green bell pepper, onion, and celery to the pan. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Step 5: Add the Chicken and Sauce. Add the chicken back into the skillet and pour the prepared sauce in. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Serve over rice or noodles and enjoy!
Hint: Make Rice as a Side Dish
If you have a rice cooker, start the rice before you dive into making the chicken and then the rice will be ready by the time you're done cooking. That's effortless cooking at its best!
Expert Tips
- Perfectly Done Chicken: Let the chicken sear to give it that crispy outer layer. Usually it will crisp in about 30 seconds so resist the urge to stir it right away. To ensure the chicken is fully cooked, check with a meat thermometer. Chicken is considered safe to eat when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Adjust the Seasonings How You Like Them: You can make this recipe as spicy as you like it! Add a little pepper and salt at a time as you season to taste.
- Storing: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. Reheat in a skillet on the stove or in the microwave until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
Make this chicken stir fry as a quick and easy weeknight-friendly dinner or have it for delicious leftovers the next day. You could also use the sauce on chicken wings for a flavorsome appetizer.
- Pepper chicken stir fry is so good on top of steaming white rice, brown rice, rice noodles, egg noodles, udon, soba, or lo mein. It's also tasty in a lettuce wrap.
- Garnish with sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, and chopped scallions.
- Serve this dish with other Chinese takeout classics like egg rolls, garlic honey chicken stir fry, orange chicken, and slow cooker teriyaki chicken.
- For dessert, make homemade ice cream and strawberry cake to round out the meal perfectly!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, either dark or white meat can be used for this recipe. Keep in mind that boneless, skinless breasts will cook faster. You'll know they're done when they're no longer pink in the center.
While this dish is best served fresh, you can prep all the ingredients ahead of time. Cut the chicken and vegetables, and mix the sauce. Store everything separately in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, bring the chicken to room temperature for 15-20 minutes before cooking for the best results.
The black pepper creates a warm heat but it's not overly spicy. If you're sensitive to spicy food, start with half the amount of black pepper and then adjust from there. If you love spicy food, feel free to add more black pepper or throw in red pepper flakes.
A large, heavy-bottomed skillet or wok works best. Cast iron or stainless steel pans are great as well and can create a nice sear on the chicken. Non-stick pans will work too, but you might not get the same level of caramelization on the meat and vegetables.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
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Black Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (excess fat removed and cubed into smaller pieces.)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
- 1 green bell pepper (diced)
- 1½ cups white onion (chopped into ¾-inch pieces)
- 3 celery stalks (sliced on an angle)
Sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp sesame seed oil
- 1 tsp honey
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp fresh ginger (minced)
Instructions
Sauce
- In a medium bowl, add chicken broth, hoisin sauce, sesame seed oil, honey, rice wine vinegar, garlic, black pepper, chili powder, and ginger. Whisk until well combined and set aside.
Chicken
- In a medium bowl, add chicken, cornstarch, salt, and black pepper to a bowl. Mix until the chicken is completely coated.
- Over medium-high heat in a large skillet, add oil and heat. Add chicken and cook until browned. Remove and place on a plate and set aside.
- Add garlic, ginger, green bell pepper, onion, and celery stalks to the pan. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Then, add the chicken back into the skillet and pour the prepared sauce in. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
- Server over rice or noodles and enjoy!
Notes
- Chop the veggies to a similar size so they cook evenly.
- When coating your chicken pieces in cornstarch, use a large zip-top bag to shake everything together. This ensures each piece gets an even coating without making your hands messy.
- Give your pan plenty of time to heat up before adding the oil and chicken. This will help get the perfect golden-brown sear.
- Don't crowd the pan when cooking the chicken. Cook in batches if needed.
- Planning on leftovers? Make extra sauce and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Stir the sauce well before throwing it into the next stir fry.
Nutrition
*All nutrition information provided is automatically calculated and is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact numbers on your ingredients, I would recommend calculating them with your prefered nutrition calculator.
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