Description
Enjoy a homemade version of your favorite takeout with this 35-minute Black Pepper Chicken. Juicy chicken, crisp veggies, and a bold peppery sauce come together for a dish that’s savory, slightly sweet, and perfectly spicy. Serve with rice or noodles for an easy, satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 1.75 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs), cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying
For the Sauce:
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2-3 teaspoons coarse black pepper, adjust to desired spice/taste
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger)
For stir-frying
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 green bell peppers, chopped
- 2 sticks of celery, sliced ½-inch thick
Instructions
- Add chicken to a large bowl with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch. Stir to coat, then cover and let it sit for about 15–20 minutes to soak up the flavor.
- While the chicken is marinating, mix up the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, cornstarch, black pepper, sesame oil, and ground ginger until smooth. Make sure the cornstarch dissolves completely. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat and drizzle in some oil. Once hot, add the chicken in a single layer and sear until it’s golden on the outside. Don’t worry about cooking it all the way through just yet. Work in batches if your pan is full, then move the seared chicken to a plate.
- In the same pan, add a little more oil if needed, then toss in the onion and garlic. Cook for two minutes until fragrant.
- Add the bell pepper and celery and sauté for another 3 minutes, stirring often.
- Pour the sauce into the pan and stir. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken back in, stir to coat, and simmer another 5 minutes or so until the chicken is fully cooked and the sauce has the perfect consistency.
- Serve over fluffy white rice or noodles.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 252
- Sugar: 5.6 g
- Sodium: 494.2 mg
- Fat: 7.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.1 g
- Fiber: 2.2 g
- Protein: 31.9 g
- Cholesterol: 97.1 mg