Black Pepper Chicken is my go-to weeknight stir-fry! Just 30 minutes for delicious, saucy chicken with veggies—amazing over rice.
Black Pepper Chicken
My kids love Panda Express—they’re always asking for me to make my copycat orange chicken and chow mein.
Me? I’m team Black Pepper Chicken. I love the bold flavor, the tender veggies, and the slight spice.
This is my easy, pantry-friendly version. Big flavor, simple prep, and you can tweak the spice to your preference!
Chinese Black Pepper Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breasts: Slice thin so they cook fast and stay tender.
- Cornstarch: Helps crisp the chicken and thicken the sauce.
- Soy sauce & oyster sauce: Key to the flavor—don’t skip these!
- Sesame oil: Toasted sesame oil is my favorite. Use vegetable oil if needed.
- Veggies: Cook just until crisp-tender—you still want some crunch.
- Ginger & garlic paste: Fresh works too, but pastes make it faster.
- Black pepper: Start small & add more if you want extra heat.
Cooking Tips
- Adjust: Add more honey for sweeter Black Pepper Chicken, or less for more heat.
- Slice veggies thin & even: A mandolin slicer makes this fast and easy.
- Don’t overcook the chicken: Breast meat cooks quickly, so keep an eye on it.
- Marinate for 10–15 minutes: No need to go longer—it’s just the right amount of time.
What To Serve With Black Pepper Chicken
- White rice: My favorite base for this stir-fry.
- Fried rice: A great filling side to pack in even more veggies!
- Egg rolls or spring rolls: Fun, crispy appetizer to start out the meal.
- Asian cucumber salad: Perfect as a light side dish.
- Fruit: Whatever fruit you have in season or try my fruit salad.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftover Black Pepper Chicken in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
- Freezer: Freeze in a sealed container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
More Delicious Chicken Dinners
- Chicken Ramen with an easy stir-fry sauce
- Coconut Chicken Curry made in one pot!
- Chicken Stir Fry ready in under 30 minutes
- Apricot Chicken with a quick cucumber salad
- Bang Bang Chicken Skewers with a Sriracha-mayo sauce
Black Pepper Chicken
Black Pepper Chicken is a quick and flavorful meal loaded with tender chicken, colorful veggies, and a bold, peppery stir-fry sauce. You can have it on the table in 30 minutes or less!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce divided
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce divided
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil divided
- 1 large green bell pepper very thinly sliced
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery sliced on the bias (2-3 ribs)
- 1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion 1/2 large onion
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste or minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1-3 teaspoons pepper adjust to taste
- Sliced green onions optional, for garnish
- Cooked white rice optional, for serving
Instructions
- In a bowl, toss chicken with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, and cornstarch. Let marinate for 10–15 minutes.
- In a wide-mouth jar, add remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce, remaining 1 tbsp oyster sauce, rice vinegar, water, honey, and black pepper. Shake to combine and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add marinated chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes, until browned and mostly cooked through. Remove from the pan.
- Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to the same pan. Stir in onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 2–3 minutes until starting to soften. Add garlic and ginger, and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Return the chicken to the pan. Pour in the sauce and toss everything together. Cook for 2–3 more minutes, until sauce thickens and coats the chicken and veggies. Taste and adjust pepper or salt if needed.
- Serve over rice and garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds, if using. Best served hot!
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Note: Nutrition Facts do not include rice.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. To freeze, place in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 3servings | Calories: 332kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 2056mg | Potassium: 747mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 312IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is one of my favorite dinners, not only to eat but to make too!
Made these last night and served them over yakisoba noodles. So delicious and so easy! There was plenty of sauce for the noodles too.
new favorite dinner
This quickly became a new favorite at my house!
We were looking for something quick and easy to make and came across this! It taste so good! Served it over rice!