Black pepper chicken is a variation on the classic Chinese-American dish Black Pepper Beef. It packs a punch of peppery flavor, but it comes together in less time than it takes to cook a pot of steamed rice which makes it the perfect quick and delicious weeknight dinner. This isn't just another copycat recipe though. My version improves upon Panda Express black pepper chicken in a number of ways. With tender chicken and a colorful medley of crisp vegetables in an umami-packed black pepper sauce loaded with freshly cracked peppercorns, it's an elevated homemade delight.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
- Coarsely cracking black peppercorns ensures maximum aroma while creating bursts of peppery flavor.
- Cutting the chicken into large bite-sized pieces keeps it from getting dried out.
- Marinating the chicken with salt, pepper, and potato starch ensures they're seasoned all the way through while rendering them plump and juicy.
- Chicken takes longer to cook than beef, so adding the oyster sauce at the very end keeps it from burning.
Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs - I like using skin-on boneless chicken legs because they stay juicy and tender during cooking. The skin protects the meat from the high heat of the pan and renders out flavorful fat that you can use for the stir-fry. Check out my tutorial to learn how to debone chicken legs. Boneless skinless chicken breasts will work if you prefer a leaner option, but it won't be as moist or flavorful.
- Black Peppercorns - As the dish's name implies, coarse black pepper is the star of this Chinese black pepper chicken stir fry. Freshly ground black peppercorns provide an unbeatable aroma and spicy kick, so I recommend starting with whole peppercorns and cracking them with a mortar and pestle.
- Garlic - Freshly grating garlic infuses the black pepper marinade with loads of pungent garlicky flavor. If you're out of fresh garlic, a teaspoon of garlic powder can be substituted.
- Shaoxing Wine - This Chinese cooking wine adds a subtle sweetness and loads of umami. If you don't have Shaoxing, dry sherry or sake make good alternatives.
- Potato Starch - Potato starch helps keep the chicken moist by locking in its juices. It also helps the garlic black pepper sauce cling to the chicken. Other starches like cornstarch or arrowroot starch will work.
- Salt - Because chicken takes longer to cook than beef, adding the oyster sauce to the marinade will cause the meat to burn. That's why I use salt in the marinade.
- Vegetable Oil - You want to use a neutral oil with a high smoke point for stir-frying. Avocado oil, canola oil, and sunflower oil are all good options. Olive oil is not a good option due to its green aroma and low smoke point.
- Onion - Crisp, sweet onions add a marvelous counterpoint to the savory chicken and spicy black pepper sauce. White onion, yellow onion, and red onions are all good options for this recipe.
- Bell Peppers - Although Panda Express only uses green bell peppers, I like using a 50:50 mix of red and green peppers. This brightens the dish, and the combination offers a contrast of sweet and mildly bitter tastes.
- Oyster Sauce - Oyster sauce brings a rich depth of flavor to this garlic black pepper chicken, tying all the flavors together while seasoning the dish. You could also substitute 1 ½ tablespoons of dark soy sauce with a teaspoon of sugar.
- Toasted Sesame Oil - A drizzle of toasted sesame oil added at the end contributes a nutty aroma to my black pepper chicken recipe.
How to Make Black Pepper Chicken
Coarsely crack the whole black peppercorns using a mortar and pestle. The large pieces of pepper offer bursts of peppery flavor that are the signature of Chinese black pepper chicken. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can place the peppercorns in a sealed plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pan.
Next, cut the chicken thighs into large, bite-sized pieces and combine the chicken pieces with the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Let this marinate while you prep the veggies. You can also store it in an airtight container and let it marinate overnight.
When you're ready to cook, add the vegetable oil to a hot skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken pieces in a single layer, skin-side down. Let it brown undisturbed for about two minutes. This develops a beautiful golden brown crust and adds depth to our dish. Flip and brown the other side for another minute. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan; if necessary, cook the chicken in batches to ensure even browning.
Add the onions and bell peppers to the pan, turn up the heat to high, and stir-fry everything together until the veggies are vibrant yet crisp and the meat is cooked through. This should take another one to two minutes.
Finally, we need to bring our Chinese black pepper sauce together by drizzling the oyster sauce and toasted sesame oil over stir-fry. Toss everything together to coat the ingredients with the sauce mixture.
Plate up your Chinese chicken with black pepper sauce and garnish by sprinkling on the remaining cracked pepper. Enjoy it hot over your favorite steamed rice (brown rice, white rice, and cauliflower rice are all good options).
Serve it With
Here are some ideas for turning this black pepper chicken into a complete Chinese-American meal. Consider starting off with a batch of my Spring Rolls. For a sweet and sour contrast to this dish's spicy savory flavor, my Panda Express Orange Chicken or Crispy Coconut Shrimp are both great options. For veggies, try stir-frying some broccoli, carrots, and bok choy with garlic and season them with dark soy sauce. I like serving this with a side of plain white or brown rice, but Shrimp Fried Rice is another good option. If you're in the mood for noodles, try out my Chicken Chow Mein recipe or my Chop Suey.
If you're looking for more tasty ways to eat high protein, check out my article, Easy High Protein Chicken Recipes.
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
- 350 grams skin-on boneless chicken thigh
- 8 grams garlic (grated)
- 8 grams black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 teaspoon potato starch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 140 grams onion (cut into ¾-inch squares)
- 50 grams red bell pepper (cut into ¾-inch squares)
- 50 grams green bell pepper (cut into ¾-inch squares)
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Add 8 grams black peppercorns into a mortar and crack them coarsely with a pestle.
- Cut 350 grams skin-on boneless chicken thigh into large bite-sized pieces.
- Put the chicken in a medium bowl along with 8 grams garlic, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon potato starch, and add in most of the freshly cracked black pepper. Mix the ingredients together until evenly distributed, and let the meat marinate in the black pepper sauce while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a frying pan and heat over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken in a single layer, skin-side down, and let it brown undisturbed (about 2 minutes).
- When the skin has browned, flip the chicken pieces over and brown the second side (another 1 minute).
- Add 140 grams onion, 50 grams red bell pepper, and 50 grams green bell pepper. Turn up the heat to high and stir-fry the mixture until the vegetables are vibrant in color but still crisp, and the meat is cooked through (another 1-2 minutes).
- Add 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and continue stir-frying until everything is coated with the sauce.
- Garnish with the remaining cracked pepper and serve with a side of steamed rice.
tei says
I will definitely try this, it looks easy and delicious. Apparently it does not freeze well, or how to retain the crispiness of peppers? Just add them in the reheating phase?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Tei, things with a high moisture content (like meat or vegetables) don't freeze well because home freezers freeze them so slowly ice crystals have a chance to grow which pieces cell walls in the food altering their texture (and causing them to lose liquid). This comes together in about 20 minutes so I would recommend just cooking it fresh. If you must freeze it, you'll probably get the best results by freezing the marinated chicken (before cooking it).
Mo says
Simple & balanced in flavors and textures, requiring only pantry staples. 👌