Spice up your dinner routine with this mouthwatering black pepper chicken recipe! Tender chicken pieces coated in a savory black pepper sauce, perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Black Pepper Chicken combines stir-fried chicken breasts, onions, red bell pepper, garlic, and ginger in a sweet and savory black pepper sauce. This tasty dish is much better than takeout and is delicious over white rice or Chinese noodles. It is quick and easy enough for a weeknight meal yet elegant enough for company.
If you like this flavorful recipe, try Mongolian chicken, pepper steak, hunan chicken, and sweet and sour chicken.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Shaoxing wine: This is Chinese rice wine. You can substitute sherry.
- Brown sugar: Or Mirin, which is sweetened sake
- Chicken breasts: Boneless skinless chicken thighs can be substituted for the chicken breasts. Chicken thighs take a few minutes longer to cook through.
- Bell peppers: You can use any colored bell peppers you like. Green, red, orange, and yellow peppers work well and have great flavor and texture.
- Grated ginger: Ginger paste works just as well as fresh ginger, and once opened, it lasts about one month in the fridge.
How to make Black Pepper Chicken
This is the summary version; see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and the instructions.
First, whisk the chicken broth, 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, Shaoxing Wine, brown sugar, cornstarch, and fresh ground black pepper in a small bowl. Set the bowl aside for a little bit. Then, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Cut the vegetables while the chicken is marinating.
Heat a bit of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs remove the chicken from the marinade and add it to the skillet in a single layer, cooking until golden brown and cooked through, flipping once. Work in batches removing the chicken to a plate as it is cooked.
If needed, add a bit of vegetable oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper, cooking for several minutes until crisp-tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for 1 minute while stirring continuously. Remove the cooked vegetables to a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium. Whisk the sauce ingredients in the bowl that you set aside. Pour the sauce into the skillet and cook until slightly thickened. Stir several times. Add the chicken and the veggies back to the skillet and cook for a couple of minutes to warm the dish. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve.
Preparation Tips
- Cut the chicken breast or thighs into small, thin, bite-sized uniform pieces so they cook quickly and evenly.
- Try adding a variety of veggies like broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, snap peas, and baby corn.
- This dish is best served immediately while the vegetables are still crisp-tender and the chicken is warm.
Serving Suggestions
Serve over white rice, brown rice, or Chinese noodles. I love to include appetizers like egg rolls, potstickers, spring rolls, crab rangoon or soup like egg drop soup and hot and sour soup.
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat until warm or in the microwave for short increments at reduced power until warm.
More Asian Recipes
Black Pepper Chicken
Ingredients
Black Pepper Sauce
- ⅓ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup Shaoxing Wine or sherry
- 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar or 2 tablespoons Mirin
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry
- ½ lbs chicken breast cut into thin bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- Vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 red pepper or green pepper bell pepper finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- 2 green onions sliced thin
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce, Shaoxing Wine, brown sugar, cornstarch, and fresh ground black pepper. Set the bowl aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, and cornstarch. Let the chicken rest and marinate for 15-20 minutes.
- Heat a little vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs remove the chicken from the marinade and add it to the skillet in a single layer, cooking until golden brown and cooked through. Flip once to brown the other side. Work in batches removing the chicken to a plate as it is cooked.
- Add a little more vegetable oil to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper cooking for several minutes until crisp-tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the minced garlic and grated ginger cooking for 1 minute while stirring continuously. Remove the cooked vegetables to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Whisk the sauce ingredients in the bowl that you set aside. Pour the sauce into the skillet and cook until slightly thickened. Stir several times. Add the chicken and the veggies back to the skillet for a couple of minutes to warm the dish. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve.
Notes
- Cut the chicken breast or thighs into small, thin, bite-sized uniform pieces so they cook quickly and evenly.
- Try adding a variety of veggies like broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, snap peas, and baby corn.
- This dish is best served immediately while the vegetables are still crisp-tender and the chicken is warm.
Nutrition
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Catherine Post
Easy recipe, quick, and incredibly delicious! My entire family loved this dish. It’s hard to please 6 people. Definitely adding this to my “staples” pile.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Catherine! I am happy that they liked it.
Renata Feyen
This looks so good. I have eaten black pepper beef before, but am absolutely certain it works well with chicken too
Kristy
WOW! This black pepper chicken was amazing. Fabulous photo. I served it over white rice and hubby and I really loved it.
Becky
Ohhh, I usually have mine with pork or beef. It looks amazing. I can’t wait to try this one for lunch.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Becky! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Stephie
I love ordering black pepper chicken, so I was very excited to make this recipe at home. What a delicious meal and so perfect to save money instead of going out to eat. I will make it again.
Linda R
This black pepper chicken was so good. This is going to be on repeat at our house. Thanks
Emily
Oh my gosh, this sauce looks so delicious! I have to try making it tomorrow night for Friday dinner and marinating some tofu in it. Thank you for sharing!
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine, Emily!
Milton
This black pepper chicken recipe is a game-changer! I can’t wait to try it with some added snap peas and baby corn for extra crunch!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Milton! I am glad that you liked it.
Nisha
Love this black pepper chicken preparation and the sauces used for marinating the chicken, can’t wait to try it out!
Leanne
This is delicious! The black pepper adds just the right amount of kick without being overly spice. I really loved it.
Beth Pierce
I am so glad that you liked it, Leanne!
Janelle
Absolutely delicious!!! Definitely a new favorite!!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Janelle!
Tina
What can I use instead of wine please 🙏
Beth Pierce
Use 1/4 cup more chicken broth.