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Black Pepper Chicken

Black pepper chicken is a fast Asian-American stir-fry with a glossy soy-black pepper sauce that clings to tender chicken and crisp-tender vegetables. You’ll whisk the sauce ahead, then stir-fry for golden chicken and a quick sauce thickening for that peppery, dark finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 onion
  • 4 garlic
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 4 tbsp water
  • 1 steamed rice

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the black pepper sauce
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and freshly cracked black pepper, then whisk in cornstarch with water until smooth; set aside for use.
Stir-fry the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering, then add chicken in batches and stir-fry until golden, about 5 minutes per batch; remove to a plate.
Stir-fry vegetables and finish
  1. In the same hot skillet, stir-fry bell pepper and onion for 3 minutes, then add garlic and grated fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Return chicken to the skillet, pour sauce over everything, and toss to coat so the glossy black pepper sauce distributes evenly.
  3. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and vegetables, then season with extra freshly cracked black pepper as desired.
  4. Serve the black pepper chicken over steamed rice.

Notes

For the best glossy coating, keep the heat high and avoid crowding the pan when searing the chicken. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the peppery sauce can thin when thawed. For a lighter option, use chicken breast as written but swap vegetable oil for a high-heat avocado oil and choose low-sodium soy sauce (still keep the dark soy sauce for color).