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Black Pepper Chicken

Black pepper chicken with a glossy soy-black pepper sauce, stir-fried until the chicken is tender and the sauce clings to bell peppers and onions. Built for fast weeknight cooking: high-heat sear, quick veg sauté, then a short toss to thicken.
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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
  

Chicken stir-fry
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast Sliced thin for fast high-heat cooking.
  • 1 green bell pepper Sliced.
  • 1 onion Sliced.
  • 4 garlic Minced.
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger Grated.
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil For stir-frying.
Black pepper sauce
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper Generous amount.
  • 1 tsp cornstarch For thickening.
  • 0.25 cup water To mix with cornstarch.
Serving
  • 1 steamed rice

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the sauce
  1. Whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and freshly cracked black pepper together; set aside.
  2. Whisk cornstarch with water until smooth, then add it to the sauce mixture to prepare for thickening.
Stir-fry the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat, then stir-fry sliced chicken in batches until golden, about 3-5 minutes per batch.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside while you cook the vegetables.
Cook the vegetables and finish
  1. Stir-fry bell pepper and onion for 3 minutes, then add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Return chicken to the pan, pour the sauce over, and toss to coat everything evenly.
  3. Cook 2-3 minutes, tossing as needed, until the sauce thickens and clings to the chicken and vegetables; season with extra cracked black pepper to taste.
Serve
  1. Serve the black pepper chicken over steamed rice while hot.

Notes

Pro tip: slice the chicken thin and work in batches so it browns instead of steaming. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Freezing: not recommended because the sauce can thin after thawing. Dietary swap: for gluten-free, use tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) in place of soy sauce and check oyster sauce labeling.