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Black Pepper Chicken

Black pepper chicken with a glossy soy-black pepper sauce is stir-fried until the chicken is golden and the peppers stay crisp-tender. This fast Asian-American main dish coats sliced chicken and vegetables with freshly cracked black pepper for bold flavor and sheen.
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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: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Black pepper chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast sliced thin
  • 1 green bell pepper sliced
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 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 generous
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1.5 cup water for the cornstarch slurry; use 1/4 cup total water
  • 1 steamed rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the sauce
  1. Whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and freshly cracked black pepper together in a bowl until the sugar dissolves, then set aside.
  2. Whisk cornstarch with 1/4 cup water until smooth, then stir into the sauce and set aside.
Stir-fry the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering.
  2. Stir-fry the sliced chicken in batches until golden, then remove to a plate.
Stir-fry 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 everything, and toss to coat.
  3. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and clings to the chicken and vegetables, then season with extra freshly cracked black pepper.
Serve
  1. Serve the black pepper chicken over steamed rice.

Notes

For the best glossy coating, keep the heat high and don’t overcrowd the pan when searing the chicken. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended because the peppers can soften and the sauce may break. For a lighter option, use low-sodium soy sauce and oyster sauce and reduce the brown sugar slightly to keep the sauce balanced.