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Black Pepper Chicken

Black pepper chicken is a tasty Chinese American dish combining a Chinese takeout-style brown sauce with a good amount of black pepper.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 250 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese-American Fussion

Ingredients

For the chicken:
  • 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs)
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
  • 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
For the rest of the dish:
  • 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil (divided)
  • 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 medium onion (cut into wedges)
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
  • 1/2 bell pepper (any color, cut into 1-inch/2.5cm pieces)
  • 1 stalk celery (thinly sliced on an angle)
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons water to form a cornstarch slurry)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Start by marinating your chicken. In a bowl, add the sliced chicken, water, cornstarch, oil, oyster sauce, and black pepper. Rub the marinade ingredients into the chicken with your hands until the chicken has absorbed all the liquid. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  2. Next, prepare the sauce mixture. In a small bowl or measuring cup, add the chicken stock, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, dark soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir everything together until well-combined, and set aside.
  3. Place your wok over high heat until smoking. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, and then add the chicken all in a single layer. Sear the chicken until opaque on all sides (this should only take a couple minutes). Turn off the heat, remove the chicken from the wok, and set aside. The chicken will be 80-90% done, but you’ll cook it again at the end.
  4. Without washing the wok, turn on the heat to medium. Add another tablespoon of oil, along with the garlic and onion. Stir-fry for 20 seconds, then add the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok.
  5. Add the peppers and celery, along with the 1 teaspoon black pepper. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
  6. Pour in the sauce mixture. Use your wok spatula to stir the sauce around the sides of the wok to deglaze, and let it come to a simmer.
  7. Stir up the cornstarch and water slurry, and drizzle the mixture into sauce while stirring constantly. Allow the sauce to simmer for 10 to 15 seconds until thick and gravy-like. Toss in the chicken and its juices. Stir-fry until the chicken is coated in the sauce and the sauce is thickened to your liking.
  8. At this point, you can make adjustments. If you like your brown sauce darker, add a dash more of dark soy sauce. Add more cornstarch slurry if your sauce is too thin, or more chicken stock or water if the sauce is too thick. Serve with steamed rice.

Nutrition Information

Calories 250kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 9g (3%) Protein 20g (40%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 4g Monounsaturated Fat 8g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 54mg (18%) Sodium 742mg (31%) Potassium 475mg (14%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 541IU (11%) Vitamin C 23mg (26%) Calcium 27mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 250

% Daily Value*

Calories 250kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 9g 3%
Protein 20g 40%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g 24%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 54mg 18%
Sodium 742mg 31%
Potassium 475mg 10%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 541IU 11%
Vitamin C 23mg 26%
Calcium 27mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.