• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Christie at Home
  • Asian Recipes
    • Recipe Index (Search)
    • By Region
      • Chinese
      • Filipino
      • Indonesian
      • Japanese
      • Korean
      • Malaysian
      • Taiwanese
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
    • By Course
      • Mains
      • Appetizers/Sides
      • Breakfast
      • Snacks
      • Dessert
      • Beverages
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
  • ABOUT ME
    • Work with Me
    • Copyright Policy
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Asian Recipes
  • Shop Kitchenware
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Black Pepper Chicken

    Modified: Apr 22, 2024 · Published: Nov 3, 2023 by Christie Lai · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Video

    Tender chicken stir fried in a delicious black pepper sauce with crunchy celery, carrots, onions, garlic and ginger! This quick and easy black pepper chicken is restaurant-quality and made in one pan. A fantastic main for the whole family!

    Black Pepper Chicken
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Expert Tips
    • Instructions
    • Storage
    • Pairing Suggestions
    • FAQ
    • Other recipes you may enjoy
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Black Pepper Chicken features juicy chicken stir fried with celery, carrots, onions and garlic in a savory sauce packed with black pepper and umami flavor!

    It’s a popular Chinese-American stir fry dish served at many Chinese restaurants, like Panda Express. Best served with white rice to make it a complete meal!

    Black Pepper Chicken

    I love this stir fry dish because it's perfect for a busy weeknight meal or meal prep as it comes together simple ingredients. Every bite is packed with flavor and that chicken is so tender!

    Ingredients

    Please scroll down to recipe card below for exact measurements.

    key ingredients to make this recipe
    • Skinless boneless chicken breast or substitute with boneless chicken thighs
    • Celery: or substitute with bell peppers
    • Carrots
    • Onion
    • Garlic
    • Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil, coconut oil or any heavy scented oils.

    Chicken marinade

    ingredients to marinate the chicken with
    • Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
    • Neutral oil
    • Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch
    • Shaoxing wine or substitute with rice wine vinegar
    • Baking soda: do not skip this as this is the key ingredient to tenderizing the chicken so it tastes like Chinese takeout! Don't worry you won't taste it as we're using a tiny amount.

    Stir-Fry Sauce

    sauce ingredients
    • Oyster sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir fry sauce if you don't like oysters. If you're gluten-free: substitute with a gluten-free version.
    • Regular soy sauce
    • Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce. But if you don’t have this, substitute with regular soy sauce. 
    • Fresh Ginger
    • White granulated sugar: or substitute with brown sugar
    • Black pepper: lots of black of black pepper will be needed for this dish!
    • Shaoxing wine: or substitute with rice vinegar
    • Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch
    • Low-sodium chicken stock: or substitute with vegetable stock

    ​Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.

    Expert Tips

    • Thinly slice chicken on a bias for very tender chicken!
    • Velvet the chicken in the marinade for at least 20 minutes for moist chicken.
    • Do not skip the baking soda or cornstarch! These are the secret ingredients for very tender chicken.
    • Prepare the ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
    • Do not over cook the vegetables! They should be crisp.

    Instructions

    Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make black pepper chicken:

    Slice and Marinate Chicken

    thinly slice chicken

    First step, slice chicken breasts against the grain into ¼-inch-thick pieces ensuring they are a similar size. 

    marinate chicken

    Transfer sliced chicken breast into a medium bowl. Marinate chicken pieces with Marinade ingredients as listed above for 20 mins. 

    Create Sauce & Cook Chicken

    make sauce

    In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside. 

    cook chicken

    In a large pan or wok on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once oil is hot, fry marinated chicken in a single layer on both sides until cooked and golden brown on the edges, about 3 mins in total. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. 

    Fry Vegetables & Simmer Sauce

    cook vegetables and aromatics

    Reduce to medium heat. Add remaining oil. Fry onions, garlic, carrots and celery until slightly softened, about 1-2 minutes. 

    add sauce to thicken

    Pour in prepared Sauce. Allow it to simmer to thicken. 

    Toss in Chicken

    Once sauce has thickened, toss back in cooked chicken until each piece is coated in sauce. Remove off heat. Enjoy! 

    toss back in cooked chicken

    Storage

    • Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
    • Freezer friendly? This can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen up to 3 months or until you see freezer burn. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan. Warning: the celery will lose some of its crisp texture due to the freezing.

    Pairing Suggestions

    Black pepper chicken serves well with:

    • starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, hot and sour soup
    • white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, fried rice, chow mein, or lo mein.

    FAQ

    Can I make this in advance? 

    This can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.

    Can I substitute with another protein?

    Yes, you can substitute the chicken with shrimp, thinly sliced beef or pork, or diced extra-firm tofu.

    Other recipes you may enjoy

    • Panda Express Mushroom Chicken
    • Cashew Chicken
    • Mongolian Chicken
    • General Tso Chicken
    • Orange Chicken

    📖 Recipe

    black pepper chicken

    Quick & Easy Black Pepper Chicken

    Christie Lai
    Black Pepper Chicken. Tender chicken stir fried in a delicious black pepper sauce with crunchy celery, carrots, onions, garlic and ginger! Ready in 30 minutes.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 23 minutes mins
    Cook Time 7 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Chinese
    Servings 4
    Calories per serving 203 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb chicken breast skinless boneless
    • 1 cup celery sliced on an angle
    • ½ cup carrots thinly sliced into ¼ inch thick rounds
    • ½ cup onion sliced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 1.5 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil

    Chicken marinade:

    • 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 1.5 tablespoon cornstarch
    • 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or sub with rice vinegar
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda do not skip!

    Stir Fry Sauce:

    • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce or sub with vegetarian stir fry sauce
    • 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
    • ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon ginger peeled and grated
    • 2 teaspoon white granulated sugar or sub with brown sugar
    • ¾ teaspoon black pepper (add ¼ teaspoon more if you desire a strong black pepper taste)
    • 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or sub with rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • ½ cup chicken stock unsalted

    Instructions
     

    • Slice chicken breasts into ¼-inch-thick pieces ensuring they are a similar size.
    • Transfer sliced chicken breast into a medium bowl. Marinate chicken pieces with Marinade ingredients as listed above for 20 mins.
    • In a small bowl, combine Stir Fry Sauce ingredients as listed above. Set aside.
    • In a large skillet or wok on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil. Once oil is hot, fry marinated chicken on both sides until cooked and slightly golden brown on the edges, about 3 mins in total. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
    • Reduce to medium heat. Add remaining oil with onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Fry until slightly softened but still crisp, about 1-2 minutes.
    • Pour in prepared stir fry sauce. Toss everything together and allow sauce to simmer to thicken.
    • Once sauce has thickened, toss back in cooked chicken until each piece is coated in sauce. Remove off heat. Enjoy!
    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    • Measuring Set
    • Cutting Board
    • Santoku Knife
    • Tongs
    • Non-stick wok
    • Kitchen Scale
    Nutrition
    Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1095mg | Potassium: 638mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2824IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg

    More Quick & Easy Main Dish Recipes

    • featured image of string bean chicken
      String Bean Chicken
    • feature image of Beef Mushroom Stir-Fry
      Beef Mushroom Stir-Fry
    • featured image of gyudon
      Gyudon (Japanese Beef Rice Bowl)
    • Korean Braised Tofu

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Did you enjoy my recipe? Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Mary

      May 27, 2024 at 4:28 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this recipe! Super flavorful and relatively easy. Chicken came out amazing. Will be adding to our dinner rotation. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Christie Lai

        June 03, 2024 at 1:04 pm

        So happy to read this! Glad it worked out well and it's going into the books!

        Reply
    2. Kevina Tierney

      January 24, 2024 at 12:55 pm

      5 stars
      I was shocked how tender the chicken was! So good!

      Reply
      • Christie Lai

        January 24, 2024 at 6:33 pm

        I am so thrilled to hear that you were happy with how tender the chicken was! Thank you so much for making my recipe and for leaving this positive review, Kevina!

        Reply
    3. Rish

      January 11, 2024 at 2:41 pm

      5 stars
      Unbelievably delicious !!

      Reply
      • Christie Lai

        January 11, 2024 at 5:08 pm

        I am so thrilled to read this! Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review, Rish! Have a wonderful day!

        Reply
    4. Collin S

      July 22, 2023 at 8:43 pm

      5 stars
      Your recipes are a revelation. I've been making dishes like this for decades, and I've finally found the source for all the best recipes!
      They're easy. They're delicious!! Thank you!
      The only difference that I introduce is I usually blanch the vegetables for 1-2 minutes in salted water before stir-frying (I learned that from a local Chinese restaurant 🙂

      Reply
      • christieathome

        July 24, 2023 at 4:17 pm

        Thank you so much for your kind review and comment - it truly made my day, Collin! I'm so happy that I could share my recipes here with you and glad they're easy and delicious. Love that tip on blanching the veggies!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Christie

    Christie is an Recipe Blogger with an expertise on Asian recipes! She makes Asian cooking approachable with step-by-step pictures, ingredient & recipe tips and a helpful cooking video. Her quick and easy recipes have been featured on BuzzFeed Tasty, Food52, The Kitchn, The FeedFeed, Sur La Table, Yummly and more! With a following of over 1M+, her recipes are made repeatedly by her loyal readers.

    More about me →

    Footer

    Follow Me

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Home

    • Home
    • Asian Recipes
    • Shop
    • Privacy Policy
    • Copyright Policy

    Contact

    • About
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Christie at Home