Easy Black Pepper Chicken (30 Minutes)
Tender chicken, crisp celery, carrots, and onions tossed in a rich, savory black pepper sauce. This easy black pepper chicken recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. I marinate the chicken with baking soda, cornstarch, and water so it stays tender and juicy when stir-fried over high heat.
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast
- 1 cup celery sliced into ¼-inch thick pieces
- ½ cup carrots sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
- ½ cup onion sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1.5 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Chicken Marinade
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon water cold
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce or light soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 2 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper (add ¼ teaspoon more for a stronger taste)
- ½ cup chicken stock low-sodium
Instructions
- Slice the chicken against the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices. Transfer the sliced chicken to a large bowl. Add all the marinade ingredients and mix well. Set aside to marinate for 15-20 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients until the sugar fully dissolves. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in an even layer and cook for about 3–4 minutes, flipping halfway through, until lightly golden and cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Whisk the prepared sauce again to redistribute the cornstarch, then pour it into the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thick and glossy, about 30-60 seconds.
- Return the cooked chicken to the pan and toss until evenly coated in the sauce and heated through. Transfer to a serving plate and enjoy hot.
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Nutrition
Calories: 199kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1097mg | Potassium: 640mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2864IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg