I’m Jessica from ketoatmeal, and if you’re craving something bold and saucy after a long day, meet your new go-to: Black Pepper Chicken. It’s a quick, fiery stir-fry that tastes better than takeout—fresh, flavorful, and ready fast.
Black Pepper Chicken is a Chinese-American classic—tender chicken, crisp veggies, and a bold, peppery sauce. The best part? You can whip it up at home in under 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients. Let’s get cooking!
Table of Contents
Black Pepper Chicken
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3–4 1x
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Description
🔥 Juicy chicken + crisp veggies in a bold black pepper sauce 🌶️
🕒 Ready in 30 mins | 🥢 Better than takeout | 🍽️ One-pan wonder!
Ingredients
🐔 For the Chicken Marinade:
-
1 lb chicken thighs or breast, thinly sliced
-
1 tbsp light soy sauce
-
1 tsp dark soy sauce
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1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
-
1 tsp sesame oil
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1 tsp cornstarch
🥣 For the Sauce:
-
1/2 cup chicken stock
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1 tbsp oyster sauce
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1 tbsp light soy sauce
-
1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
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1 tsp sugar
-
1 tsp sesame oil
-
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper (more to taste)
-
Optional: 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
🥦 Vegetables & Aromatics:
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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1/2 onion, sliced
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1 red bell pepper, sliced
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1 green bell pepper, sliced
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1/2 cup celery, sliced
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2 tbsp wok cooking oil
🥄 For Thickening:
-
1 tsp cornstarch
-
1 tbsp water (to make slurry)
Instructions
-
Marinate the Chicken
-
Make the Sauce
-
Cook the Chicken
-
Sauté Aromatics
-
Add Veggies
-
Add Sauce & Slurry
-
Finish with Chicken
-
Serve
Notes
Protein Swap: You can substitute chicken with shrimp, tofu, or thinly sliced beef. Just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Vegetable Variations: No bell peppers? Try broccoli, snap peas, zucchini, or even mushrooms. Just aim for veggies that stay crisp-tender in a stir-fry.
No Shaoxing Wine? Use dry sherry or rice vinegar for a similar flavor. Or skip it entirely if you prefer a non-alcoholic option.
Pepper Preference: Use freshly ground coarsely black pepper for bold flavor. Pre-ground pepper tends to lose its punch.
Make it Spicier: Add chili oil, red pepper flakes, or diced fresh chilies to crank up the heat if you love a spicy stir-fry.
Gluten-Free Tip: Use tamari instead of soy sauce and make sure your oyster sauce is gluten-free.
Low-Carb/Keto-Friendly: Swap rice for cauliflower rice and go light on the cornstarch or use xanthan gum as a thickener.
Meal Prep Friendly: Stores in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave with a splash of water to refresh the sauce.
Nutrition
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: Moderate (adjust soy sauce to taste)
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 27g
📦 The Takeout Dish That Hooked Me
🍴 Weekly takeout? That was me.
📜 One night, I spotted Black Pepper Chicken on the menu.
👀 Looked simple.
🤯 One bite? Total flavor explosion.
🌶️ That coarsely ground black pepper? Not just spice—serious depth.
🎯 I had to recreate it.
🧪 I tested.
🍳 I tweaked.
✔️ Found the perfect balance—sauce, spice, and crunch.
🔁 Now it’s in my regular dinner lineup, right alongside:
💡 This version? Even better than takeout.
🌟 Black Pepper: The Bold Star
🌶️ What makes Black Pepper Chicken special?
➡️ It’s all in the black pepper.
🌿 Sourced from the Piper nigrum plant
🌸 Offers floral notes & gentle heat
🔥 Adds warmth, depth, and serious flavor
⚖️ Not to be confused with white pepper:
- White = sharper, cleaner
- Black = bolder, richer, more complex
💊 Bonus Benefits:
- 🧠 Supports brain health
- 🧬 Aids digestion & nutrient absorption
- 💪 Contains piperine—a powerful antioxidant
👉 Curious? Read more about the health benefits of black pepper.
This spice does way more than just bring the heat.
How to Make Black Pepper Chicken at Home
Step 1: Marinate the Chicken
Black Pepper Chicken starts with juicy, marinated chicken pieces.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb chicken breast or thighs, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Mix everything together and let the chicken sit for 10–15 minutes. This gives you flavor from the inside out.
Step 2: Stir-Fry Sauce Setup
Black Pepper Chicken has a savory stir-fry sauce that’s rich but easy to make.
Combine in a bowl:
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- Optional: 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine for depth
Step 3: Stir-Fry Like a Pro
- Sear the Chicken
Heat 2 tbsp wok oil and stir-fry chicken until it’s 80% done. Remove and set aside. - Sauté Aromatics
Toss in 2 cloves garlic and 1/2 onion, sauté with a splash of Shaoxing wine. - Add Vegetables
Stir in sliced red and green bell peppers and celery. Cook until slightly tender. - Add Sauce & Thicken
Pour in your sauce, then thicken with a cornstarch slurry (1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water). - Finish It
Return the chicken, toss to coat, and hit it with another grind of black pepper for that finishing flavor. Your Black Pepper Chicken is ready to serve.
Tips & Serving Suggestions
Black Pepper Chicken is flexible and fun to serve:
- Swap in mushrooms, broccoli, or zucchini.
- Add chili oil or crushed red pepper for more heat.
- Serve over jasmine rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles.
This dish stands shoulder to shoulder with easy weeknight chicken dinners like this Chicken Taco Casserole and spicy and savory chicken-based recipes such as Buffalo Chicken Dip.
Ingredient Recap
For the Chicken:
- Chicken, light and dark soy sauces, cornstarch, sesame oil, black pepper
For the Sauce:
- Chicken stock, oyster sauce, sugar, black pepper, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine (optional)
For the Veggies & Aromatics:
- Garlic, onion, bell peppers, celery, cooking oil
Nutritional Breakdown (Per Serving)
- Calories: 290
- Protein: 27g
- Carbs: 12g
- Fat: 14g
- High in antioxidants and protein
This dish is packed with bold flavor and better nutrition than most takeout options, all thanks to ingredients like coarsely ground black pepper and lean protein.
Conclusion
If you love takeout-style meals but want more control over the ingredients and flavor, Black Pepper Chicken is the answer. It’s quick, colorful, loaded with rich peppery heat, and easily one of my top 5 dinners of all time.
So grab a wok (or your biggest pan), stock up on black pepper, and treat yourself to the spicy, savory joy that is Black Pepper Chicken. You’ll thank yourself—and probably make it again next week.