Easy Chinese Black Pepper Chicken
This easy Chinese black pepper chicken combines lightly browned chicken thighs, onions and green onions in a savoury homemade sauce with garlic, ginger and freshly cracked pepper. Ready in about 35 minutes, it’s a satisfying stir-fry to serve with steamed rice or noodles.
Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Medium mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Tongs
- Serving spoon
Ingredients
Chicken and Marinade
- 1½ lb chicken thighs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized slices about ¼ inch thick
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or avocado oil divided
Black Pepper Sauce
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper plus extra to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅓ cup chicken broth or water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Onions and Aromatics
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 4 green onions sliced diagonally into short pieces
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Instructions
How to Make Chinese Black Pepper Chicken
- Marinate the chicken. Toss the sliced chicken with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Refrigerate for 10 minutes while preparing the sauce and vegetables.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, black pepper, garlic powder, broth and 1 teaspoon cornstarch.
- Coat the chicken. Sprinkle the ⅓ cup cornstarch over the marinated chicken. Toss well, separating the pieces so each has an even coating.
- Brown in batches. Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer. Cook for approximately 2–3 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a clean plate. Repeat with another tablespoon oil and the remaining chicken, adjusting the heat if the coating starts to burn.
- Stir-fry the onions. Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the skillet. Add the yellow onion and white parts of the green onions. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until slightly softened with some crunch remaining.
- Add garlic and ginger. Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Thicken the sauce. Whisk the prepared sauce again, then pour it into the skillet. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir for 1–2 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Finish the chicken. Return the chicken and its collected juices to the skillet. Add the green onion tops and toss for 1–2 minutes, until hot and lightly coated in sauce. Add a splash of broth or water if the coating becomes too thick. Check that the thickest chicken pieces reach 74°C (165°F).
- Serve. Add extra freshly cracked black pepper to taste and serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.
For flavourful Chinese black pepper chicken, brown the chicken in small batches before adding the sauce. Toss briefly at the end so the black pepper sauce coats each piece without overcooking the chicken or softening the onions too much.
Notes
- Chicken choice: Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy in this black pepper chicken stir-fry. Chicken breast also works; slice evenly and avoid overcooking.
- Cornstarch amounts: Use ⅓ cup to coat the chicken and a separate 1 teaspoon in the sauce.
- Pepper flavour: Start with 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper. Add more after tasting the finished dish if you prefer a stronger bite.
- Shaoxing substitute: Dry sherry can replace the Shaoxing wine in the marinade.
- Sauce consistency: The black pepper sauce should coat the chicken. If it thickens too much, stir in broth or water a tablespoon at a time.
- Serving: Serve immediately for the best texture, with the onions still slightly crisp. Rice and noodles are serving suggestions and are not included in the ingredient quantities.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 432kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 42gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 1485mgPotassium: 824mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 121IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!