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Black Pepper Chicken

Black pepper chicken in a glossy soy-black pepper sauce with tender stir-fried chicken and crisp bell peppers. Thin-sliced chicken gets seared for golden edges, then tossed with a thickened sauce for a peppery, savory finish over steamed rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Black Pepper Chicken
  • 1.5 lb chicken breast sliced thin
  • 1 green bell pepper sliced
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 4 garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper generous
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 0.25 cup water
  • steamed rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the sauce
  1. Whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and generously cracked black pepper together in a bowl, then whisk in cornstarch until smooth. Stir in water and set aside so the sauce can thicken when heated.
Sear the chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Stir-fry chicken in batches until golden, then remove to a plate to avoid steaming.
Stir-fry aromatics and vegetables
  1. Stir-fry bell pepper and onion for 3 minutes over high heat until slightly softened. Add garlic and grated ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Toss with sauce
  1. Return the chicken to the skillet and pour the sauce over everything, tossing to coat evenly. Cook 2-3 minutes over high heat until the sauce thickens and glossy coats the chicken and vegetables, then season with extra cracked black pepper.
Serve
  1. Serve the black pepper chicken immediately over steamed rice. Garnish with cracked black pepper if desired for visible pepper specks.

Notes

Pro tip: Slice the chicken thin and cook it in batches so it browns instead of steams, which helps the sauce cling. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet with a splash of water until hot and glossy. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce texture can thin after thawing. For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free soy sauce and oyster sauce (or certified gluten-free alternatives).