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Black Pepper Chicken

Black pepper chicken in a glossy soy sauce: stir-fry thin-sliced chicken until golden, then coat it with a thickened dark soy-black pepper sauce. Finished with bell peppers, onions, garlic, and ginger for a bold peppery bite over steamed rice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and vegetables
  • 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
Sauce
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp black pepper Freshly cracked, generous
  • 1 tsp cornstarch + 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup water For cornstarch slurry
  • 1 steamed rice For serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the sauce
  1. Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and freshly cracked black pepper until smooth, then set aside.
  2. Whisk cornstarch with water until fully dissolved to make a slurry, then set aside.
Stir-fry chicken
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering.
  2. Stir-fry sliced chicken in batches until golden, then remove to a plate.
Stir-fry aromatics and finish
  1. Stir-fry bell pepper and onion for 3 minutes, then add garlic and grated ginger and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Return the chicken to the pan and pour the sauce over, then toss to coat.
  3. Add the cornstarch slurry and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats everything, then season with extra cracked black pepper.
Serve
  1. Serve the black pepper chicken over steamed rice.

Notes

Pro tip: slice the chicken thin and cook in batches so it browns instead of steaming. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet until hot and glossy. Freezing is not recommended because the pepper sauce can thin when thawed. If you want a lighter option, use low-sodium soy sauce and skip the extra brown sugar to reduce sodium and sweetness.