Black Pepper Chicken
My go-to Black Pepper Chicken, juicy chicken thighs tossed in a glossy, garlicky, peppery sauce with just the right amount of kick. It’s fast, saucy, and better than takeout.
Servings: 8
Calories: 334kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs boneless and skinless cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce low sodium
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup cornstarch
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large onions chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper cut into 1 small ½ inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
Black Pepper Sauce
- 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorn powder
- 2 teaspoons black pepper freshly ground
- ⅓ cup oyster sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce low sodium
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ¼ cup Shaoxing wine
Instructions
- In a medium size bowl, combine the chicken pieces with the 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and minced garlic. Toss well. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the chicken and toss well.
- In a small bowl, combine all the black pepper sauce ingredients together.
- Add the vegetable oil to a wok or large skillet and heat over high heat. Add half the chicken to the wok and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with remaining chicken.
- If there's no vegetable oil left in the skillet, add another tablespoon or so. Add the onion and peppers to the wok and cook for a minute. Add the chicken back to the wok and the prepared black pepper sauce. Toss until well combined. Drizzle the sesame oil over the chicken and stir.
- Serve immediately over rice.
Video
Notes
- Thighs are the move here. Juicier, more flavor, harder to mess up, what’s not to love?
- Cornstarch isn’t just there for looks. It gives you that crispy edge that makes these bites addictive.
- Can’t find Sichuan peppercorn? No stress, just use a good amount of freshly cracked black pepper and toss in a pinch of ground coriander for a similar vibe.
- Shaoxing wine adds that “why does this taste so good?” layer. Sub with dry sherry or mirin if needed, but get the real stuff if you can.
- If you like things extra saucy (who doesn’t?), stir in a splash of broth or water at the end to stretch that glossy sauce a little further.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 811mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 679IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
