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Black Pepper Chicken

Black pepper chicken with glossy soy-black pepper sauce, stir-fried until tender and lightly caramelized. Sliced chicken, bell pepper, and onion are tossed in a thickened cornstarch slurry for a glossy coating over 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: 620
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
Black pepper sauce
  • 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
Serving
  • 1 steamed rice for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

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 in a small bowl until fully dissolved, then keep it ready to add later.
Sear and stir-fry
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat; stir-fry chicken in batches until golden, then remove to a plate.
  2. Stir-fry bell pepper and onion for 3 minutes until crisp-tender, then add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  3. Return the chicken to the skillet, then pour the sauce over and toss to coat evenly.
  4. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and clings to the chicken and vegetables, then season with extra cracked black pepper.
Serve
  1. Serve the black pepper chicken over steamed rice for a saucy, pepper-crusted finish.

Notes

For the best pepper flavor, use freshly cracked black pepper and avoid crowding the pan so the chicken browns instead of steaming. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet until hot and saucy. Freezing is not recommended because bell peppers and the cornstarch-thickened sauce can change texture. Dietary swap: use gluten-free soy sauce and gluten-free oyster sauce for a gluten-free version.