This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This restaurant-style Chinese Black Pepper Chicken stir fry is delicious, quick and very easy to make. Tastes a million times better than Panda Express black pepper chicken. Tender chicken strips marinated in soy sauce, corn starch, sesame oil and ginger, then fried with veggies.
This is an awesome black pepper chicken recipe that is sure to satisfy your craving for Chinese food. A couple of crunchy celery and onion in there for texture and body, and you’ve got yourself an absolutely delicious meal.
Black pepper chicken is a classic staple of Chinese cuisine. In such a large country, there are many different cuisines and many different ingredients. In this case, it’s a simple dish of black pepper, chicken, celery and onion.
You’ll Need
- Chicken
- Celery
- Yellow or white onion
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Soy sauce
- Ginger
- Corn starch
- Sesame oil
- Rice vinegar
- Oil
- Salt
How To Make Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry
- This is a beautifully simple recipe with only a few steps. Let’s jump right in!
- First, slice or dice your chicken breast into cubes. Let these marinate quickly.
- Now you’re going to dice your veggies! Quickly chop your vegetables and set aside ready to use when the time comes.
- Next, pan fry your chicken in a single layer. Do this for about two to three minutes per side of the chicken, and set aside when finished.
- Now add your vegetables and cook until they’re crisp, but not mushy.
- Finally, add black pepper, toss, and serve!
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Regular pre-packaged pepper won’t do here. You want to grind it fresh for this recipe. This gives us a more distinctive, intense flavor.
Juicy Sliced Chicken Breast
We’re using sliced chicken breast for this recipe. Many recipes call for chicken thighs, which have a higher fat content and therefore a softer texture. However, well-seasoned chicken breast cooked at the right temperature can be just as juicy and tender as chicken thigh and it’s higher in protein. That means it’s a healthier alternative that can be just as flavorful!
The lower moisture content in chicken breast also allows it to become crispy and tasty more easily.
Black Pepper Chicken Recipe Tips
- Always slice or dice your chicken into evenly-sized slices or cubes. This ensures they will all be cooked through at the same time. Consistently cooked slices or cubes are a key component of correctly cooked cuisine.
- If you slice your celery diagonally, you’ll get a better crunch! This slicing method breaks fewer of the strong cell walls that give celery its distinctive crunch.
- This dish comes together very quickly, like a lot of high-heat Asian style cooking. Your best bet is to prepare all your ingredients and make sure they are ready to go when required.
- Pan fry your chicken in a separate batch so each piece gets nice and crispy. Batch cooking is the best way to ensure consistency across the board.
What To Served With Black Pepper Chicken
As with many other Asian dishes, you can’t go wrong with steamed Jasmine Rice or Instant Pot Basmati Rice! If you want to reduce your carb intake, Steamed Broccoli or Cauliflower Mash substitutes for rice are great alternatives, too.
A nice big bowl of crisp veggies on the side is a great accompaniment to this dish, particularly if they’re nice and fresh to give you a palate cleanser after the meal.
You could also cook some extra vegetables as a side dish. Eggplant, broccoli, bok choy, snow peas, or even Chinese cabbage are all great ways for you to explore the potential of this black pepper sauce.
More Delicious Chicken Breast Recipes
- Butter Chicken
- Chicken Stroganoff
- Creamy Tuscan Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
- Spinach Stuffed Chicken Recipe
- Chicken Lo Mein
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Lemon Chicken Piccata
- Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breast
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Chinese Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 pounds 1 kilogram skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 2-3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 1 large onion, cut into cubes
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper
- Salt as needed
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the chicken with soy sauce, fresh ginger, rice vinegar, cornstarch and sesame oil. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
- In a large non-stick skillet heat 5 tbsp. of vegetable oil over high heat, add the chicken and cook until brown, about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. You might need to cook chicken in batches.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, add the celery and onion and cook for 1 minute over high heat, then sprinkle with black pepper and give a good stir to combine everything.
- Serve immediately over jasmine rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
All rights reserved. CHEF JAR. All images and content are copyright protected. PLEASE do not use my images without my permission. If you want to share this recipe, PLEASE provide a link back to this post.
If you make this recipe, take a photo of your creation and hashtag it # CHEFJAR on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
This looks so good for a weeknight meal!I am going to try it today!
Thank you, Fabio!
Absolutely delicious and ready in no time! This is going to be on our rotation. Better than Panda Express. Thanks )))
Thank you, Lilly!)
What do i do with the cornstarch? Thanks!
Combine soy sauce, fresh ginger,rice vinegar, chicken strips, cornstarch and sesame oil in a large bowl. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
Wow, this was excellent! The best black pepper chicken I ever had! My husband loved it also so this is a keeper. I used slightly less than one Tbsp of crushed black pepper and it was perfect for us. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you for your kind words and coming back to leave feedback, Barb! I hope you will try more recipes on the blog.
Can I use my multi function air fryer to cook the chicken?
Hey, Victoria! Yes, you can cook chicken in air fryer, cook for 7-9 minutes or until cooked through.
Your black pepper recipe does not indicate how much celery and onions should be used.
Hey, Jay! Thank you for point this out. You will need 3 celery stalks, thinly sliced and 1 large onion, cut into cubes.
Great directions! Very good and simple recipe with ingredients easily on-hand. Thanks for the tips!
Thank you, Denise!
I just made this today and it was excellent!! Thank you for sharing this delightful recipe!
Thank you for sharing your experience Elena! I am glad you liked this chicken recipe.
Just made this for dinner and it was a hit! The chicken was juicy and full of flavor. My husband and kids were content with this dish. I’m definitely going to do this on a regular.
I am happy to hear that Janetsy! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! Tatiana 🙂
This was the perfect combination of flavors. Chicken came out delicious and moist! Thank you for this recipe.
I am happy to hear that Leininger! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it! Tatiana 🙂