Best Chinese Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry

Chinese Black Pepper Chicken is another amazing quick dinner idea that tastes just like takeout. But this homemade Chinese black pepper chicken recipe is better than ordering from a restaurant because you get to control what goes in your food. 

Why We Love This Chinese Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry

The chicken is crispy, tender, and full of flavor. This recipe uses a special cooking method to ensure the meat is crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The marinade plus the amazing black pepper sauce give the chicken so much savor.

It’s packed with vegetables and aromatics, and you can even add more veggies if you wish. The bell peppers, onion, and garlic not only aromatize this dish but also bring valuable dietary fiber and an array of health benefits.

The rich savory black pepper sauce makes this stir fry absolutely delectable. It’s boosted with Sichuan peppercorns for authentic flavor and is perfectly sweet, savory, and umami. The sauce is what makes this Chinese black pepper chicken so more-ish.

And last but not least, it takes no time to whip up, making it an ideal busy-day dinner or weekend lunch. I love a good tasty and satisfying recipe that also makes life easier. I bet you’ll be adding this one to your dinner repertoire.

What Is Chinese Black Pepper Chicken Made Of?

For the chicken and marinade:

• 1 lb. chicken breasts, diced into equal bite-sized pieces
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp baking soda (to jumpstart the browning process)
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch (or potato starch)

For the stir fry:

• 12 oz. bell peppers (I used different colors for presentation), diced into 1-inch cubes
• 4 oz yellow onion, diced 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (or add ½ tsp. garlic powder)
• ¼ cup vegetable oil (for cooking)
• Kosher salt

For the black pepper sauce:

• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder (or more black pepper)
• 2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (to thin the sauce)
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar (optional)
• ¼ cup chicken broth (or water)

How To Make Chinese Black Pepper Chicken

Chinese black pepper chicken stir fry comes together pretty quickly, so you want to make sure you have all the items ready to go.

Step 1: Slice and marinate the chicken breasts

Slice the chicken breast into 1-inch cubes and toss them into a bowl. Season with soy sauce and baking soda and mix well to coat all of the pieces. Let the chicken marinate in the fridge while you prep the other ingredients (for at least 15 minutes).

Step 2: Prep the vegetables and the sauce

Cut bell peppers into 1-inch cubes, dice the onion, and mince the garlic. You can keep them all together in one bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the freshly ground black pepper, Sichuan peppercorn powder, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, and Shaoxing wine. Whisk well to combine. 

Step 3: Fry the chicken

Heat oil in a sauté pan or wok on medium heat until hot (for about 3 minutes). Test the temperature of the oil with a chopstick (bubbles should form around it when submerged in the oil), or use a thermometer. The temperature should reach 350°F.

Step 4: Coat Chicken with Cornstarch

Lightly coat the chicken with cornstarch and toss well. 

Step 5: Fry the Chicken Pieces

Add pieces of chicken one by one to the pan and turn the heat to medium-high.

Step 6: Make the stir-fry

Fry for 3 minutes on the first side, then flip each piece and cook them for 2 additional minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to a plate.

Step 7: Sauté Vegetables

In the same pan, sauté bell peppers, onion, and garlic for 1 minute. Add a pinch of salt and a splash of oil if needed. 

Step 8: Combine Chicken & Sauce

Add the chicken back in and pour the black pepper sauce into the pan. Toss and coat evenly. Cook for about 1 minute or until the sauce thickens. 

Step 9: Adjust Seasoning & Serve

Turn off the heat and taste for seasonings. Serve hot over rice or rice noodles.

Notes & Substitutions

• You can easily prep the chicken in the marinade, chop the veggies, and make the sauce 1-2 days ahead of time. This way, you can have dinner ready in just 10 minutes! The black pepper sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. 
• This authentic Chinese black pepper chicken recipe calls for Sichuan peppercorn powder, but you can surely replace it with more freshly ground black pepper. The taste is different, but both go well in this recipe. 
• You can easily substitute 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce for the light soy sauce and brown sugar. Oyster sauce is sweet and salty, so you won’t need any additional sweetener.
• If you’re using a wok, you can even mix the sauce ingredients straight in a soup ladle while the chicken and vegetables are cooking. Then quickly mix everything, tossing and stirring until the sauce thickens. 
• To make this Chinese black pepper chicken keto friendly, omit the Shaoxing wine and replace the sugar and soy sauce with 3 tablespoons of coconut aminos. Then, use tapioca starch instead of cornstarch and opt for avocado oil instead of regular vegetable oil.
• If you were wondering, “is Chinese black pepper chicken healthy?”, then the answer is yes, if you make it keto. Even if you use light soy sauce and a little Shaoxing wine, it’s still a relatively healthy meal packed with protein and vegetables. 
• To make this Chinese black pepper chicken recipe healthier, you can use more vegetables than chicken and use less sauce. You can also substitute celery for half of the bell peppers for a lower-calorie veggie.

What Does Baking Soda Do In Fried Chicken?

If you want perfectly crisp and browned chicken pieces, a little bit of baking soda goes a long way. Because it is alkaline, it helps jumpstart the browning process by raising the pH level of the chicken skin and breaking down the peptide bonds.

And if you’re worried that your chicken will taste like baking soda, don’t. The amount we add to this recipe is so minuscule that it doesn’t affect the flavor of the chicken. It does help you achieve those crispy crinkles along with the starch though.

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