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The first time I tried Black Pepper Chicken was at Panda Express. As delicious as their version is, I can confidently say my copycat recipe is just as satisfying and so easy to make at home! The marinated chicken is tender and juicy, paired with crisp vegetables, and covered in a thick, savory sauce – Black Pepper Chicken is out-of-this-world good!
Watch the Black Pepper Chicken Recipe Video Below!
Some American Chinese takeout dishes are battered and deep fried (like Orange Chicken) – Black Pepper Chicken (and it’s beef counterpart, Black Pepper Beef) is one of the ones that are not! If you want similar dishes that are not battered but instead covered in a savory sauce, try:
- a crowd favorite and one of my most popular recipes is Beef and Broccoli
- if you want a chicken dish with lots of veggies, make Chinese Chicken and Broccoli, String Bean Chicken, or Mushroom Chicken
- Cashew Chicken or Kung Pao Chicken is another great choice for a weeknight dinner!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Black Pepper Chicken
Chicken
- chicken thigh, cut into 1″ pieces – I like to use chicken thigh in this recipe but if you prefer chicken breast, feel free to substitute here. Try to cut the chicken into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- light soy sauce – I recommend using low sodium, light soy sauce – this is also called “all-purpose” soy sauce.
- sesame oil
- salt
- white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
- avocado oil, or other neutral oil like canola or vegetable
- cornstarch – Cornstarch is a key ingredient in Chinese cooking because it is used for velveting the meat. Velveting is a Chinese technique where protein is marinated in cornstarch and cooked quickly in hot oil, resulting in the meat becoming tender and silky.
Vegetables & Aromatics
Note: Panda Express sells Black Pepper Chicken with celery; however, I’ve also seen it at Chinese restaurants with red and green bell peppers. Add whichever vegetable(s) you prefer – just make sure they are cut into similar sizes so they cook evenly.
- celery
- yellow onion
- garlic
- ginger
Sauce
- coarse ground black pepper
- oyster sauce
- light soy sauce
- shaoxing wine – This is one of my favorite Chinese pantry staples. It adds a depth of flavor and complexity to the sauce and truly one of my “secret ingredients” for making restaurant quality Chinese food. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
- sugar
- msg – this is optional.
- chicken stock
- cornstarch – cornstarch helps to thicken the sauce.
neutral oil for frying – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil. I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. I find that the flavor profile does not usually go with the dish.
Black Pepper Chicken: Recipe Instructions
1. Marinate the Chicken and Mix the Sauce
The first step in making Black Pepper Chicken is cutting the chicken into 1″ pieces. Cut the chicken into uniform pieces so they cook evenly in the pan or wok.
Next, place the sliced chicken into a bowl with light soy sauce, white pepper, salt, sesame oil, neutral oil and cornstarch. Mix well with your hands and let marinate for at least 20 minutes.
Next, mix the sauce by combining chicken stock, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, shaoxing wine, sugar, cornstarch, and msg. I always like to premix my sauce to have it ready to go during the fast cooking process.
2. Velvet the Chicken
After the chicken is marinated, heat about a cup of neutral oil (I always prefer avocado oil) over high heat until smoking. Fry the chicken pieces (in batches if needed) for 2 minutes or until they are cooked through and golden brown. Remove the chicken and the excess oil to leave about 2 tbsp of oil left in the pan.
3. Sauté the Aromatics and Vegetables
Next, sauté the garlic and ginger for about 15 seconds until fragrant.
Once the aromatics are fragrant, add the onions and celery and cook for another minute.
4. Add Chicken and Sauce
Once the vegetables are crisp and cooked through, add back the chicken along with the sauce. Work quickly to mix the sauce together to evenly coat all the ingredients in the pan.
Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce has thickened and your Black Pepper Chicken is done! I love serving Black Pepper Chicken with a freshly steamed bowl of rice.
Key Tip
Recipe Tips for Black Pepper Chicken
Velveting – a Key Chinese Cooking Technique
- Velveting is a key Chinese cooking technique that involves marinating the Black Pepper Chicken in cornstarch and various seasonings (such as white pepper, salt, Shaoxing wine, and oils) before quickly passing it through hot oil. It’s one of my favorite ways to guarantee moist and tender meat, and it’s a trick that I don’t hear home chefs talk about often. I love incorporating it into my recipes because it’s one of the best ways to make restaurant quality Chinese food at home!
Cut Evenly
- I like to cut my protein and vegetables into similar, uniform pieces – this ensures that everything cooks relatively evenly. (It’s also more aesthetically pleasing!) You can adjust the size of the chicken and vegetables to your preference (smaller or larger) – just make sure to adjust the cooking time so they are ‘done’ to your liking!
Vegetables (Celery vs. Bell Peppers)
- Panda Express sells Black Pepper Chicken with celery; however, I’ve also seen it served at Chinese restaurants with red and green bell peppers. Add whichever vegetable(s) you prefer – just make sure they are cut into similar sizes so they cook evenly.
Success is in the Prep!
- Black Pepper Chicken is one of those dishes that comes together FAST once you start cooking. For this reason, it’s crucial that you prepare your ingredients (chicken and vegetables cut and portions, sauce mixed, etc) BEFORE you begin cooking. I like to have all of my ingredients in individual bowls, near my cook station so I can easily grab when needed.
Storage and Reheating
You can store Black Pepper Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Because Black Pepper Chicken is not coated in a batter, you won’t have to worry about trying to restore the crispy texture of the dish – I recommend reheating this in the microwave or in a hot pan/wok for a couple minutes (add a little bit of water if you want to loosen up the chicken pieces that stuck together in the refrigerator).
What to Serve with Black Pepper Chicken
Love Panda Express and want to make a Panda Express inspired meal with your Black Pepper Chicken? You have to start with Panda Express Chow Mein and Egg Fried Rice. Add another protein, like Beef and Broccoli, Orange Chicken or the discontinued Sweetfire Chicken Breast. You could even add String Bean Chicken and Honey Walnut Shrimp! Don’t forget the Egg Rolls and you got yourself a perfect meal!
I know Panda Express doesn’t sell soup anymore but it’s not American Chinese takeout without a good Egg Drop Soup (or Chicken Corn Egg Drop Soup, if you want a heartier version) or Hot and Sour Soup!
Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)
By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!
If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.
If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.
My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Black Pepper Chicken not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.
If you tried this Black Pepper Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Black Pepper Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 lb chicken thigh, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tbsp avocado oil, or other neutral oil like canola or vegetable
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 3 stalks celery, cut at an angle to 1" pieces
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
Sauce
- 1/2 tbsp coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp msg
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Slice chicken thigh into 1" pieces into a bowl with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, avocado oil and cornstarch. Mix until combined and marinate for 20.
- Slice celery at an angle into 1" pieces, onion into 1" pedals, and mince garlic and ginger and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix oyster sauce, light soy sauce, coarse black pepper, shaoxing wine (or sherry cooking wine), sugar, chicken stock, and cornstarch and set aside.
- Over high heat, cook chicken for 2-3 minutes until cooked through and set aside.
- Over high heat, fry garlic and ginger for 15 seconds until fragrant. Add celery and onion and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add back chicken and sauce and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes to combine, until sauce has thickened. Serve with freshly steamed rice & enjoy!
Notes
Storage and Reheating
You can store Black Pepper Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Because Black Pepper Chicken is not coated in a batter, you won’t have to worry about trying to restore the crispy texture of the dish – I recommend reheating this in the microwave or in a hot pan/wok for a couple minutes (add a little bit of water if you want to loosen up the chicken pieces that stuck together in the refrigerator).Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this a few months back soon after you posted it, I unfortunately did not have the shaoxing wine, so, I omitted it but it was so good still and great if you are craving take out at home, it helped me use up veggies too. 🙂
The best chicken dinner recipe I’ve ever made. My husband doesn’t usually like chicken but he finished his plate and asked for more! Super easy to follow especially while watching CJ’s Instagram reel of him making it.
I was craving this and had never made this myself. This was super easy, not hard to source the ingredients, and turned out fantastic. I was missing fresh ginger but was not going to the store for some so used powdered ginger and still worked great. Thanks CJ another winning recipe.
This is hands down the best Chinese dish I’ve ever been able to make in my own. Thank you CJ for sharing this platform with us!
Great recipe, and the leftovers are great too with cheese and fries like a Chinese poutine
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Such a simple recipe to make, I like pepper so I added a fair bit extra but the overall balance of flavors worked really well in this dish, and loved the sweetness of the celery and onion against it all.
One of my quick “go to” meals. Easy and delicious.
A culinary masterpiece.
This is so simple, and so good!
Easy and delicious!