Black Pepper Chicken – Takeout Style! (VIDEO)
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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!
A Note from CJ
Black Pepper Chicken is better than Panda Express!
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 even better and so easy to make at home!
Some American Chinese takeout dishes are battered and deep fried (like Orange Chicken) – Black Pepper Chicken is one of the ones that are not! If you’re looking for similar dishes that are not deep fried, try Beef and Broccoli, Chinese Chicken and Broccoli, String Bean Chicken, Mushroom Chicken, Cashew Chicken or Kung Pao Chicken!
If I could give 100 stars I would!!!! This is the exact recipe for Panda Express!!!! You have made my culinary year!
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- chicken thigh – I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1″ pieces; if you prefer chicken breast, feel free to substitute here. Cut the chicken into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly. If you prefer beef, make Black Pepper Beef!
- celery – 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.
- shaoxing wine – If you can’t find it, you can substitute with mirin, sherry, or even chicken broth.
- msg – I use this in moderation as an optional flavor enhancer.
- chicken stock – in a pinch, you can also use water.
How to Make Black Pepper Chicken
Marinate Chicken, Prepare Vegetables, and Mix Sauce – Add the chicken 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, sugar, chicken stock, msg, and cornstarch and set aside.
Cook Chicken – Add the neutral oil to a wok high heat until just smoking. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes until just cooked through and golden brown. Remove the chicken from the oil and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan.
Cook Aromatics and Vegetable, Add Chicken and Sauce, and Mix – Over high heat, add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 15 seconds until fragrant. Add celery and onion and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add back chicken and sauce and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes to combine, until sauce has thickened. Serve with freshly steamed rice & enjoy!
Key Tip
CJ’s Storage & Reheating Tips
Store leftover Black Pepper Chicken in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Because the 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).
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 (VIDEO)
Video
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
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp coarse ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 tsp msg
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup neutral oil
Instructions
- Add the chicken into a bowl with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, avocado oil and cornstarch. Mix until combined and marinate for 20 minutes.
- 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, sugar, chicken stock, msg, and cornstarch and set aside.
- Add the neutral oil to a wok high heat until just smoking. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes until just cooked through and golden brown. Remove the chicken from the oil and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan.
- Over high heat, add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 15 seconds until fragrant. Add celery and onion and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occassionally. 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Black Pepper Chicken recipe was originally published in September 2023, and updated in March 2026.
I made this for my Chinese New Year party yesterday. Many many compliments! So easy and so delicious. Everyone raved about it.
That’s so amazing to hear! Thank you for trusting my recipe and glad everyone loved it!
Such a easy and delicious recipe will make this over and over!
@ryan.gatsby
Better than Panda’s!
Great recipe! It is simple but tasty.
I make this with tofu instead of chicken, and it’s one of my go-to dinners! I made it for my parents too, and they loved it. It’s just so flavorful and addictive, and I really love the texture of the celery in this. Which I didn’t expect. Now I cook with celery a lot 🙂
IG: jay._.eats
Wanted an easy and delicious recipe for a weeknight dinner. This was it!
IG:@dr_jonw
Thanks to this recipe my husband no longer has to go to Panda Express to get peppered chicken!! Love love love this recipe. We keep this in our dinner rotation! Leftovers don’t get dry and the sauce is delicious drizzled over rice. @jdoanuttt