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Black Pepper Chicken Recipe

4.4 from 52 reviews

This flavorful Black Pepper Chicken recipe features tender, boneless chicken thighs coated in a spiced cornstarch mix, sautéed with fresh vegetables, and simmered in a savory, slightly sweet black pepper sauce. Perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner, it combines bold black pepper with aromatic garlic and ginger, balanced by hoisin sauce and rice wine vinegar for a delightful Asian-inspired dish.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

  • 6 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (excess fat removed and cubed into smaller pieces)
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp garlic, minced (divided)
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced (divided)

Vegetables

  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1½ cups white onion, chopped into ¾-inch pieces
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced on an angle

Sauce

  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup hoisin sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame seed oil
  • 1 tsp honey
  • ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp fresh ginger, minced

Instructions

  1. Prepare the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together chicken broth, hoisin sauce, sesame seed oil, honey, rice wine vinegar, garlic, black pepper, chili powder, and ginger until well combined. Set aside.
  2. Coat the chicken. In another medium bowl, combine chicken cubes with cornstarch, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly until each piece is evenly coated with the mixture.
  3. Cook the chicken. Heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the coated chicken pieces and cook until browned on all sides, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
  4. Sauté the vegetables. In the same skillet, add the minced garlic, minced ginger, diced green bell pepper, chopped onion, and sliced celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables become tender but still crisp.
  5. Simmer with sauce. Return the browned chicken to the skillet with the sautéed vegetables. Pour the prepared sauce over the mixture. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken and vegetables.
  6. Serve. Serve the black pepper chicken hot over steamed rice or noodles. Enjoy this hearty, savory dish!

Notes

  • Remove excess fat from chicken thighs for a leaner dish.
  • Adjust the amount of black pepper to your spice preference.
  • For extra heat, add more chili powder or fresh chili peppers.
  • Serve over jasmine rice or egg noodles for a complete meal.
  • Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Keywords: Black Pepper Chicken, Asian chicken recipe, quick chicken stir-fry, chicken with hoisin sauce, pepper chicken stir-fry, weeknight dinner, easy chicken recipe