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Chinese black pepper chicken has juicy, golden chicken bites, crisp bell peppers, and crunchy celery tossed in a savory, peppery sauce. This homemade black pepper chicken recipe is ready in 30 minutes—just add steamed rice for dinner.
“I’ve made this dish almost every other week and make extra. … It’s so flavorful and delicious. … So much better than the restaurants.”
— Jill ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why people love this black pepper chicken
With a 5-star rating from over 100 readers, this Chinese pepper chicken recipe is a reader favorite. Here’s what makes my version special:
- Golden, juicy chicken bites. I cut the chicken into meaty, nugget-like chunks for lightly crisp edges and a tender center.
- Flavorful before the sauce goes on. A quick marinade seasons the chicken itself, so the flavor goes beyond the sauce.
- Peppery sauce that clings. A little fruit jam adds sweetness and body, coating the chicken and vegetables instead of running off onto the plate.
Key ingredient notes
These are the main ingredients to know before you start. I’ll cover the black pepper sauce next; the full ingredient list and measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken breast: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch chunks for those meaty, golden bites.
- Chicken marinade: I use the same approach as my velveting chicken technique. A little baking soda helps tenderize the breast meat, while the seasonings give it flavor throughout.
- Tapioca or potato starch: Toss it with the marinated chicken just before pan-frying for a light, golden coating.
- Vegetables: Red bell pepper, celery, and yellow onion add crunch and sweetness to balance the peppery sauce.
Tips for the best black pepper sauce
My black pepper chicken sauce is savory, a little sweet, and full of fresh peppery flavor.
- Freshly ground black pepper: Grind it fresh for the best aroma and peppery bite. Start with ½ tsp and add more to taste.
- Fruit jam: A little peach, apricot, or orange jam adds sweetness, while its pectin helps the sauce cling to the chicken and vegetables without adding starch directly to the sauce. I also tested brown sugar, but it needed extra starch and more sugar to balance the pepper. That’s why I prefer jam here.
- Sichuan peppercorn powder (optional): This adds a floral, citrusy aroma and a light tingle—a different flavor from black pepper. Leave it out if you don’t have it; there’s no need to increase the black pepper.
- Light soy sauce and stock: Soy sauce adds savory flavor, while stock loosens the jam into a sauce. If using coconut aminos, follow the adjusted amounts in the recipe card, including slightly less stock.
How to make black pepper chicken
Have your vegetables chopped and sauce mixed before you start cooking—everything moves quickly once the chicken hits the pan.
- Season the chicken. Cut the chicken into 1-inch chunks for meaty bites that cook evenly. Gently massage in the marinade, then refrigerate while you prep the vegetables and sauce.
- Coat and pan-fry. Heat avocado oil or another high smoke point oil for pan-frying. Toss the chicken with starch just before frying, then cook in a single layer, working in batches if needed. Let the bottom turn golden before flipping.
- Cook the vegetables. Transfer the chicken to a plate, then stir-fry the bell pepper, celery, and onion in the same pan. Keep them crisp—they’ll cook a little more with the sauce.
- Toss together. Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the black pepper sauce. Toss until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce coats the chicken and vegetables. Taste, add more freshly ground black pepper if you like, and serve hot.
What to serve with black pepper chicken
Steamed rice is my first choice—it catches all that savory black pepper sauce. With chicken and vegetables already in the pan, that’s an easy dinner right there.
For an extra vegetable side, try my bok choy stir-fry or Chinese broccoli stir-fry.
For a Chinese family-style meal, add a light soup to share. My daikon soup or napa cabbage soup would round out the meal well with the peppery chicken.
Black pepper chicken recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 lb chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tsp light soy sauce or 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- ¼ tsp sugar omit if using coconut aminos
- 1 tsp water
- ¼ tsp coarse sea salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ cup tapioca starch or potato starch for coating just before cooking
For the vegetables:
- 1 whole red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces (medium size)
- 6 oz celery about 3–4 stalks, sliced diagonally
- 3.5 oz yellow onion about 1 small onion, diced
- 2 pinches coarse sea salt
For the black pepper sauce:
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorn powder optional; see notes
- 1½ tbsp peach jam or apricot, orange jam, such as St. Dalfour
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce or 1½ tbsp coconut aminos
- 2½ tbsp chicken or vegetable stock reduce to 2 tbsp if using coconut aminos
For cooking:
- ¼ cup avocado oil plus 1 tbsp if needed
- Coarse sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken: In a bowl, combine the chicken with the soy sauce, sugar, water, salt, baking soda, and garlic powder. Mix and gently massage the seasonings into the chicken. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the vegetables and sauce.
- Prepare the vegetables and sauce: Place the chopped bell pepper, celery, and onion in one bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together all the black pepper sauce ingredients.
- Heat the oil and coat the chicken: Add the avocado oil to a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan. Heat over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Dip the tip of a dry wooden chopstick into the oil; small bubbles should form around it. If using a thermometer, aim for 350°F (177°C). Meanwhile, toss the chicken with the starch to lightly coat each piece.
- Pan-fry the chicken: Carefully place the chicken pieces in the pan in a single layer. Increase the heat to medium-high. Cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes, then flip and cook for about 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: Leave the remaining oil in the pan. If the pan is dry, add another tablespoon of oil. Add the bell pepper, celery, onion, and 2 pinches of salt. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for 1 minute.
- Add the sauce: Return the chicken to the pan and pour in the black pepper sauce. Toss for 1 minute, until the chicken and vegetables are coated and the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve: Turn off the heat. Taste and add more freshly ground black pepper or salt, if needed. Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot.
Notes
- Freshly ground black pepper: Grind the peppercorns just before cooking for the fullest flavor.
- Sichuan peppercorn powder: This is my optional addition for a floral, citrusy flavor and a light tingling sensation. They are whole peppercorns grind into fine powder.
- Fruit jam: The jam balances the peppery flavor with a little sweetness. Its pectin helps thicken the sauce so it clings to the chicken and vegetables, without adding starch directly to the sauce. I use St. Dalfour peach, apricot, or orange jam.
- Cooking a larger batch: Pan-fry the chicken in separate batches so the pieces have room to brown.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Chinese stir-fry recipes
Love the peppery sauce? Try my black pepper beef next. It’s another way to enjoy that bold black pepper flavor.
For another chicken dinner, my ginger chicken stir-fry brings plenty of fresh ginger flavor, while chicken cabbage stir-fry pairs tender chicken with sweet napa cabbage and a light garlic-ginger sauce.
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This dish is a delicious delight! We Love it and make it often.
Thank you, JoJo! Appreciate it!
just finished making this and it is wonderful! This will be on my menu at least twice a month.
That’s awesome! Love this dish, too!
Amazing!
I’ve been making your Kung Pao and Sesame chicken dishes for a few years now and I am so thrilled to add another dish that I think is even easier than those and it helps me use up celery! I hate wasting. Also I recently switched to an induction cooktop and am still learning its temps. I want to figure out how to make the chicken not stick in my stainless skillet, so will try your recommendation to another commenter below to watch the temp on my pan.
This is super good! I use chicken thighs and double the sauce.
Hello, would you be able to recommend the pans you use to “pan fry”. I find the chicken sticks to the pan and burns before it turns brown. Thank you I love your receipes and have made quite a few!
HI Kathy! So it sounds like your pan might be overheated. I have a few pans – stainless steel, ceramic wok pan, cast iron, and blue steel carbon wok. I love all of them. I’d say the ceramic wok pan (with a flat bottom and higher wall on the side) is the easiest to use for beginners. I found mine at local H-mart, after talking to a Korean lady who works in the shop. Unfortunately there’s no name on it. I hear Green Chef Pan (name?) is pretty good so give that a try.
Sooo delicious! Got the ground peppercorns and jam from Amazon and it was a hit! My whole family loved it including my kids. Made it twice since discovering this recipe a few weeks ago!
Sweet! 😀
This recipe is as easy as it is delicious! With minimal ingredients required it’s an easy weeknight meal! It requires ingredients we tend to always have on hand, so it’s an easy choice for us. Toddler and husband approved, this is a regular on our menu! 😍
Thank you, Jessica!
WOW. This was incredible. This recipe will be in rotation, for sure.
I’m so glad to have found your site. I have a lot of food allergies/sensitivities, so I’ve decided to eat paleo/gluten-free. As someone who is half-Asian, I was upset at the thought of giving up a lot of my favorite foods. Thank GOD for you.
Thank you! So happy to hear!
This is excellent! Family already asked if I could make it again.