This Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry is a Panda Express copycat that you can make at home in under 30 minutes. Juicy chicken thighs are sauteed with celery and onion and tossed in a savory black pepper sauce that is even better than the original.
It is cheaper, faster, and so much more satisfying than takeout. Serve it over white rice for a complete weeknight dinner the whole family will love!For another Asian inspired chicken dinner, make this slow cooker orange chicken.
35 minutes
WEEKNIGHT DINNER
Quick Look: Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 👩🍳 Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 🕖 Total Time: 35 minutes
- 🍚 Servings: 4 servings
- ⚡️ Calories: 320 calories per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Cook on the stove
- 🛒 Main Ingredients: chicken thighs, black pepper, onions
- ⭐️ Difficulty: Easy! It takes about a half hour to make this easy stir fry.
Carly left this 5 star review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“This is a new family favorite that will be added to our meal rotation!! So much flavor and easy enough for a weeknight meal!”
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Like Panda Express at home – the Panda Express black pepper chicken is a fan favorite for good reason. The sauce is flavorful, slightly sweet, tangy and lightly spiced from the black peppercorn. Skip the takeout and make this delicious dish with tender chicken and soft celery right in your own home.
- Comes together in less than 30 minutes – it is so easy to make this stir fry in one pan in less than 30 minutes. It is a balanced meal that tastes delectable on its own and even better when paired with fluffy rice.
- Make for an easy dinner or meal prep – this is the ultimate weeknight dinner or meal prep dish. Make 4 generous servings and place them in lunch containers with rice and extra green veggies if desired. Reheat each day in the microwave for your lunch break.
This black pepper chicken is a delicious entree for a small dinner party. Serve it with this bang bang shrimp dip as an appetizer.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a quick look at the ingredients you need to make this black pepper chicken stir fry. For a full list of ingredients and amounts please head to the full recipe.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs – chicken thighs are sauteed until crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside. Before sauteeing, cut the chicken into even sized cubes to ensure even cooking.
- Cornstarch – tossing the chicken in cornstarch not only helps the outside of the chicken get crispy, but also helps thicken the black pepper sauce.
- Fresh cracked black pepper – this gives this dish its classic flavor. Add black pepper to both the chicken and the sauce to insure its flavor is infused fully into the dish.
- Olive oil – you can use any cooking oil that you like to sautee the chicken and veggies. I usually use extra virgin olive oil.
- Yellow onion and celery – dice the onion into large pieces and cut the celery stalks on a diagonal and then saute them until soft before adding the sauce
- Soy sauce, rice vinegar and oyster sauce – mix these together with some black pepper to make the sauce. The soy sauce adds just the right amount of salt, the rice vinegar adds acidity and the oyster sauce adds brine and umami with just a touch of sweetness.
You can use a boneless skinless chicken breasts in place of the chicken thighs. They tend too cook faster than the thighs so you can cut the cook time down by a couple of minutes.
To make this recipe gluten free use fish sauce in place of oyster sauce and add 1 tbsp of brown sugar to the sauce. Use coconut aminos or gluten free tamari in place of the soy sauce.
There are many other vegetables you can use in place of the celery. The most obvious option for this black pepper chicken recipe are bell peppers. I like green bell peppers best, but you could also use red, orange or yellow.
For a vegetarian stir fry, make this tempeh stir fry instead.
How to make a Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry
Step 1: Cut the chicken thighs into bite sized cubes. Mix cornstarch, fresh cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Toss the chicken in this mixture. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Step 2: Add the chicken to the pan to brown. Cook the chicken for about 6 minutes flipping occasionally and then remove from the pan.
Step 3: Add the onion and celery to the pan along with another 1 tbsp of oil. Saute until soft and fragrant – about 6 minutes.
Step 4: While the veggies saute, mix the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce and 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
Step 5: Pour the chicken back into the pan with the veggies along with the sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer for 5 minutes, tossing as the sauce thickens. Serve immediately with a garnish of toasted sesame seeds and scallions.
For another easy weeknight chicken dish, try Pantry Chicken Fried Rice.
Mad’s Expert Tips for the Best Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry 🍚
- Use high heat to make your stir fry – Stir fry needs high heat to get that slightly charred restaurant flavor. If the pan is not hot enough, the chicken and vegetables will steam and turn soggy instead of getting a nice sear.
- Prep everything before you start cooking – Stir fry moves very fast. Have your chicken sliced, vegetables chopped, and sauce ingredients ready before you turn on the heat.
- Do not overcrowd the pan – Cook in batches if needed. Too much food in the pan at once drops the temperature and causes the chicken to steam instead of sear.
- Use chicken thighs, not breasts – Chicken thighs stay juicy at high heat and are much more forgiving than chicken breasts, which can dry out quickly in a hot pan.
If you need more stir fry inspiration, make this ginger scallion meatball stir fry next.
Recipe FAQs
What is black pepper chicken?
Black pepper chicken is a popular Panda Express dish made with chicken, celery, and onion in a bold savory black pepper sauce. This recipe is a homemade copycat version that is ready in about 30 minutes.
Can I use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs?
Yes, chicken breasts work but they can dry out faster at high heat. Chicken thighs are recommended because they stay juicy and tender even when cooked quickly.
What do you serve with black pepper chicken?
It is best served over steamed white rice or brown rice. You can also serve it over cauliflower rice for a lower carb option.
How can I store black pepper chicken?
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat or in the microwave before serving.
Check out These Other One Pan Meals
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- ½ tbsp + 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil – separated
- 1 yellow onion – diced
- 4 stalks celery cut on a diagonal into slices
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into bite sized cubes. Mix cornstarch, ½ tbsp fresh cracked black pepper, garlic powder, and ginger powder. Toss the chicken in this mixture.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan to brown. If your skillet is smaller, you may want to brown the chicken in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Cook the chicken for about 6 minutes flipping occasionally and then remove from the pan.
- Add the onion and celery to the pan along with another 1 tbsp of oil. Saute until soft and fragrant – about 6 minutes.
- While the veggies saute, mix the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, oyster sauce and 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- Pour the chicken back into the pan with the sauteed veggies along with the sauce. Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer 5 minutes, tossing as the sauce thickens.
- Remove from pan and serve immediately with a garnish of toasted sesame seeds and scallions
Recipe Notes
- swap corn starch for arrowroot starch or potato starch
- to make this recipe gluten free, use fish sauce instead of oyster sauce and coconut aminos or tamari instead of soy sauce
- store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days
- you can make this recipe with chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs
- green pepper makes a great substitute for celery
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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