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December 6, 2019

Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry

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The black pepper chicken stir-fry is a quick and easy Whole30 dinner. You can throw this simple one pan meal together in less than 30 minutes! Pair this healthy chicken stir fry with rice or cauliflower rice for a flavorful dinner that’s even better than takeout!

What is black pepper chicken stir-fry?

Black pepper chicken is a dish that we recently enjoyed at a Sichuan restaurant. I loved that it was packed with flavor without being too spicy. Amy had a wonderful idea to make a healthy Whole30 version of this Chinese takeout favorite.

I made this one pan chicken dinner Whole30 friendly by using arrowroot starch instead of corn starch to bread the chicken. I also swapped the soy sauce for coconut aminos. If you are not on the Whole30 or paleo diet, you do not need to make those swaps.

Is black pepper chicken spicy?

Not really! It has the spice of a black peppercorn, but that is more flavorful than hot. The only way I can describe the flavor of this chicken is to say that it is addicting.

What kitchen tools will I need to make this flavorful chicken stir-fry?

To make this black pepper chicken stir fry you will need a sharp knife to prep the chicken thighs and veggies. You will also need a few mixing bowls of different sizes. Finally, you will need a large frying pan or wok to cook your chicken and veggies in.

 

What ingredients do you need to make this black pepper chicken stir-fry?

  • Boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Green bell peppers

  • Yellow onion
  • Arrowroot starch – can use corn starch if not on Whole30
  • Garlic powder
  • Ground ginger powder
  • Fresh cracked black pepper

  • Chicken broth
  • Coconut aminos – can use soy sauce if not on Whole30
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Fish sauce

Let’s make this healthy one-pan dinner recipe!

It is pretty easy to make this healthy Whole30 recipe. To make this black pepper chicken stir-fry you will prep your ingredients. Saute the veggies and chicken separately and then simmer all of the ingredients in the sauce.

Step 1: Chop and Mix

Cube chicken, onion and green peppers. Mix together arrowroot starch and spices and toss the chicken in this mixture. Whisk together the sauce ingredients.

Step 2: Saute, Saute, Saute

Heat avocado oil in a pan over medium heat and saute the veggies. Remove the veggies from the pan, add more oil and cook the chicken. You will want to cook the chicken in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan and get a nice browning on the chicken.

Step 3: Simmer in the Sauce

Once all of the chicken is browned, add all of the chicken, veggies, and sauce back to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high until the sauce bubbles. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes tossing frequently. The sauce should thicken and coat the meat and veggies.

Step 4: Enjoy!

How long will this keep in the refrigerator?

This will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I recommend reheating it on the stovetop, but you can also reheat this black pepper chicken stir fry in the microwave.

Keep reading to find the full one pan Whole30 recipe. If you make this black pepper chicken, please share it with me on Instagram!

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Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry

★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Madeline
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Simmer
  • Cuisine: Chinese
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Description

A quick and easy takeout copycat recipe that is Whole30 compliant!


Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 green bell peppers
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot strach
  • 1/2 tbsp + 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ground ginger power
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth or chicken bone broth
  • 1/4 cup coconut aminos
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce

Instructions

  1. Cube the chicken thighs into bite-sized cubes
  2. Cube the onion and bell peppers into cubes about the same size as the chicken
  3. Combine the arrowroot starch, garlic powder, ground ginger powder, and 1/2 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper in a small bowl
  4. Whisk together chicken broth, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and 1 tsp black pepper to make a suace and set to the side
  5. Toss cubed chicken in the arrowroot starch and seasoning mixture
  6. Heat 1 tbsp avocado oil in a large nonstick skilet or wok over medium heat
  7. Add onions and bell peppers to the pan and cook for 6 minutes tossing frequently and then remove them from the pan
  8. Keep the heat on medium and add an addition 1 tbsp of avocado oil to the pan
  9. When the oil is hot add a small portion of the chicken to the pan – you will cook the chicken in batches so that it gets an even crisp
  10. Cook each batch of chicken (in my pan I did 3 batches) for about 4 minutes each tossing frequently until it is browned on all sides
  11. Once your final batch of chicken is browned on all sides, add of the chicken back into the pan along with the veggies and sauce you make earlier
  12. Increase the heat until the sauce starts to bubble
  13. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes tossing frequently
  14. The sauce should thicken slightlty and coat the chicken and veggies
  15. Once the chicken has simmered for 5 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and enjoy!

Keywords: takeout copycat, Whole30, Whole30 dinner

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @mad_about_food on Instagram and hashtag it #madaboutfood

Filed Under: 30 Minute Meals, Dinner, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Low Carb, Recipes, Whole30 Tagged With: dinner, whole30

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. MichelleK says

    December 8, 2019 at 11:47 pm

    Yum, this looks so good and can’t wait to try this! Question: how many people is this for?

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      December 30, 2019 at 7:59 pm

      Depends on how hungry you are! Its probably 3-4 servings

      Reply
  2. Bella says

    January 10, 2020 at 12:18 am

    My husband and I loved this recipe! Quick, easy, and delicious.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      January 10, 2020 at 10:22 am

      Thank you for sharing!! SO glad you loved this as much as I do!

      Reply
  3. Bobbi says

    January 12, 2020 at 9:11 pm

    I’m making this and am a little confused by the pepper measurements in the instructions compared to the ingredient list is there a typo or am I misreading? Also ginger powder I don’t see in the ingredient list but it’s in the instructions.

    Thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      January 12, 2020 at 9:19 pm

      Hi Bobbi! The ground pepper is separated out like that because 1/2 tbsp is mixed in with the raw chicken and 1 tsp is mixed into the sauce.
      The ginger measurement is 1 tsp. sorry I recently transferred my blog and seemed to have missed that when I re-wrote this recipe.

      Reply
  4. Doug says

    January 23, 2020 at 6:35 pm

    Made some adjustments simply because I didn’t want to run out to the store. Used chicken breasts, red bell pepper, and about 3/4 teaspoon of oyster sauce (instead of 1 teaspoon of fish sauce). Served it with cauliflower rice. It was absolutely fantastic! Will make again. and again. and again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      January 24, 2020 at 12:34 pm

      Ah yay!! So glad you enjoyed and that it works with the substitutions! That will certainly help others 🙂

      Reply
  5. Kaylie says

    January 24, 2020 at 9:35 pm

    This turned out so good, super simple recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      January 26, 2020 at 9:53 am

      Yay!! SO glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  6. Alissa says

    February 18, 2020 at 10:24 pm

    I made this tonight with steak instead of chicken and it was DELISH!

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      February 19, 2020 at 7:53 am

      oh AWESOME! So pumped to hear it works well with steak!

      Reply
  7. Bethany Thomas says

    September 29, 2020 at 2:58 pm

    I made this for meal prep for work this week and it is SO delicious! It’s one of those lunch items I don’t get sick of by the 3rd serving of it. I added in celery into the veggie mixture because I love celery. This will be a go to for meal prep rotation!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      September 29, 2020 at 4:46 pm

      ah yay THANK YOU!! I will have to try with celery!

      Reply
  8. Elle says

    December 15, 2020 at 8:05 am

    Delicious!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      December 16, 2020 at 11:08 am

      thank you!

      Reply
  9. Jenn says

    January 11, 2021 at 7:18 pm

    I was looking for a recipe to use up some green peppers in the fridge and found this. So easy and so tasty. Husband has already requested I make it again!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      January 11, 2021 at 9:44 pm

      amazing!!! So glad you both enjoyed!

      Reply

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Welcome to Mad About Food!

Madeline is a food blogger and recipe creator from Philadelphia, PA. She shares easy, healthy and delicious recipes that inspire people to cook at home. She shares information about her journey with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and how she strives to heal them holistically. Read More…

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