Chinese Black Pepper Chicken (Print-Friendly Version)

Juicy chicken with black pepper sauce, onions, and peppers. Savory and quick, perfect for a flavorful Chinese-style meal.

# What You’ll Need to Make This:

→ Chicken

01 - 250–280 grams chicken breast, velveted (see note), cut into strips
02 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Aromatics and Vegetables

03 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
04 - 1 small onion, sliced into wedges
05 - 0.5 bell pepper, sliced (optional)
06 - 1–2 scallions, diced
07 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (optional)

→ Black Pepper Sauce

09 - 80 millilitres water
10 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
11 - 0.5 tablespoon light soy sauce
12 - 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
13 - 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
14 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
15 - 1 teaspoon cornstarch

# How to Prepare:

01 - Marinate chicken breast according to velvet chicken method. Mix with 1 teaspoon ground black pepper and set aside.
02 - In a bowl, combine water, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, black pepper, and cornstarch. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
03 - Heat half the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Spread velveted chicken breast in a single layer. Sear for 1–2 minutes until golden, then turn and sear the other side. Remove chicken and set aside.
04 - Return wok to heat, add remaining oil. Add onion and bell pepper; stir fry until fragrant and beginning to brown at the edges.
05 - Stir in garlic and cook for 20 seconds, taking care not to burn. Deglaze with Shaoxing wine if using.
06 - Pour prepared black pepper sauce into wok. Bring to a simmer. Return chicken to wok and stir to coat evenly in sauce. Cook until sauce thickens and clings to chicken. Remove from heat. Garnish with diced scallions.

# Extra Tips:

01 - For maximum tenderness, velvet chicken using a method of marinating with egg white, cornstarch, and rice wine before briefly blanching or stir frying.
02 - For a more robust flavour, use chicken thighs instead of breast; no velveting required.
03 - Bell pepper can be substituted with spinach or baby bok choy, or omitted entirely.

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