Black pepper chicken is a quick and easy dish that's perfect for busy weeknights. Prepared with yummy spices and crisp bell peppers, it's a delicious meal the whole family will enjoy!
Stir-fries are a quick way to whip up a delicious meal for the family. You can pull them together in no time and with virtually whatever ingredients you have around.
But one problem I often encounter in this type of high-temp cooking is that the protein ends up dry and lacking in flavor. I've always wondered why the meat in stir-fried dishes from Chinese restaurants is moist and succulent with an almost velvet-like texture.
The answer behind the velvety texture, I found out, is called velveting.
Secret to moist and tender meat
Velveting is a Chinese cooking method wherein chicken, pork, beef, or fish is marinated in a mixture of egg white, cornstarch, and rice wine and then briefly blanched in oil or water. The velveted meat is finished off with other ingredients in quick stir-fry applications, such as in beef broccoli and this black pepper chicken.
The simple process creates a protective coat that seals moisture and protects the meat from overcooking, keeping it super moist and tender.
Ingredient notes
- I like to use boneless, skinless chicken thigh or leg meat in this recipe, but the breast will work as well.
- The recipe calls for bell peppers and onions. You can also use celery, spring onions, mushrooms, baby corn, or carrots.
- For best results, use freshly ground black pepper and season the dish generously.
Cooking tips
- Slice the meat across the grain and into uniform thickness to ensure a tender chew and even cooking. Freeze it for a few minutes or until slightly firm to make slicing easier.
- Stir-frying is a quick procedure; make sure to have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go.
How to serve and store
- Serve this delicious chicken stir-fry with steamed or fried rice and chow mein for an Asian-themed lunch or dinner.
- Keep leftovers in a container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Warm up in the microwave at 2 to 3-minute intervals until heated through, stirring well after each interval.
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken thigh meat, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- water
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and cubed
- ½ green bell pepper, seeded, cored, and cubed
Instructions
- Wash chicken and drain well.
- In a bowl, combine egg white, cornstarch, rice wine, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and salt. Whisk together until well-blended.
- Add chicken and stir to fully coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. In a colander, drain chicken.
- In a pot over high heat, combine about 2-inch deep of water and 1 tablespoon of oil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and immediately add chicken, stirring to disperse.
- Bring water back to a gentle simmer and once it's barely bubbling, continue to cook chicken for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken from pot and drain well. Keep warm and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice wine, black pepper, and sesame oil. Stir until well-blended and set aside.
- In a wok or wide pan over high heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add onions, garlic, and bell peppers and cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until tender yet crisp.
- Add sauce mixture and bring to a boil.
- Add chicken and stir to fully coat with sauce. Continue to cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until chicken is heated through. Serve hot.
Notes
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.”
Step says
Hello po. Pano po pag walang Chinese rice wine? ok lang po ba mirin? Thank you.
Lalaine Manalo says
Apple juice po, dry sherry, or sake pwede po
Mikey says
What a fantastic meal! I have not had a lot of experience cooking Chinese cuisine, and I decided to give this one a go. My housemate was utmost impressed, thinking it was one of the best recipes that I have cooked yet. Without any question would I want to cook it again. It helped me branch out my cooking abilities (i.e. I haven't done velveting before from memory).
This recipe is the kind of cheap meal you want to know how to cook.
Mary Nichole says
Yummy Yummy chicken!! Very tasty & spicy. I have tried this black pepper chicken recipe at home, it turned out a flavourful dish. We enjoy our dinner and made a tummy full. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Raymund says
Mukhang masarap to ulam mamaya 🙂
Lalaine Manalo says
Enjoy 🙂