Black Pepper Chicken

🍚 KevEats Recipe

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High Protein Better Than Takeout 30 Minute Dinner

Black Pepper Chicken

Juicy chicken, charred peppers and onions, and a glossy black pepper sauce that tastes like your favorite takeout spot.

This is one of those meals that makes chicken and rice actually exciting. It is savory, peppery, slightly sweet, glossy, and built with enough protein to fit perfectly into a realistic fat-loss or muscle-building meal plan.

495 Calories

44g Protein

15g Fat

46g Carbs

Servings 4

Serving Size 1 bowl

Prep Time 15 min

Total Time 30 min

Jump to Ingredients Jump to Instructions Sauce Notes Kev Tips

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp coarse black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil

Vegetables

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper or poblano, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced

Black Pepper Sauce

• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1–2 tsp coarse black pepper
• 1/4 cup water or chicken broth
• 1 tsp cornstarch

For Serving

• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice or white rice
• as needed sesame seeds
• optional sliced green onion
• optional chili crisp or sriracha

Sauce Notes

This sauce is simple but hits hard. Soy sauce brings salt and umami, oyster sauce adds depth, honey balances the pepper, and cornstarch gives it that glossy restaurant-style finish.

Use coarse black pepper. Freshly cracked or coarse black pepper gives the dish a stronger, more takeout-style flavor than finely ground pepper.

Macro-friendly note: This version keeps the flavor big without needing a heavy amount of oil or sugar.

Instructions

1. 1 Pat chicken dry and cut into bite-sized pieces.
2. 2 Toss chicken with cornstarch, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt until evenly coated.
3. 3 Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, black pepper, water or broth, and cornstarch.
4. 4 Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
5. 5 Add chicken in a single layer and sear until browned and cooked through, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from the pan.
6. 6 Add peppers and onions to the same pan. Cook 3–4 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
7. 7 Add garlic and ginger. Cook for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
8. 8 Add chicken back to the pan, pour in the sauce, and toss until everything is glossy and coated.
9. 9 Simmer 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Serve with rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.

Kev Tips

Most important step: Do not overcrowd the pan. Give the chicken space so it browns instead of steaming.

Best flavor move: Let the peppers and onions pick up some char before adding the sauce. That little bit of browning makes the whole dish taste more restaurant-style.

Meal Prep Friendly Store rice separately from the chicken mixture if possible. Reheat the chicken in a skillet or microwave with a splash of water to bring the sauce back to life.

Easy swaps: Use chicken thighs for a juicier version, chicken breast for a leaner version, or cauliflower rice if you want a lower-carb bowl.

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