Description

A quick and flavorful stir-fry featuring tender chicken coated in a glossy black pepper sauce with bell peppers, onions, ginger, and garlic. This restaurant-style dish comes together in under 30 minutes and is perfect served over steamed rice.

Ingredients

Chicken & Marinade

1 lb (≈ 450 g) chicken breasts or thighs, sliced against the grain into ¼ inch thick pieces
1 Tbsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
1 Tbsp cornstarch

Sauce

½ cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp light soy sauce
2 Tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
2 tsp dark soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1½ Tbsp sugar
2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
⅛ tsp salt

Stir-Fry & Aromatics

2 Tbsp oil (peanut or neutral)
1 Tbsp minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ white onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped (any color)

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Instructions

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

Chicken goes in a bowl, dump in the soy sauce, wine, and cornstarch. I use my hands because it’s faster and I don’t care. My rings might get messy but whatever, I’m washing my hands in 30 seconds anyway. Mix it around till every piece is slimy and coated. Then ignore it. Set a timer for 10 minutes and go do something else. I usually use this time to empty the dishwasher or scroll TikTok. Sometimes I marinate it in the morning before work if I’m trying to be one of those organized people who has their life together (I’m not, but I pretend).

Step 2: Mix the Sauce

Grab your other bowl and dump in all the sauce stuff. Broth, both kinds of soy sauce, wine, cornstarch, sugar, pepper, that tiny bit of salt. Whisk it like you’re mad at it. The cornstarch is gonna fight you and try to stick to the bottom in clumps – that’s normal, just keep whisking. Then put this bowl right next to your stove, like within grabbing distance. I’ve learned this lesson the hard way approximately seven times. You think you’ll remember where you put it, you won’t, you’ll have to look for it while ginger burns.

Step 3: Sear the Chicken

Turn your burner to medium-high and let the pan get hot. Actually hot, not medium hot, not “I think this is probably hot enough” hot. Pour in one tablespoon of oil and wait till it does that shimmery thing. Now put your chicken in. Lay it out flat, don’t pile it up even though you’re tempted because there’s a lot of chicken. And then – this is the hardest part – DO NOTHING. I know your hand is hovering over the spatula. I know you want to flip it and check it and move it around. Don’t. Count to 60 in your head. I sing the ABCs twice because I’m apparently 5 years old. After a full minute, flip the pieces. Give it another 30-45 seconds. It’s gonna look pink inside and wrong and you’re gonna want to keep cooking it. Take it out anyway. Put it on a plate. Walk away.

Step 4: Stir-Fry the Aromatics and Vegetables

Same pan, should still be stupid hot. Add your second tablespoon of oil. Immediately throw in the ginger and garlic. You have maybe 10 seconds before they burn. I literally hold my onions and peppers in my hand ready to dump in. Toss in the vegetables, stir everything maybe twice. That’s it. We’re talking like 20 seconds of cooking here. They should still be bright colored and crunchy.

Step 5: Add the Sauce and Finish Cooking

Here’s where it gets fun. Stir your sauce one more time because the cornstarch definitely settled while you weren’t looking, then pour it in. It’s gonna go PSSSHHHHH and bubble up and smell incredible. Stir it around. The sauce will go from watery to thick and glossy so fast you’ll think you’re watching it on fast forward. Maybe 30 seconds tops. When it coats your spoon and looks like actual sauce, throw the chicken back in. Toss everything together a few times. Another 30 seconds and that’s it, you’re done.

Step 6: Serve Immediately

Turn off the stove right now and get this onto plates. I’m serious, don’t wait. One time I left it in the pan for like 3 minutes while I set the table and the chicken kept cooking and got chewy. These days I just bring the pan straight to the table because I can’t be trusted. Serve it over rice and prepare for everyone to actually be excited about dinner for once. My daughter literally runs down the stairs when she smells this cooking.

Notes

Don’t skip the step of removing the chicken before adding vegetables. This keeps your pan temperature high and prevents steaming, which would make everything soggy instead of crisp and caramelized.

If your sauce thickens too fast or becomes gloppy before your vegetables are tender, just add a tablespoon or two of chicken broth or water to loosen it up. On the flip side, if it’s too thin, let it bubble for 30 seconds longer before adding the chicken back.

For extra-crispy chicken edges, make sure your pan is screaming hot before adding the chicken, and resist the urge to move it around. Let it sear undisturbed for that golden crust.

Common mistake to avoid: Adding cold ingredients to a hot pan. Make sure your chicken comes to room temperature for about 10 minutes before cooking—it sears better and cooks more evenly.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stir-Fry
Cuisine: Chinese