Black pepper chicken is a tasty copycat Panda Express recipe that will get rave reviews. Although this Chinese inspired chicken is restaurant style, it’s so much better than takeout. You can have it on the table in just 30 minutes. So if you’re craving Asian food or stir fry but don’t want to spend hours making it, this is a great recipe to pick.
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Authentic flavours of China, such as ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine, all feature in this black pepper chicken recipe. It’s a quick and easy, one-pot meal which is wonderful served restaurant style over fluffy white rice.
Black Pepper Chicken Ingredients
You can use your choice of chicken breasts or chicken thighs to make this copycat Panda Express recipe. In addition you will need cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic, ginger, celery, and onion.
For the sauce, use oil, garlic, ginger, shallot, Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry), oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, coarse black pepper, and more cornstarch.
Possible substitutions include using green onion instead of white, using carrot, mushrooms or other veggies in place of the celery and/or onion, and adding some chilli flakes or chilli sauce for a kick of spice.
The recipe calls for two kinds of soy sauce (dark and light) to add a nice flavour accent but if you only have one kind you can use that. The flavour will be slightly different though of course.
How to Make Chinese Inspired Chicken
You can have this restaurant style takeout favourite on the dinner table in 30 minutes flat, which makes it a great option for busy weeknight suppers. Some Panda Express locations have even taken this off the menu so it’s nice that you can make your own. This Panda Express black pepper chicken recipe will always be a favourite of mine!
First you need to toss the chopped chicken with cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic and ginger powders. Next you can fry it in oil in a wok, working in batches. Keep the chicken warm in the oven and wipe out the wok.
Heat some more oil then add the shallot plus some fresh ginger and garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the wine and cook for a couple minutes more to make the sauce, then take the pan off the heat.
Puree the sauce in a food processor. Pour it back in the wok with the oyster sauce, vinegar, both kinds of soy sauce, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Next, add in the cornstarch and water. Add the chicken back in along with the celery and onions and cook for 5 minutes, then serve hot.
Healthy Chinese Takeout Options
Black pepper chicken is a Chinese inspired chicken dish which is one of the healthiest options if you want to prepare a copycat Panda Express recipe.
Since an order of this dish is only 11½ net carbs, you might like to enjoy it over zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice. As well as being low in carbs, it’s low in fat, since chicken breast is lean and you’re only using some oil in the sauce and to fry the chicken.
You might like to prepare another Chinese dish to pair with this one. I love vegan tofu kung pao. If you’re looking for a side dish instead, you can sub extra veggies for the tofu. You can make this dish in 30 minutes alongside the black pepper chicken.
For a spicy dish that pairs well, consider pork chop bites which are spicy to contrast with the much milder chicken in black pepper sauce.
Chinese Inspired Chicken FAQs
If kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, leftovers should be good for a few days and you can reheat them on the stove or in the microwave.
Although black pepper is mild compared to, say chilli peppers, it is pungent. While chillies contain capsaicin to make them hot, peppercorns contain something known as piperine which offers a different flavour but still offers some ‘kick’!
This copycat Panda Express recipe calls for coarse black pepper, which is always worth keeping in the pantry since it tastes great in pretty much any savoury dish. You can also use it in sweet ones, such as strawberries with raspberry vinegar. Adding a dash of black pepper to that tastes really good!
Black Pepper Chicken Recipe
Black Pepper Chicken – Copycat Panda Express Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts boneless skinless, cut into 1” pieces
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 Teaspoon ginger powder
- 3 Stalks celery chopped
- 1 white onion small, chopped
Black Pepper Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 Teaspoon garlic minced
- 2 Teaspoon ginger minced
- 2 Teaspoon shallot minced
- ¼ Cup shaoxing wine
- 2 Tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon soy sauce dark
- 2 Tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
- 1 Tablespoon black pepper coarse
- 1 Teaspoon cornstarch for cornstarch slurry
- 1 Teaspoon water for cornstarch slurry
Instructions
- Heat 2” of vegetable oil in a wok to 350 degrees F. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
- Cut chicken breast into 1” pieces of equal size and thickness. Add to a large mixing bowl. Add cornstarch, pepper, salt, garlic, and ginger powder to the bowl and toss to coat.
- Carefully add chicken to the hot oil, careful not to overcrowd. *work in batches*
- Fry chicken for 4 minutes per batch. Place onto a wire rack lined baking sheet as you work.
- Once all the chicken pieces are fried, place the baking sheet into the oven to keep warm. Clean the wok and return to the stove over medium heat.
- Prepare the sauce. Add vegetable oil to the pan.
- Next, add minced garlic, ginger, and shallot. Stir fry for 2 minutes to soften.
- Pour in the shaoxing wine and stir. Cook for 2 minutes to reduce, then remove from heat. Pour the contents of the wok into a food processor and puree for 10 to 15 seconds.
- Return the wok to the stove over medium heat. Add the pureed shallot mix to the wok and combine with oyster sauce, rice wine vinegar, dark soy sauce, low sodium soy sauce, and black pepper. Whisk well, and cook until the liquid starts to boil. Once boiling, stir in the cornstarch slurry. Lower the heat to a simmer.
- Next, add chopped celery, chopped onions, and chicken. Toss to coat in sauce and cook for 5 minutes.
- Serve with rice.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Chinese black pepper chicken is a takeout or restaurant style dish you can make in just 30 minutes. It’s delicious served with rice or noodles, or even your favourite vegetables. This recipe for Panda Express black pepper chicken is sure to become a go-to meal.
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Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a storyteller, food lover, dog mom and adventure seeker living on the Pacific coast. She shares her passion for food, dogs, fitness, adventures, travel and philanthropy, in hopes of encouraging followers to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places and stand for a cause. Bella lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease.
Drooling over this. Need to make a grocery run to get what I need to make asap.
I loved it so much
I loved it so much. It’s worth making it a 2nd time.I wish I could add a photo to show all of you
The whole family loved this. Easy and delicious. Will be making it again.