Easy Black Pepper Chicken recipe I Make When I Want Real Food, Fast

Servings and Cook Time

• Serves: 3 to 4
• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Total time: About 35 minutes

Some dinners are born out of cravings. Others out of chaos. This one came from both.

A few months ago, I was standing in my kitchen, holding a pack of chicken and thinking, I can’t do curry again. I didn’t want anything rich or creamy. I just wanted something spicy, garlicky, and quick. So I grabbed the basics—garlic, soy sauce, and a lot of black pepper—and threw it together with the chicken. The smell hit first. Then the heat. My husband took one bite, and said, “Why haven’t you made this before?”

Now it’s one of those dishes that keeps showing up in our weekly meals. It’s bold without being over the top. Spicy but not fiery. And best of all, it comes together in under 40 minutes.

Ingredients
For the chicken:

500g boneless chicken (cut into bite-sized pieces)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp white vinegar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp crushed black pepper

1 tbsp cornflour

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

For the stir-fry sauce:

1 tbsp oil (any neutral oil works)

1 medium onion, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tsp grated ginger

2 tsp freshly crushed black pepper (more if you like it hot)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional, but great for depth)

¼ cup water

1 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

Spring onions for garnish (optional)

How to Make Black Pepper Chicken

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

In a bowl, combine the chicken with soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, cornflour, and flour. Toss until everything’s coated. Let it sit while you prep the veggies. Ten minutes is good enough.

Jessica’s Tip: If you have more time, let it marinate longer. It gets even better.

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Step 2: Cook the Chicken

Heat oil in a large pan. Add the chicken in a single layer and let it sear. Don’t stir it too soon—give it a minute or two to brown.

Flip and cook until the pieces are golden and cooked through. Remove and set aside.

Small thing, big impact: Don’t crowd the pan. If needed, cook in two batches. That keeps the chicken crispy, not soggy.

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Step 3: Make the Sauce

In the same pan, add a bit more oil if needed. Toss in the garlic and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the sliced onion and bell pepper. Stir-fry until just soft but still a little crisp.

Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, water, and black pepper. Stir it all together and let it simmer for a minute.

Taste the sauce. Add more pepper if you like it spicier, or a pinch more sugar if it’s too sharp.

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Step 4: Mix It All

Add the cooked chicken back into the pan. Stir to coat every piece with that glossy, spicy sauce.

Let it cook together for 2–3 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly and stick to the chicken.

Garnish with chopped spring onions if you have them.

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What to Serve With It

This chicken goes with almost anything. Here’s what I usually serve it with:

• Hot steamed rice
• Garlic noodles
• Egg fried rice
• Lettuce wraps (if you’re going low-carb)
• Sometimes just a spoon and a bowl. It’s that good.

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Nutrition Info (Estimated per serving)

• Calories: 340
• Protein: 32g
• Fat: 14g
• Carbs: 18g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sodium: 850mg

Note: This is a rough estimate. It’ll vary depending on the sauce and portion size.

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Make It Your Way

This recipe is easy to tweak. Try these ideas if you want to change it up:

• Add more veggies: Mushrooms, zucchini, or baby corn work well.
• Go spicier: Toss in a fresh green chili or some red chili flakes.
• Skip the oyster sauce: Just add extra soy sauce and a dash more sugar.
• Want more gravy? Add a bit more water and an extra teaspoon of cornflour mixed with water. Simmer until thickened.

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Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe

It’s fast. It’s full of flavor. It tastes like real food—not takeout, not fast food, just good food. And when I make it, my kitchen smells like garlic and pepper and warm, happy things.

It doesn’t need fancy ingredients or special skills. You don’t even need to chop things perfectly. Just throw it all in a pan and stir. The black pepper does all the heavy lifting.

This chicken has become my go-to when I’m short on time but still want dinner to feel like dinner. And if I can help you put a meal like that on the table tonight, that makes me happy.

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Let me know if you try it. Leave a comment or message me on Instagram. I love hearing when my recipes become your recipes too.

Happy cooking,
– Jessica
easyyummyrecipe.com