Panda Express serves some of the most delicious Chinese-inspired dishes, though American-style Chinese food dishes are thicker with more sauce, and we tend to combine ingredients that aren’t used in regional Chinese dishes. Still, black pepper chicken is a favorite across the board, and now, you can create your own black pepper chicken dish in less time than it would take to drive to a Panda Express. The sauce is flavorful and the black pepper gives it a nice spice. In fact, using fresh cracked pepper is even better.
This recipe recommends marinating the chicken for about 30 minutes before cooking, so be sure to factor this into your prep time. While the chicken is marinating, you can prepare the rice. We would recommend using high-quality long-grain rice for this recipe, instead of Minute-rice.
This dish is also low in fat and calories and it’s gluten-free, making this a healthy and delicious Panda Express recipe that everyone in your family will enjoy. You can even store it in the fridge for a couple of days – though we think you’ll eat it faster than that!
Be sure to check out our tips below this recipe to help make your dish as fresh and flavorful as possible.
Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow onion, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
- 2 cups cooked rice
For the Sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ginger powder
Instructions
For the Sauce
- To prepare the sauce, simply combine all the sauce ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Then set it aside.
For the Rice
- Cook the rice according to the package instructions. Set aside.
For the Chicken
- Mix 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon of the chili vinegar, the cornstarch and the ground ginger to make the marinade.
- Cut the chicken into one-inch pieces and soak them in the marinade for 30 minutes.
- Heat peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Once it's heated, begin cooking the chicken pieces in batches. Don't overcrowd the skillet. Place the cooked chicken on a plate until all of the chicken has been cooked.
- Place all the chicken back into the skillet and add the diced vegetables. Saute for about 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Next, add the sauce and broth to the skillet, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Serve the chicken and vegetables over a bowl of rice, and enjoy.
Notes
- Be sure to not add the sauce until the end. The sauce should pull the flavors together, but if it's overcooked, it will make the dish mushy.
- You could use fresh ginger instead of ginger powder. Just be sure to chop it into very small pieces.
- Make sure the celery stalks and bell peppers are fresh and crispy, so they maintain a good bite even after they're cooked.
Are you wondering how healthy Panda Express dishes are? We’ve done a little digging for you to find out whether Panda Express is healthier than other fast food options. What’s your favorite Panda Express dish, and how does it compare to your favorite dish elsewhere?
