Crispy Pepper Chicken (Printable)
Golden chicken with aromatic pepper coating and vegetables
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 1.1 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Marinade
02 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
04 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Coating
07 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
08 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
→ For Frying
09 - Vegetable oil, for deep frying
→ Pepper Sauce
10 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
11 - 1 large onion, sliced
12 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
13 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
14 - 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
15 - 2 green onions, sliced
16 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
17 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
18 - 1 teaspoon sugar
19 - 2 tablespoons water
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine chicken pieces with soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly to coat evenly and let marinate for 15 minutes.
02 - Mix cornstarch and flour in a shallow dish until well blended. Dredge each marinated chicken piece in the coating mixture, pressing gently to adhere.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or wok to 350°F. Fry chicken in batches, cooking 4–5 minutes per batch until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
04 - Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add sliced onion, red bell pepper, and minced garlic. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until vegetables are just tender.
05 - Add fried chicken to the skillet with vegetables. Pour in black pepper, green onions, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and water. Toss rapidly for 2 minutes until everything is evenly coated and heated through.
06 - Transfer to a serving platter immediately. Garnish with additional green onions or freshly cracked black pepper if desired. Serve while hot and crispy.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The coating stays impossibly crispy even after tossing in the sauce, which feels like magic when you pull it off
- Fresh cracked pepper gives this dish a warmth and depth that ground pepper can never quite achieve
02 -
- Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature fast, turning your chicken soggy instead of crisp, so resist the urge to fry everything at once
- Let fried chicken drain on a wire rack instead of paper towels, which keeps steam from making the coating limp
03 -
- Double the pepper sauce if you love things heavily sauced, it keeps in the fridge for a week and wakes up leftovers
- The oil is ready when a wooden chopstick bubbles immediately when inserted, or use a thermometer if you want to be precise