Black Pepper Chicken - Copycat Panda Express Recipe (2024)

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick: This Chinese black pepper chicken recipe is a real time-saver. With simple steps like cutting, coating, and frying up the chicken, you’ll have a delicious meal ready in under 30 minutes!
Better than Takeout: It’s the perfect restaurant-style recipe that tastes even better than takeout! Plus, it’s much healthier! A win-win situation if you ask me.
Surprisingly Simple: Despite its complex flavors, this recipe is surprisingly simple to make. The best part is that it’s all made in one wok so that means less washing up afterwards, too! It’s a foolproof recipe that even beginner cooks can master.

Chinese Black Pepper Chicken Recipe Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Chicken breasts: This is the lean protein we’ll be using for the base of this recipe. It provides a hearty base that will absorb the flavors of our black pepper sauce.
Garlic and Ginger powder: These aromatic spices will infuse our dish with a warm, spicy depth of flavor.
Garlic, Ginger, and Shallot: These fresh ingredients will add a burst of flavor to our black pepper sauce. It’s what adds a delicious contrast to the rich soy sauce.
Shaoxing wine: This Chinese rice wine will add a subtle sweetness to our sauce, balancing out the salty soy sauce. If you’ve ever wondered what gives a Chinese dish its authentic taste, it’s definitely this ingredient!
Oyster Sauce and Rice Wine Vinegar: These will add a tangy, umami flavor to our sauce, making it even more delicious.
Soy Sauce: The recipe calls for two kinds of soy sauce (dark and light) to add a nice flavor accent, but if you only have one kind, you can use that. The flavour will be slightly different though, of course.
Cornstarch Slurry: This mixture of cornstarch and water will be used to thicken our sauce, which will ensure that it coats our chicken perfectly.

How to Make Panda Express Black Pepper Chicken

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Prepare the chicken: Cut the chicken into 1” pieces and toss with cornstarch, pepper, salt, garlic, and ginger powder.
Fry the chicken: Heat oil in a wok and fry the chicken in batches for 4 minutes each. Place fried chicken on a wire rack and keep warm in a preheated oven.
Prepare the sauce: In the cleaned wok, stir fry minced garlic, ginger, and shallot. Add Shaoxing wine and cook to reduce. Puree the mixture in a food processor.
Combine the sauce and chicken: Return the pureed mixture to the wok, add sauces and seasonings, and bring to a boil.
Add cornstarch slurry: Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer. Add chopped celery, onions, and chicken, and cook for 5 minutes. Serve your black pepper chicken Panda Express copycat with rice.

Substitutions and Variations

Chicken: You can substitute the chicken breasts with tofu or prawns for a vegetarian or seafood variation.
Cornstarch: If you’re out of cornstarch, you can use arrowroot powder as a gluten-free thickening alternative.
Spices: Feel free to experiment with different spices. You can even add some chili flakes or chili sauce for a kick of spice.
Vegetables: You can swap the celery and onion for other veggies like bell peppers or courgettes, depending on what you have on hand.
Shaoxing wine alternative: If you don’t have Shaoxing wine, you can use dry sherry or a gluten-free chicken broth as a substitute.

Serving Suggestions

Main Course: Chinese black pepper chicken can be served as a main course with a side of steamed jasmine rice or gluten-free noodles to soak up all the sauce. You might also want to try my PF Chang’s copycat fried rice!
Side Dish: A fresh, crisp salad would complement the rich flavours of the copycat Panda Express black pepper chicken. Try a simple cucumber salad or this delicious Asian zoodle salad.
Other Asian Dishes: I don’t know about you, but whenever I’m craving takeout, I always want to have a few different options. If that sounds like you, try this vegan tofu kung pao or general tso shrimp stir fry!
Condiments: For those who like a bit of extra heat, serve it with a side of chili sauce. A sprinkle of sesame seeds or chopped spring onions would also add a nice touch.
Dessert: Who doesn’t love a delicious dessert after a meal like this? If you’re in the mood to try something different, you’re bound to find something tasty in this mango recipes collection.

How to Store Black Pepper Chicken

Store: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should remain fresh and tasty for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Unfortunately, freezing black pepper chicken isn’t recommended as it can alter the texture and flavor of the dish. However, you can freeze the chicken separately before adding the black pepper sauce, for up to 3 months.
Thaw: If you’ve frozen the chicken separately, it’s best to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before cooking and adding the black pepper sauce.
Reheat: Leftovers can be reheated either on the stove or in the microwave. Just make sure that they’re heated thoroughly before serving.

Top Tips

Equal Chicken Pieces: When cutting your chicken breasts into 1” pieces, aim for uniformity in size and thickness. This will guarantee even cooking and a consistent texture throughout your dish.
Work in Stages: When frying your chicken, avoid overcrowding the wok. Working in batches will allow each piece to cook evenly and achieve a deliciously crispy exterior.
Keep Your Chicken Warm: After frying, keep your chicken warm in a preheated oven while you prepare the sauce. This will guarantee that your chicken remains hot and crispy until serving.
Don’t Rush the Simmer: Once your sauce starts to boil, lower the heat and let it simmer. This will allow the flavours to meld together and the sauce to thicken which makes a huge difference!
Finish with Freshness: Add your chopped celery and onions towards the end of cooking. This will make sure that they retain their crunch and fresh flavor, providing a nice contrast to the rich sauce and tender chicken.