Once you try this homemade version of Panda Express Pepper Chicken, you’ll never go back to take-out. This easy chicken recipe features juicy, tender chicken thigh meat is sauteed with onions and celery, and cooked in black pepper soy sauce.
It tastes amazing over rice but you can easily swap out rice for veggies, cauliflower rice, or quinoa. Same sides would be good in other easy chicken dishes like Chicken Teriyaki and Chicken Stroganoff.
COPYCAT PEPPER CHICKEN
I fell in love with this tasty Pepper Chicken when my little sister and I went to Houston for a college conference. That was the first time she got me to try Panda Express and I’m so glad I did because I discovered a new tasty chicken dish.
It was pretty hard for us to find something to eat at the airport restaurants while we were traveling because of my gluten intolerance. On the way to Houston, we actually walked around the airport food court four times. We ended up walking out of two restaurants because of the lack of gluten free options.
Needless to say, after four circles around the food court, we ended up grabbing a couple of plain salads and hopping on the plane. We got to our hotel late at night, starving but too tired to care.
When the conference was over, I was hyped up on coffee and fruit and felt like a starving lion, desperate for a nice juicy steak. When we got to the airport, my sister suggested that we try Panda Express since it was the only non-sandwich option.
This is when I saw pepper chicken and decided to stray away from the familiar Teriyaki Chicken and give it a shot. After the first bite, I knew that I had to recreate this chicken dish at home. It seemed very easy to make and it was very tasty. A simple combination of onion, celery, chicken thigh meat, and seasoned with lots of black pepper.
The very next day after we came back home, I made this dish for dinner and it was a huge hit with my husband. It is now one of my favorite fast and easy chicken dishes to make.
HOW TO MAKE PEPPER CHICKEN
Since this is a fast and easy recipe, make sure to prepare your ingredients first. Cook rice first and while it is cooking, dice onions and celery, slice chicken thigh meat, and measure remaining ingredients.
In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, cornstarch, salt, and pepper and toss to coat chicken pieces evenly. Whisk all sauce ingredients in another bowl.
Preheat the cooking pan first over medium-high heat and when it’s hot, add oil. Saute onions and celery until softened and then, add the chicken. Stir well and let everything saute until chicken is mostly done. Stir once in a while to ensure even cooking.
Pour sauce in and slowly stir. Bring the sauce to simmer and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook for a few minutes, until chicken is completely done and take off heat.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH PEPPER CHICKEN
Rice
Quinoa
Cauliflower Rice
Farro
SOME MORE CHICKEN RECIPES
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Pepper Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat
- 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- salt
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 cups chopped celery
Sauce:
- 3/4 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tbsp white vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/2 tbsp fresh cracked black pepper
Rice:
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked Jasmine rice yields about 4 1/2 cups cooked
Instructions
- Cook rice according to the package instructions and set aside.
- Preheat a cooking pan over medium-high heat and add a couple of tablespoons of oil for cooking.
- Chop chicken thigh meat into small pieces and place them in a small mixing bowl.
- Add 1/2 tbsp of corn starch, 1 tsp black pepper, and some salt. Mix very well so that the chicken is coated in corn starch, salt, and pepper evenly. Set aside.
- Dice onion and celery and saute for a few minutes.
- Once veggies are softened, add chicken and mix well. Saute chicken until about half way cooked.
- While chicken is cooking, whisk ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl.
- Add sauce into the pan with the chicken, stir well. Bring the sauce to simmer and lower the heat to medium-low.
- Stir and cook chicken and veggies until chicken is completely cooked. Take off heat.
- I prefer to serve this Pepper Chicken over Jasmine rice.
Jasmine rice can be swapped out for brown rice, quinoa, or steamed veggies.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles on July 25, 2018. Updated March 30, 2010.
Cathy says
You have a gluten intolerance but you use soy sauce??
lyuba says
Hi Cathy! I always use gluten free soy sauce. It’s available in just about every grocery store if you’re looking for one.
Stephanie, One Caring Mom says
The gorgeous picture caught my eye on Pinterest. But the recipe itself sounds delicious. I haven’t seen this before so I can’t wait to try it!!!
lyuba says
Thank you so much! I hope you will try it, Stephanie 🙂 It’s really east and tasty.
VickieG says
Delicious but next time I would use less chicken broth or more cornstarch for thicker sauce.
lyuba says
I”m so glad you liked it, Vickie! You can just add a little more cornstarch without taking away the broth.
KAREN DREW says
This looks amazing!!! I was sold until I got to the calorie count. I only have 1400 per day, is there any way we can modify it to reduce the calories?
lyuba says
Hi Karen! This is actually calculated for rice as well. You can make it with quinoa or steamed veggies to lower the calorie count. Use low sodium soy sauce and broth as well.
I really hope you will give it a try!
Ali says
YUM. I made this tonight; it reminds me of something my mom used to make, but not as heavy. Simple and quick. I added mushrooms and carrots, and will probably add snow peas next time. Delicious! Thank you!
lyuba says
Oh wonderful! It’s like a pepper chicken stir fry 🙂 Great idea!
Linda Pearl says
Would you please post the quantity of a single serving.
Kate Bagby says
Extremely easy and very tasty. Quick too. I would definitely recommend this to anyone. Whether you cook all the time or not. It’s very tasty.
Fabulous. Another tasty recipe to put in our rotation! Thanks.
LyubaB says
Thank you, Kate! 🙂
Josie says
My new favorite
LyubaB says
Thank you, Josie! So happy you liked it!
Josie says
This recipe is delicous!
LyubaB says
Thank you so much, Josie!
Wendy says
I pinned this recipe and plan on making it for dinner tonight. Can you use chicken breast instead of chicken thigh meat?
LyubaB says
Hi Wendy,
You can definitely use chicken breast instead. Enjoy!
Anitra says
Could you make this in the crockpot?
Barb says
This was super easy and really tasty and almost a one pot meal.
LyubaB says
Glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping by, Barb!
Dee says
Very good! I had to add a little mor cornstarch to thicken the sauce a bit and I added cashew pieces to it! Will make again !
LyubaB says
Adding cashews was a good idea! I am glad you liked it, Dee!
R Humphries says
Made this for dinner. Used breast instead of thigh. Also used red bell pepper. I was out of celery. It was delicious. Thanks so much.
LyubaB says
I am so glad you liked it!
Kristine S says
Oh my goodness! So tasty! I did add minced garlic by accident. I also was concerned with my chicken, as I had to trim so much fat. I doubled the cornstarch mixture that you toss the chicken in, but I didn’t need to. I added more cornstarch to the sauce and was glad I did.
I have never had this meal before, but it came out perfectly and is delicious! The chicken is so tasty and tender. Thanks for a wonderful meal!
LyubaB says
I am so glad you liked it, Kristine! 🙂