Quick weeknight dinner alert! Pepper chicken stir fry is a back pocket kind of recipe that you can pull out when you need something healthy and quick to make on weeknights. We’re talking about crisp green bell peppers, sauteed red onions, crunchy slices of celery and tender chicken in every single bite. It doesn’t hurt that the ingredient list is pretty straight forward and most, if not all, of these ingredients, are pantry and refrigerator staples. Today’s recipe is inspired by a tofu version that I made some time back. Black pepper tofu stir fry is made with a mix of tricorn peppers and crisp tofu squares. It’s delicious, albeit not something I can regularly make around here because the hubby isn’t the biggest fan of tofu. So I came up with a version that works well with chicken. Pepper chicken stir fry has a few more veggies, and I’ve cut back on the cornstarch just a hint to give you a little more sauce to drizzle all over a warm bed of pasta, rice, or cauliflower.
What ingredients do you need to make pepper chicken stir fry?
Chicken: You’ll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes. You could also use boneless chicken thighs or tenders for this recipe.red onions: You can use a shallot or a small red onion. I know not everyone keeps shallots at home, so I’ve tested the recipe with both!bell pepper: I like to slice the peppers extra thin so that they cook super fast but still maintain their brightness! Feel free to use peppers of different colors too!celery: Thinly sliced on the biased is what I like to do so that it looks all fancy but really, all I did was turn the knife and cut at a 45º angle!ginger + garlic: Essential ingredients for making a delicious stir fry!sauces: low sodium soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, and oyster sauce (or vegan oyster flavored sauce for those with allergies) is what we’ll need. These ingredients add umami, a touch of sweetness, and a bit of tang to the stir fry.seasonings: We’re using coarse ground pepper to season the stir fry. I like to use a peppercorn medley, however this is entirely optional. Black pepper that is coarsely ground works just fine!cornstarch: The cornstarch plays a two-part role. A bit of it is used on the chicken. I find this helps create a bit of a crust on the chicken. The rest is used to thicken the sauce just a touch.
How to make the easiest pepper chicken stir fry:
Black pepper chicken stir fry is a clean-the-fridge recipe, so don’t be afraid to swap out the veggies for things you’ve got in the fridge that need to be used up!
If you want to meal prep pepper chicken stir fry:
This one works great for meal prep! I use these glass containers that stack beautifully in the refrigerator. Just scoop out a half cup of brown rice, add one-fourth of the prepared black pepper chicken and veggies on top, a handful of almonds or walnuts in one of the compartments, and a medley of berries in the other. Unlike a lot of meal prep recipes, pepper chicken stir fry tastes better as it sits!
If you like this recipe, you might also like:
Lomo Saltado (Peruvian steak stir fry)Sesame Ginger Tofu Stir FryEasy Thai Cashew Chicken10- Minute Ginger Shrimp Snow Pea Stir FrySpicy Peanut Tofu Stir FryGarlic Lovers Pepper Steak Stir Fry20-Minute Teriyaki ChickenGarlic Lovers Thai Basil Chicken
This is a good recipe for meal-prep as the flavors actually taste better as it sits.Feel free to swap out the peppers or celery for other veggies you’ve got on hand that need to be used up. Depending on the veggies you use, you may need to double the sauce ingredients to make sure there is enough!
