ngredients: - 1 lb beef liver, sliced - 2 large onions, thinly sliced - 1 cup milk (for soaking) - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour - Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Few dishes capture the drama and flavor intensity of Chinese street-style pepper chicken. This dish—sometimes known as Sizzling Pepper Chicken, Chinese Black Pepper Chicken, or Sichuan Pepper Chicken—is a celebration of contrasts: sizzling aromatics, tender chicken, crisp peppers, fragrant peppercorns, and a glossy sauce that clings beautifully to every bite.

This long-form recipe gives you:

✓ Full ingredients
✓ Traditional and modern variations
✓ The science of wok cooking (“wok hei”)
✓ Step-by-step mastery
✓ Optional Sichuan “tingly-numb” version
✓ A lighter or spicier version
✓ Professional tips from Chinese kitchens
✓ Serving ideas
✓ Storage, reheating & meal prep instructions

This is your complete guide to the ultimate Sizzling Chinese Pepper Chicken.

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⭐ WHAT IS “SIZZLING CHINESE PEPPER CHICKEN”?

It’s a wok-fried dish combining:

• Thinly sliced marinated chicken

• Aromatic peppers (bell peppers + chili peppers)

• Garlic, ginger, and scallions

• A sauce featuring soy, black pepper, rice wine, and sometimes Sichuan peppercorn

• A “sizzling finish” where the sauce hits a hot wok, creating steam, aroma, and shine

Depending on regional influence, it may be:

• Sichuan style — tingly, numbing, spicy

• Cantonese style — glossy, black-pepper-forward

• Northern style — bold, smoky, heavier seasoning

The version below blends the best of all worlds.

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⭐ INGREDIENTS (serves 4)

For the Chicken Marinade

• 1 ½ lbs (680g) boneless chicken thighs (or breasts), thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)

• ½ teaspoon sugar

• ½ teaspoon white pepper

• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

• 2 teaspoons oil (helps velvet the meat)

Vegetables & Aromatics

• 1 large green bell pepper, sliced

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped

• 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

• 2–3 fresh chili peppers (optional)

• 1 tablespoon whole Sichuan peppercorns (optional but recommended)

• 1–2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• Oil for stir-frying (neutral oil such as peanut or canola)

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• ½ cup chicken broth

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch (to thicken)

This sauce becomes glossy, aromatic, and beautifully coats the peppers and chicken.

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⭐ WHY THIS DISH WORKS SO WELL

This dish delivers three extraordinary flavor dimensions:

1. The Pepper Profile

Chinese pepper cuisine is defined by two main kinds of pepper:

• Black pepper → spicy, aromatic, warming

• Sichuan peppercorn → citrusy, floral, tingling, numbing

Together, they create a multi-layered flavor.

2. The Wok Sizzle

The sizzling moment—when sauce hits the super-hot wok—creates:

• vaporized aromatics

• deepened caramelization

• glossy texture

• intense steam-infused aroma

3. Velveting the Meat

The marinade uses cornstarch, soy, and oil to lightly coat the chicken, creating that classic tender, silky Chinese-restaurant texture.

4. Pepper + Garlic + Soy Triad

This combination is iconic in Chinese cooking. It’s bold, savory, and satisfying with rice or noodles.

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⭐ STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1 — Slice the Chicken Properly

Cut the chicken against the grain into very thin strips (¼-inch or thinner).

Why?
Thinner pieces cook faster, sear better, and stay tender.

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STEP 2 — Marinate the Chicken

Mix all marinade ingredients with the chicken and let rest at least 15 minutes or up to overnight.

Marinating does four crucial things:

1. Soy sauce seasons the meat

2. Wine removes raw aroma and boosts depth

3. Cornstarch seals in moisture

4. Oil protects the meat from overcooking

This step is the backbone of tender stir-fry chicken.

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STEP 3 — Prep Vegetables

Chinese cooking moves fast. Have everything ready before heating the wok.

Slice:

• peppers → into strips

• onions → into half-moons

• chili peppers → diagonally

• scallions → into chunks

• mince garlic

• chop ginger

This mise-en-place ensures perfect timing.

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STEP 4 — Make the Sauce

Whisk together all sauce ingredients until smooth.

Cornstarch at this stage prevents clumps and guarantees a silky finish.

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STEP 5 — Heat the Wok (or Large Skillet)

Heat your wok until it just begins to smoke lightly.

Add 1–2 tablespoons oil.

You want high heat — the key to wok cooking.

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STEP 6 — Sear the Chicken

Add the chicken in a single layer.

Let it sear 30 seconds before stirring.

Then stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until 90% cooked.

Remove chicken and set aside.

Important:
The chicken will finish cooking later in the sauce. Removing it prevents overcooking and toughness.

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STEP 7 — Toast the Peppercorns

Add a small splash of oil to the wok.

Add:

• Sichuan peppercorns

• Freshly cracked black pepper

Stir 10–15 seconds.

Why?

• Toasting peppercorns releases citrusy, numbing, pungent oils

• It creates the signature aroma

• Black pepper when toasted intensifies its heat

This is the soul of the dish.

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STEP 8 — Stir-Fry Aromatics

Add:

• garlic

• ginger

• onions

Stir-fry 1 minute until fragrant.

Add bell peppers and chili peppers.

Cook 2–3 minutes until crisp-tender.

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STEP 9 — Add Chicken Back to Wok

Return chicken to the vegetables.

Stir to combine.

Now the wok is building its flavor base.

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STEP 10 — Pour in the Sauce (SIZZLE MOMENT)

Increase heat to high.

Pour the sauce around the edges of the wok—not directly on the food.

This technique creates:

• sizzling steam

• caramelization

• reduced sauce

• enhanced aroma

This is the traditional way to ignite flavor.

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STEP 11 — Reduce & Gloss

Let the sauce thicken for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.

You’ll see it turn into a shiny, sticky glaze that coats every piece of chicken and pepper.

Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil.

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STEP 12 — Garnish & Serve

Add scallions at the end.

Serve immediately with:

• steamed jasmine rice

• garlic fried rice

• stir-fried noodles

• bao or scallion pancakes

This dish is best eaten sizzling-hot.

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⭐ FLAVOR PROFILE

🌶 Heat

Black pepper provides warmth; optional Sichuan peppercorn adds tingle.

🍋 Aroma

Sichuan peppercorns release citrus-like perfume; ginger adds fresh fire.

🍗 Savory Depth

Soy, oyster sauce, and aromatics build serious umami.

🌱 Freshness

Peppers bring sweetness, crunch, and color.

🥢 Authentic Wok Finish

High-heat cooking provides smokiness and sizzling flavor—what Chinese chefs call wok hei.

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⭐ REGIONAL VARIATIONS

1. Sichuan-Style Sizzling Pepper Chicken

Add:

• 1–2 teaspoons chili bean paste (Doubanjiang)

• 1 teaspoon roasted chili oil

• Extra Sichuan peppercorns

This version is spicy, numbing, aromatic, and deeply complex.

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2. Cantonese Black Pepper Chicken

Use:

• more black pepper

• no Sichuan peppercorn

• silkier sauce with extra oyster sauce

• fewer chilies

This is the black-pepper-glaze version served in Chinese restaurants.

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3. Spicy Chili Pepper Chicken

Add:

• dried red chilies

• Lao Gan Ma chili crisp

Bold, fiery, addictive.

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4. Healthy / Light Version

Use:

• chicken breast

• half the oil

• extra vegetables (snow peas, mushrooms, baby corn)

Still flavorful but lighter.

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5. Sauce-Free Dry-Fried Version

Reduce broth to 2 tablespoons.

This produces a drier, smokier, restaurant-style pepper stir fry.

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⭐ PROFESSIONAL CHINESE COOKING TIPS

✔ Use a wok if possible

Its curved sides create the vapor and heat waves needed for Chinese stir-fry flavor.

✔ Heat the oil until shimmering

Not doing this leads to pale, soggy chicken.

✔ Don’t overcrowd

Crowding drops the temperature and causes steaming instead of searing.

✔ Slice chicken thin

Uniform pieces cook evenly.

✔ Velveting = silky texture

Cornstarch + oil = glossy, tender chicken.

✔ Sauce must reduce

Thickened sauce clings beautifully to chicken and peppers.

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⭐ SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Serve with:

• steamed rice

• egg fried rice

• jasmine or basmati

• hand-pulled noodles

• garlic spinach

• Chinese cucumber salad

Toppings (optional):

• sesame seeds

• chili oil

• extra scallions

• toasted peanuts

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⭐ STORING & REHEATING

Refrigerator

Stores up to 3 days.

Freezer

Freeze in airtight container up to 2 months.

Reheat

Stovetop 4–5 minutes with 1 tablespoon water for best results.

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⭐ NUTRITION ESTIMATE (per serving)

Approximate:

• 320–420 calories

• 30–35g protein

• 14–18g fat

• 20–24g carbs

Varies based on sauce and oil amounts.

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⭐ CONCLUSION

This Sizzling Chinese Pepper Chicken is a vibrant, bold, and incredibly aromatic dish that brings authentic wok cooking into your kitchen. The combination of tender velveted chicken, charred peppers, sizzling sauce, and fragrant peppercorns creates an unforgettable culinary experience—one that’s simultaneously comforting and exciting.

Whether you prefer a numbing Sichuan version, a glossy Cantonese black-pepper version, or a fiery chili-pepper version, this recipe forms the foundation for all.

It’s versatile, customizable, quick to prepare, and deeply satisfying—everything a great Chinese stir-fry should be.

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If you'd like:

🔥 A spicier Sichuan-only version
🔥 A low-sodium version
🔥 A keto version
🔥 A version without cornstarch
🔥 A restaurant-style black pepper beef recipe