This black pepper chicken is savory, satisfying, and better—and also healthier—than take out! The recipe uses arrowroot starch rather than corn starch, and coconut aminos in place of soy sauce. It can be tough to find a stir fry sauce and recipe that’s Whole30, Keto and Paleo. This is it!

this recipe

Easy and Healthy Black Pepper Sauce

This recipe has a very simple sauce that’s gluten-free and compliant with just about any diet out there (Paleo, Keto, Whole30). Here’s what it’s made of:

• Coconut Aminos – A salty and semi sweet thick syrup that is a great soy sauce alternative.
• Arrowroot Starch – Replaces corn starch as a grain free thickener for the sauce.
• Fish Sauce – Adds a bunch of salty umami flavor.
• White Vinegar – Provides a little acid to balance out the sauce.
• Black Pepper – We prefer freshly ground for this dish as it packs more fresh “peppery” flavor.

Don’t have any coconut aminos? Don’t worry! Here is a DIY coconut aminos substitute recipe.

Making This Chicken In Black Pepper Sauce

This healthy chicken stir fry just requires some chopping, cutting and mixing for prep and then it cooks up quickly! Here’s how:

1. Cut up the chicken and veggies to have them ready.
2. Mix together the sauce.
3. Cook the chicken first, then the veggies.
4. Add in the sauce to simmer, thicken and coat everything.

That’s it! Serve it over regular or cauliflower rice for a full meal that’s better than takeout.

Arrowroot Starch as a Substitute for Corn Starch

Growing up, my mom would always use corn starch to thicken sauces and soups. Since we don’t really do grains regularly at our house, we don’t cook with cornstarch.

Instead, we have found that Bob’s Red Mill Arrowroot Starch does the job very well, and it is our sauce thickener of choice! It’s super fine and mixes in easily. You can use it in a sauce like we do for this black pepper chicken, in a roux for creamy casseroles or in a soup.

For this dish, it’s the perfect thickener for the savory and peppery sauce. Just make sure you give the sauce a good stir before pouring it into the pan as the arrowroot starch tends to settle when it sits.

Other Healthy Chicken Stir Frys

• Healthy Cashew Chicken
• Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
• Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Thai Basil Chicken Bowls
• Butternut Squash Chicken Curry

Your Turn To Try This Healthy Black Pepper Chicken

Make your work week a little easier by planning to have this black pepper chicken. It’s a 30 minute meal the whole family will love!

If you try it, leave a comment below and let us know how it goes. Also, take a pic and tag us on Instagram @realsimplegood. We love to see what you’re cooking!

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4.72 from 42 ratings

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Healthier Black Pepper Chicken

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

This black pepper chicken is savory, satisfying, and better—and also healthier—than take out! The recipe uses arrowroot starch rather than corn starch, and coconut aminos in place of soy sauce. It can be tough to find a stir fry sauce and recipe that’s Whole30, Keto and Paleo. This is it!

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Ingredients

½1x2x3x

• 2 tbsp sesame oil, divided
• 1.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 shallot, diced
• 6 ribs celery, thinly-sliced on a diagonal
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated on a microplane

For the Sauce:

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos
• 1 tbsp Bob’s Red Mill arrowroot starch
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp freshly-ground black pepper, (best if freshly ground)

Optional Toppings:

• sesame seeds, optional topping
• red chili flakes, optional topping
• sliced green onions, optional topping

Instructions

 

• Prepare chicken, bell pepper, shallot, celery, garlic and ginger as noted.
• Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or jar until combined.
• Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add chicken and sauté for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
• Add the remaining 1 tbsp sesame oil to the pan, along with the bell pepper, shallot, celery, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the chicken back into the pan. Give the sauce mixture a quick stir to make sure it is mixed up well and then add the sauce mixture to the pan. Stir until the veggies and chicken are evenly coated. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
• Remove from heat and taste and season with any salt and/or freshly ground black pepper as desired. Serve immediately with any optional toppings.

Last Step:

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Notes

Nutrition facts are an estimate provided for those following a Ketogenic or low-carb diet and do not include optional toppings for this recipe. See our full nutrition information disclosure here. 

Calories: 300kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 37g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Fiber: 1g

Course: Main Course

Author: Erica Winn

Cuisine: Chinese

Did you make this recipe?Tag @realsimplegood with hashtag #realsimplegood on Instagram. We love to see what you make!