Chinese Salt And Pepper Chicken

Prepare the perfect salt and pepper chicken recipe right on your stovetop! It has an authentic stir fry taste and is fantastically low in carbs.

Article Index

•  Why you'll love it
• Ingredients
• Quick tips
• Instructions
• ️ Serving suggestions
• FAQs
• RELATED RECIPES
• Recipe

Chicken breast is one of the most versatile types of meat that you can cook. From chicken wings to fried chicken to chicken soup, the options are pretty endless!

Even so, it's really easy to get in a rut and forget what to make with it. That's one of the main reasons I made this salt and pepper chicken recipe.

I wanted to make something with fresh and tangy vegetables that will surprise your taste buds but also doesn't take very long.

Another thing I love about cooking is that I have the ability to recreate restaurant favorites at home. I have a lot of copycat recipes here on Low Carb Yum.

As much as I love Chinese takeout, I prefer to eat what I cook because I know what is in it. That keeps me going on my low-carb diet, which is pretty reassuring.

 Why you'll love it

Salt and pepper chicken is a super-easy way to cook chicken of any kind!

You can use chicken thighs or any chicken pieces that you have leftover. Plus, it's a really flavorful dish that doesn't take long to make.

If you like eating Chinese takeout, then you will really enjoy this because it has lots of the same classic flavors but is low in carbs and high in nutrients. It's a really nutritious dinner that you'll be proud to share with your family and friends.

Even if you have never ordered salt and pepper chicken from a restaurant before, you will enjoy this recipe. It's juicy with the perfect balance of savory and bold flavors.

Ingredients

There are only a few ingredients in this simple recipe, and there are three parts to them. There's the meat, the vegetables, and then the spices.

All the exact amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. First, here is a bit more information about what I used.

Chicken

I used boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into pieces. I think they retain the most flavor and don't dry out.

Honestly, chicken breasts will work just fine. Just make sure that you cut them up into small, bite-sized pieces.

Vegetables

For the vegetables, I used chopped onions, red bell pepper, minced garlic, red chili pepper, and chopped green onions. Some people call them spring onions, but they are the same thing.

When you use fresh vegetables, you will notice a huge difference in the taste and quality of the salt and pepper chicken.

If you don't have fresh, you can substitute with frozen diced onions, but it won't have the same full flavor.

I sauteed the veggies in olive oil. Vegetable oil and canola oil are discouraged on the keto diet because they are high in saturated fat. I suggest using avocado oil if you don't have olive.

Spices

For the spices, I used kosher salt and white pepper so it wouldn't stand out as much, but ground black pepper works just as well.

The most important spice of all is the Chinese five spice powder. It is what gives the pepper chicken the unmistakable flavor!

Save this recipe because you can even use this spice combination again to make salt and pepper chicken wings or chips. I'd use radishes or turnips instead of potatoes to make the chips.

It's amazing what you can do with Chinese salt and pepper combinations.

Please note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.

Quick tips

• Use hot oil when you saute the chicken. Cook it over medium heat or medium-high heat.
• Drain any excess oil from the chicken. I used a slotted spoon and paper towel, which seemed to work really well.
• Use a large frying pan which will give you plenty of room to saute everything.
• For a little extra flavor, add a dash of sesame oil to the olive oil as you saute the chicken. Any neutral flavoured oil that is keto-friendly will work.
• Add Thai chillies or Taiwanese salt for a really authentic taste.

Instructions

This salt and pepper chicken is going to become one of your favorite Chinese dishes to make at home. So before we get to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, I have a few more tips to share with you.

Cook The Chicken

First, cook the chicken in a large pan. Next, season it with the spices, including the salt and pepper and the five spice. At this point, you can add salt or just follow the recipe card's amounts.

Cook the chicken thigh meat until golden brown, and then remove it from the pan.

Saute The Vegetables

In the same pan, saute the vegetable mix over medium-high heat. You might have to add more olive oil.

But, don't add too much - we don't want to deep fry anything!

Cook With Spices

After the vegetables are cooked, add the chicken back to the pan. Then, stir it together and keep cooking until it is nice and hot.

Serve immediately with chopped green onions as a garnish.

️ Serving suggestions

This salt and pepper chicken recipe tastes just like a Chinese takeaway. I like to garnish it with spring onions and then serve my favorite Asian-inspired recipes on the side.

Instead of steamed rice, make some cauliflower rice. You can even make cauliflower fried rice to serve on the side!

I also like to start the meal with keto ramen shirataki noodle soup. It's really light and flavorful.

FAQs

Before we get to the printable recipe card, here are some questions people often ask about how to make it.

There you have it! This salt and pepper chicken is going to become one of your favorite skillet recipes to make at home.

RELATED RECIPES

If you enjoyed this salt and pepper chicken, here are a few more easy keto chicken recipes you should try next. They are as easy and tasty as stir fry and some of my favorite recipes to make with chicken breast or chicken thighs.

• Crispy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings are delightful for game days or if you want a tasty lunch.
• Easy Thai Chicken Salad has a lot of the same flavors as salt and pepper chicken but is the perfect light dish to eat for lunch.
• Chicken Green Bean Stir Fry is a really simple dinner and only has 5g net carbs in each serving.
• Low-Carb Chicken Stir Fry Without Soy Sauce has black pepper and lots of other seasonings that stand out.
• Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken also tastes like takeout but only has 4g net carbs in each serving.

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Recipe