Black Vinegar Chicken With Peppers (Printable)
Tender chicken with peppers and eggplant in tangy black vinegar sauce
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium eggplant (about 10.5 oz), cut into 1-inch cubes
03 - 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
05 - 2 scallions, sliced (white and green parts separated)
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1-inch ginger, minced
→ Marinade
08 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
09 - 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
10 - 1 tsp cornstarch
11 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ Sauce
12 - 3 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
13 - 1½ tbsp light soy sauce
14 - 1 tbsp sugar
15 - 2 tsp cornstarch
16 - 5 tbsp water
17 - 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
→ For Stir-Frying
18 - 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
# Directions:
01 - Combine chicken with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and let marinate for 15 minutes to tenderize and infuse flavor.
02 - Whisk together black vinegar, light soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, water, and sesame oil in a separate bowl until cornstarch dissolves completely. Set aside for later use.
03 - Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add eggplant cubes and stir-fry for 5–7 minutes until golden brown and tender throughout. Transfer to a plate and reserve.
04 - Add remaining oil to the skillet. Add marinated chicken pieces and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until browned on all sides and nearly cooked through.
05 - Add garlic, minced ginger, and white parts of scallions to the chicken. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
06 - Add red and yellow bell pepper pieces to the wok. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until slightly tender but still crisp-tender.
07 - Return cooked eggplant to the wok. Toss all ingredients together to distribute evenly.
08 - Pour prepared sauce over the mixture. Stir-fry continuously for 2–3 minutes until sauce thickens and coats all ingredients evenly.
09 - Sprinkle green parts of scallions over the dish. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine or brown rice.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The black vinegar creates this incredible depth that balances rich chicken against sweet vegetables
- Eggplant becomes impossibly silky when you give it that initial solo fry in hot oil
02 -
- Hot wok, cold oil—let the pan get properly hot before adding ingredients or you'll end up steaming instead of stir-frying
- Cornstarch in the marinade creates that velvety texture restaurant stir-fries have, but don't let it sit longer than 30 minutes or the chicken gets gummy
03 -
- Dry your eggplant cubes with paper towels before frying to prevent oil splatter and improve browning
- Have a small bowl of water nearby to deglaze the wok if fond starts building too heavily