Black Vinegar Chicken With Bell Peppers (Printable Version)

Tender chicken with crisp peppers and eggplant in tangy black vinegar sauce

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lbs 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 piece 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.
02 - Whisk together all sauce ingredients (black vinegar, light soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, water, and sesame oil) in a separate bowl until smooth. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add eggplant cubes and stir-fry until golden and tender, about 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
04 - Add remaining oil to the skillet. Add marinated chicken and stir-fry until browned and nearly cooked through, about 4–5 minutes.
05 - Add garlic, ginger, and white parts of scallions to the skillet. Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
06 - Add red and yellow bell peppers. Cook for 2–3 minutes until slightly tender but still crisp.
07 - Return cooked eggplant to the wok. Stir to combine all ingredients.
08 - Pour in the prepared sauce. Stir-fry everything together for 2–3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and evenly coats all ingredients.
09 - Sprinkle with green parts of scallions. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine or brown rice.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce hits this perfect sweet-tangy balance that makes you want to lick your plate
  • Eggplant becomes silky and luscious instead of spongy, absorbing all that gorgeous flavor
  • Everything comes together in one pan, but tastes like you spent hours thinking about it
02 -
  • Don't overcrowd your wok when cooking the eggplant—work in batches if needed so each piece properly browns
  • Have everything measured and ready before you start cooking, because once you hit the heat, things move fast
03 -
  • If your sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water to loosen it up
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, though the vegetables will soften—still delicious though

Return