This Thai Garlic Pepper Chicken Recipe is a flavorful and easy one-dish meal. I make this with black pepper and even add some cashews or macadamias, but that is totally up to you!
If you’re a fan of Thai cuisine, you’ve probably tried a few Thai chicken recipes already.
Hopefully you have a few good Thai restaurants in your area, but if you don’t, let me tell you that this Thai recipe using boneless chicken breast is one quick and delicious recipe.
Have you tried Thai garlic chicken?
This dish is a favorite among many Thai food lovers, and for a good reason: it’s bursting with flavor and incredibly easy to make.
Whether you choose to add more garlic and lots of pepper, this Thai garlic chicken dish will surely satisfy your taste buds.
It can be switched up depending on what you have on hand.
If you love basil, throw a handful of fresh basil leaves in.
I add cashew or macadamia nuts, just because they are so good, but if you don’t have them, don’t worry.
Don’t want to stir fry veggies on the side?
Some favorite things to add in include red or green bell peppers, snow peas, shitake mushrooms or even sliced carrots.
My stir fried veggies are easy to make but if you don’t want to make them seperately, try to add a few while you are making the chicken.
Serve with some jasmine rice on the side and some stir-fried veggies.
Many Thai recipes contain coconut milk but this simple recipe does not. It is not a saucy chicken, just a good everyday chicken dish!
However if you want to add a splash, I won’t stop you!
This is a great meal for busy weeknights and by adjusting the pepper in the dish I am sure you can please everyone in the family.
Key Ingredients for this Thai Garlic Pepper Chicken Recipe:
The best part of this recipe is that you can easily find most of the ingredients at your local grocery store.
- Boneless chicken breasts: I take them out of the freezer and when partially thawed I’m able to slice them very thin.
- Garlic cloves: This dish is all about the garlic, so don’t be afraid to use a lot of it. Chop garlic well and use from 3 to 6 cloves depending on your preference.
- Fish sauce, and dark soy sauce: These sauces are commonly used in Thai recipes and will give the dish its signature umami flavor. Try to use Thai brands for the most authentic flavor.
- Brown sugar or palm sugar: To balance the saltiness of the sauces, you’ll need a sweetener like brown or palm sugar.
- Fresh cilantro leaves: Coriander leaves, also known as cilantro, add freshness to the dish.
A fresh chili pepper such as a Fresno pepper, and chili paste for heat, along with ground black or white pepper powder.
Onion and Scallions – well, everything goes better with them!
Cashews or Macadamias are optional, but I love the luxuriousness and texture, not to mention flavor, that they give to this Thai Garlic Pepper Chicken Recipe
Want to know the difference between dark and light soy sauce?
Kikkoman is a dark soy sauce. It is thicker and sweeter than light soy sauce and will also add a dark color to your food.
Light soy sauce is interchangeble for dark soy sauce, but I wouldn’t use it the other way around.
A Fresno pepper chile pepper is slightly hotter than a jalapeno.
White pepper vs dark pepper is up to you. I use about 10 good grinds from my pepper mill and find that to be enough.
If you want to use white pepper it will change the flavor profile a bit, as white pepper is more aromatic and complex.
This is such a great Thai garlic chicken recipe though that I think I’d like both!
Want to know my favorite pepper grinder?
I’ve gone through two of these, but the first one lasted about 25 years until someone-we won’t name names-left it on a warm burner causing it to warp!
Steps to Make this Thai Garlic Pepper Chicken Recipe:
Now that you have all the key ingredients, it’s time to make the dish.
You’re just a few easy steps away from making this delicious Thai garlic pepper chicken recipe:
- Marinate the Chicken
2. Combine the sliced chicken with the black pepper.
3. Combine fish sauce, soy sauce, chili paste and sugar in a small bowl or measuring cup.
4. Start heating the oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the nuts, if using, and toast them until golden, but don’t leave them for a minute or they may burn! Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
5. Add the sliced onion and up to 6 cloves of garlic and stir fry for about three minutes in a hot wok.
6. Stir in the chicken pieces and cook until it is opaque. Add green onions and sauce and stir another minute. Stir in nuts if you are using.
Serve this Thai garlic pepper chicken recipe with jasmine rice cauliflower rice, brown rice or rice noodles and stir fried veggies. Some even add a fried egg on top.
Hmmm. Looking at you Manservant!
A Few More Bites:
This dish contains affiliate links which may or may not earn me a small commission at no cost to you.
PrintThai Garlic Pepper Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
This easy black pepper garlic chicken comes together fast. It is an easy Thai-style dish that can be enjoyed over and over!
Ingredients
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
Black pepper to taste but I use at least 10 healthy grinds from my pepper grinder
2 T canola or peanut oil
1/3 c cashews or macadamias
1 small onion, sliced
3 to 6 minced garlic cloves
1 t chili paste with garlic
3 green onions cut on the diagonal in 1″ pieces
4 t fish sauce
1 T dark soy sauce
1 t brown sugar
Cilantro for garnish
1 fresh red Fresno chile, sliced thinly
Instructions
Slice the chicken into thin slices and mix with the black pepper.
Combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar and chili paste. Stir and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.
Add the rough chopped nuts if using and cook while stirring until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add sliced onion and garlic to wok and stir fry about three minutes. Add chicken slices or pieces and stir until chicken is opaque-2 to 3 minutes. Add in scallions and sauce and stir another minute.
Add back toasted nuts if using. Top with cilantro and serve with Jasmine rice and stir fried veggies!
Notes
For more authentic flavor try to use Thai fish sauce and Thai soy sauce.
Linger A Little, Kristy
Friday 3rd of March 2023
I've been on an Asian cuisine kick lately and this Thai Garlic Chicken Recipe would definitely satisfy that craving of mine. Sounds amazing. I will have to include it in my repertoire of recipes.
Chef Mimi
Thursday 2nd of March 2023
Beautiful! I love all of these ingredients!