Pepper Chicken Recipe
This pepper chicken recipe is a spicy, aromatic South Indian dish made with freshly ground black pepper, curry leaves, and whole spices. Also known as chicken milagu varuval, or pepper chicken fry, it is ready in 30 minutes and tastes delicious with rice, dal, roti, or paratha.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 269kcal
Equipment
- 1 Deep bottom pan
Ingredients
To marinate the chicken
- 600 g bone-in chicken
- ¼ cup Yogurt
- salt to taste
- 2 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
For pepper masala
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin
- 2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon fennel
- 1.5 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1- inch cinnamon
- 2 green cardamoms
- 4 cloves
Other ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 2 onions chopped
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 sprig curry leaves
- coriander leaves to garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, and salt. Mix well until the chicken is evenly coated. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes.
- Heat a deep-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Add cumin seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon, green cardamom, and cloves. Dry roast the spices, stirring continuously, until fragrant.
- Transfer the roasted spices to a plate and let them cool completely. Grind them into a fine powder to make the pepper masala.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
- Add the marinated chicken and cook until the color of the chicken changes from pink to white.
- Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and the prepared pepper masala. Mix well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until aromatic. Be careful not to burn the spices.
- Pour in ¼ cup of water and stir to combine. Cover and cook over low-medium heat until the chicken is tender, stirring occasionally to prevent the masala from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Taste and adjust the salt if needed. Add the lemon juice and fresh curry leaves.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 2 minutes, or until the masala thickens, coats the chicken well, and starts releasing oil from the sides. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Marinate the chicken: Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour for juicy, tender pepper chicken. Refrigerate if marinating for longer than 30 minutes.
- Don't skip the yogurt: Yogurt tenderises the chicken, locks in moisture, and keeps the chicken juicy.
- Use freshly ground pepper masala: Freshly roasted and ground spices give this chicken milagu varuval recipe its bold flavour and aroma.
- Roast spices on low heat: Stir continuously while roasting the whole spices to ensure even cooking and prevent burning.
- Add water carefully: This is a semi-dry chicken fry, so use only a small amount of water to keep the masala thick.
- Adjust the heat level: For a milder flavor, reduce the black pepper and skip the red chilli powder. For a spicier version, add more red chilli powder.
- Use fresh curry leaves: Curry leaves add the authentic South Indian flavour that makes this pepper chicken unique.
- Cook until the masala releases oil: Finish cooking the chicken until the masala thickens and starts releasing oil from the sides of the pan.
Nutrition
Calories: 269kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 649mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg