Tamil Black Pepper Chicken Curry
Discover the rich and bold flavours of Tamil Black Pepper Chicken Curry! It is a spicy and aromatic dish with tender chicken, freshly ground black pepper, and traditional Tamil spices. Perfect for pairing with rice or flatbreads.
Tamil Black Pepper Chicken Curry
Ingredients
Chicken & Gravy
- 1 kg Chicken Thigh, Boneless & Skinless Diced
- 8 Garlic Cloves Grated
- 15 g Ginger Grated
- 4 g Ground Turmeric
- 37.5 ml Vegetable Oil
- 12 Fresh or Dried Curry Leaves
- 1 Brown (Yellow) Onion Diced
- 1 Birdseye or Green Chilli Split Lengthways
- 3 Tomatoes Diced
- 375 ml Water or Chicken Stock
- 10 g Coriander (Cilantro), Roughly Chopped
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Pepper Masala Powder
- 5 g Black Peppercorns
- 5 g Coriander Seeds
- 4 g Cumin Seeds
- 1 Dried Red Chilli
- 1 Small Cinnamon Stick
- 4 g Fennel Seeds
- 4 Whole Cloves
- 3 g Poppy Seeds
Serving & Garnishes
- Rice
- Papadums
- Naan
- Coriander (Cilantro)
Method
- Grate the garlic and ginger on a microplane to create a paste. Add the diced chicken to a bowl with the garlic and ginger paste, turmeric, and salt. Mix well to combine. Marinate for 1 hour, up to 24 hours.
- Grind all of the pepper masala powder spices in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Set aside.
- Place a large, high-rimmed pan or pot over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil and curry leaves and fry for 1½ minutes, until they start to crisp. Add the onion and fry for 10 minutes, until soft. Add the chilli and fry for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking them down.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the marinated chicken and cook for 6–8 minutes. Add the pepper masala powder and cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Add the water or chicken stock and deglaze the pan. Season well with salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30–40 minutes with the lid on, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). Remove the lid and stir through the chopped coriander. Check the seasoning and remove from the heat. If the gravy is too thick, loosen it with a splash of stock or water.
The above nutrition guide is based on daily averages and is calculated for a single portion.
Recipe Notes
Storage Instructions
Refrigeration
Allow the curry to cool completely before storing.
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking.
Consume within 3 days for the best flavour and freshness.
Freezing
Place the cooled curry in a freezer-safe container or heavy-duty zip-lock bag for more extended storage.
Label it with the date and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions
Refrigerated Curry
Reheat on the stovetop or microwave until piping hot (74°C/165°F).
Frozen Curry
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating, or reheat directly from frozen on low heat, stirring frequently.
Tip
Avoid storing curry with fresh garnishes (like coriander) as they may lose freshness; add these just before serving.
Watch How To Make The Recipe
Did You Like This Recipe?
Please take a second to leave a comment and rating below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Made this today, extremely tasty and pretty easy to do. Hard to fight the urge to overindulge. Will definitely be making it again.
Fantastic! Great to hear you enjoyed it. Thank you, Jenny.
Great recipe Jack! Cooked it today, served it with home made naan and coriander rice. A big success, thanks for posting!
Awesome to hear. Thanks Andrew.