Tamil Black Pepper Chicken Curry
Tamil black pepper chicken is a dry "curry" from southern India; it is a delicious, fiery recipe that is also known as Chettinad chicken.
Toasted whole spices like pepper, fennel, coriander and cumin form the bedrock of flavour in this dish, which is remarkably easy to cook.
Dry Chettinad Pepper Chicken Curry
When many folk think about curry, particularly in the UK, they think of dishes like chicken tikka masala, chicken dopiaza and lamb rogan josh.
This recipe is very different, but no less special. It is one of my favourites and the curry that my wife asks me to make most often!
This is my take on a chicken curry from the Tamil Nadu region of southeast India. It is typified by the heat of black pepper and a hint of fennel. I also like to go big on coriander seeds, too.
Black pepper is a very different type of heat from chilli; it is one that is fragrant and rounded, and it adds a beautiful, earthy flavour.
In many ways, it is very similar in flavour profile to my mulligatawny soup recipe.
Toasting off the whole spices for this Tamil black pepper chicken recipe gets the oils in them rocking and rolling, and this really shines through in this dish.
It cooks in a shade over 30 minutes and prep takes around 5 minutes, which makes this dish a bit quicker than your local delivery joint... it's much cheaper, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use chicken breast?
Yeah, but it does have much less flavour than chicken thighs, but it works well. Be careful not to overcook it, though, because it will go dry.
Can I use pre-ground spices?
Yes, although the flavours will be far less pronounced and a little more "dull" than using freshly ground toasted spices.
Do I have to use mustard oil?
No, you could use vegetable oil, groundnut oil or sunflower oil, but you will miss out on the flavour and aroma of mustard oil.
I believe that mustard oil is not allowed to be sold in the US, and in the UK and the EU, it is labelled as "not for internal use"!
It is not an oil that I use regularly, but on occasions it is perfect for a particular dish, and this is one of them.
Can I use dried curry leaves?
I personally would not bother because I think that they have very little flavour.
Fresh curry leaves are available from all good Indian stores and freeze fantastically. I always have them at home, and if you are planning to cook Indian food, I think you should too!
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, this will store in the fridge for 2-3 days after cooking and will freeze well for up to 3 months.
You should reheat it gently in a small saucepan with a lid, adding a little more water if required.
Serving Suggestions
Let's start with bread... As far as I am concerned, Indian food without bread just ain't right. This Tamil black pepper chicken curry is no different!
As ever, my recommendation for a "dryer" curry is a roti or chapati, but it works just as well with a tandoori-style naan bread.
This recipe may lack an abundance of chilli, but it is still spicy!
Black pepper does all of the heavy lifting in this recipe, and serving it alongside cooling elements is always wise.
Plain rice or even a pilau rice is a good option for this!
In addition, something yoghurt-based works a treat too. I love mint raita, but a good lassi would go down a treat too!
I will also often serve this with kachumber salad. Yes, it is a Northern Indian dish, but the sweet and sour flavours are a perfect complement to a fiery hot chicken Chettinad-style curry.
Equipment Used
I only mention brands of equipment if I think they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- Wok, I use a large carbon steel wok.
- Pestle and mortar or spice grinder.
- Large spoon.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Grater.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Tamil Black Pepper Chicken Curry Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g Chicken Thigh Meat 14oz
- 1 Medium Onion 150g
- 12 Curry Leaves
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 35 g Ginger 1 thumb sized piece
- 2 tablespoon Mustard Oil
- 1 tablespoon Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1 tablespoon Black Onion Seeds
- 2 teaspoon Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 125 ml Water ½ Cup
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.
- Cut the onion in half, peel it, then cut it into half-moon shapes 5-6mm (¼") thick
- Peel and mash the garlic cloves into a paste.
- Peel the ginger and grate it.
- Heat a wok over a medium-high heat and add the black pepper, coriander, cumin, and fennel seeds and toast them for 2-3 minutes, then transfer them to a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle and grind to a coarse blend.
- Return the wok to the heat, and when it is hot, add the mustard oil. Throw in the onion and fry (stirring regularly) until golden, which should take around 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken, curry leaves, garlic and ginger, then fry for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the spice mix we made in step 5, the onion seeds, salt, sugar, turmeric and Kashmiri chilli pepper and stir.
- Pour in the water and reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-18 minutes, if the water completely evaporates top it up as the chicken cooks.
This recipe is definitely going into my recipe hall of fame. I made it yesterday for dinner and it was an absolute hit! Paired perfectly with steaming hot ghee rice. Nothing can ever beat the aroma and flavor of freshly roasted whole spices ground in a mortar and pestle. It literally brought my dog and my husband running to the kitchen to find out what I was cooking and when dinner will be ready. Needless to say, the dog was not happy that the food being prepared was not for him.
I did make a couple of minor changes to the recipe. I forgot to add the sugar. I did toast the onion seeds in a teaspoon of ghee before adding it to the chicken. I didn't have kashmiri chili, so substituted it with paprika. I didn't add any water in the end as the water from the chicken seemed enough for the consistency I wanted the gravy at. I also garnished the gravy with chopped cilantro after taking it off the heat.
The spice level was perfect for us. I can't wait to make it the next time I have guests over 😊
Would you shorten the cooking time if using chicken breast?
I made this for my Tamil husband:)… we both loved it!
Pepper chicken wow I added a little bit extra salt but I did have more chicken than suggested however taste was unbelievable with the fresh spices definitely one for my book
Hello, this recipe sounds wonderful. I’m one to go into a store and buy random spices. I happened to grab Black Nigella seeds. Are they by any chance the same as the black onion seed?
Hi Lily... yes they are and strangely enough they have nothing to do with the onion family 🙂
Brian
@Brian Jones, Thank you so much for the fast reply.
You caught me at a good time 🙂 I try to be prompt in my responses, but this may be a record 😉
Enjoy
Brian
Hi,
I'm looking forward to trying this, however, I cannot see the point at which the ground spices are reintroduced?
Stu
Hi Stuart, sorry I must of omitted it when I retouched the recipe with a video not so long ago, I have updated to reflect the video at the bottom of the recipe instructions.
Thanks for taking the time to let me know.
Cheers
Brian
Easy to make with available ingredients. I used boneless skinless thighs and it turned out great. Next time I will tone down the black pepper to reduce the fire. Great with rice.
I just came across your recipes and I like the variety, also that it's for two. Can't wait to try it out.
Hey Erika... There is a huge lack of "dinner for two" recipes out there and I find that automated conversion tools are pretty poor if I were to be honest. I hope you enjoy, you will find a bit of everything knocking around here and I'm only just getting started (he says with 500+ recipes) 😀
This is the first authentic pepper chicken recipe I came across online. Made it ( I also added some fennel seeds to the dry roast ingredients) and it tastes exactly like the yummy pepper chicken you get in the small and authentic restaurants in the Chetinad region. Thank you Brian ?
That makes me very happy to hear, I was working on memories of flavour and texture. This recipe took me quite while to get right before I published it, so I'll do a happy dance that you think I got it right 🙂
BTW I like the idea of adding fennel, I'll definitely give that a try next time I make it!
Brian absolutely fantastic yet again. This is the fourth of your curry’s I’ve cooked and everyone of them is amazing. Thank you
Oooo so glad you enjoyed this one, it is one of my least found curries and one I love... The heat from black pepper is so different and such a great flavour.
Black pepper is a wonderful strong flavour, and I happen to think it is a great addition to chicken dishes. This recipe sounds delicious, full of warmth and with the kick of the pepper, really tasty. A great idea for a supper dish.
I love a good chicken dish and this one looks and sounds absolutely delicious. Perfect idea for a healthy dinner!
My husband loves spicy food.and I can't quite do the level of spicy he can so always a debate for dishes like these when we cook at home. Somehow we made it work and this looks like a delicious one to add to our menu rotation. Do you think we could use chicken breast instead of the thigh or would it not be right flavor?
We eat a lot of chicken, as it's quick and easy - so always looking for new ways to eat it. This looks full of flavour!
Black pepper is a wonderful strong flavour, and I happen to think it is a great addition to chicken dishes. This recipe sounds delicious, full of warmth and with the kick of the pepper, really tasty. A great idea for a supper dish.
Thanks Helen, I could not agree more, it is a shame that we often take black pepper for granted rather than considering it as being a flavour ingredient that we add to recipes.
I love a good chicken dish and this one looks and sounds absolutely delicious. Perfect idea for a healthy dinner!
I never really consider how 'healthy' any of my particular dishes are I suppose this one is fairly well behaved 🙂
My husband loves spicy food.and I can't quite do the level of spicy he can so always a debate for dishes like these when we cook at home. Somehow we made it work and this looks like a delicious one to add to our menu rotation. Do you think we could use chicken breast instead of the thigh or would it not be right flavor?
Pepper is a very different heat to chili, still fierce though so you might want to scale it back. You certainly could use chicken breast, the flavour of chicken will be a little milder but most of all you just have to be careful about it drying out so maybe cut it a little larger or cook it less 🙂
We eat a lot of chicken, as it's quick and easy - so always looking for new ways to eat it. This looks full of flavour!
It certainly is!
@Brian Jones, I am definately going to try this,sounds great,I'm sure it will taste good too.Thank you.
Enjoy 🙂