Chicken Kali Mirch has become a regular at my table since moving to Nottingham. Lately we’ve favoured boneless chicken because it’s versatile — great for sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas and quick family meals. Alongside my Hariyali Chicken, this dish is a weekly staple.
The recipe is quick, uses few ingredients and delivers a bold, pepper-forward flavour. It’s perfect for busy mornings, simple lunches and easy dinners that even kids can enjoy.
🤔 What to expect from this recipe
This dish comes together quickly with minimal ingredients. You’ll need:
- Onions
- Garlic
- Boneless chicken
- Full-fat yogurt
- Simple spices: salt, coarsely ground black pepper, cumin and coriander powder
- Fresh coriander and green chilli for garnish (optional)
The dominant flavour is black pepper — as the name promises — while the other spices and yogurt support and round it out. The result is a mature, punchy curry that’s surprisingly approachable for children when kept mild.
How to make Chicken Kali Mirch
Begin by finely dicing the onion. Heat oil in a wok or karahi-style pan and add the onions. Finely dicing helps the onions soften and ‘melt’ into the gravy quickly; the dish cooks relatively fast, so larger pieces won’t break down in time. Fry until the onions start to turn golden.
Add the garlic, chicken and spices. Sauté until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside.
Stir in the full-fat yogurt and continue cooking, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until the mixture reduces, becomes glossy and the oil begins to separate around the edges.
Pour in half a cup of water, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes.
Uncover and cook over medium-high heat for a few minutes until the gravy thickens, turns glossy and the oil separates at the edges. Adjust the final consistency to your preference.
Garnish with fresh coriander and sliced green chillies, and serve hot.
🌶️ Is Chicken Kali Mirch spicy?
This dish isn’t a fiery curry, but coarsely ground black pepper adds noticeable heat and warmth — different from the sharp kick of red chilli powder.
If you prefer more heat, add chopped or slit green chillies when you add the yogurt. You can also increase the amount of black pepper gradually. Do not use red chilli powder in this recipe; it turns the yogurt bright red and changes the character of Kali Mirch. For extra heat, stick to black pepper or green chillies.
🍗 Best cuts of chicken to use
Boneless chicken thigh is my favourite — juicy, tender and full of flavour. Chicken breast works fine if you prefer a firmer texture, as shown in the photos. Minced chicken (keema) also works well; use thigh or a mix of breast and thigh for the best texture. You can substitute 500g bone-in chicken for the 500g boneless chicken if you prefer.
Other recipes you may enjoy
Chicken Korma | Chicken Jalfrezi | Malai Chicken Karahi | Chicken Dopiaza | Hariyali Chicken
🥣 How to avoid yogurt curdling
Yogurt curdling is common, but avoid it with these two strategies:
- Beat the yogurt vigorously before adding it to the pan — this helps stabilize it.
- Or, if you have time, remove the pan from heat and let it cool to warm (not hot) before adding the yogurt. Then return to the heat and raise it slowly. This method works but takes longer.
🍽️ How do I serve Chicken Kali Mirch?
I love it with naan or roti, but it’s equally delicious in sandwiches, wraps or paratha rolls. Because the flavours are less intensely desi than some curries, it also pairs well with salads or pasta for a fusion twist.
📋 Recipe
Chicken Kali Mirch
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon (60 ml) oil
- 1.5 (165 g) medium onion diced finely
- 1 heaped tsp garlic paste
- 1.1 lb (½ kg) boneless chicken
- 3-4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper add 3 initially then add the 4th teaspoon towards the end if you feel like you want a stronger flavour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon cumin powder
- 0.5 coriander powder
- 0.6 cups (150 g) full fat yogurt
- Fresh coriander and green chilli for serving
Instructions
-
Heat the oil in a wok or karahi pan. Add the finely diced onions and fry over medium-high heat until they begin to turn golden.
-
Add the garlic, chicken and spices. Fry until the chicken is no longer pink.
-
Add the yogurt, stir and continue to sauté until the mixture reduces to a thick, glossy paste and oil begins to separate around the edges.
-
Add half a cup of water, bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low for 20 minutes.
-
Uncover and cook on medium-high for about 5 minutes until glossy and the oil separates. Adjust to desired consistency.
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Serve garnished with fresh coriander and green chillies.
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