Murg Kali Mirch or Black Pepper Chicken Curry, is one simple chicken curry which comes to my mind when someone asks for a simple and easy to make chicken curry. This chicken curry suits those who do not want the hot spices but a chicken curry on lighter notes of spices.

Table of contents
This simple chicken recipe was recently made by partner who loves his chicken and because my daughter also loves chicken, idea was to cook a chicken which is not spicy but still flavoursome. The name suggests there is black pepper in the curry, which is true, however black pepper gives a kind of spice it is more flavourful, rather than spicy and the effect of spice is nullified by adding cream and yogurt.
What is Kali Mirch Chicken or Murg Kali Mirch?
Kali Mirch = Black pepper and Murg = Chicken
As the name implies this chicken has lots of black pepper (or so called kali mirch in hindi) in it. It does not however means that this Kali mirch chicken only contains black pepper, this chicken has many other indian spices, such as coriander powder, garam masala, fenugreek cardamom, cumin seeds too. This kali mirch chicken is in essence a white gravy chicken curry. We would not use turmeric in this recipe.
Black pepper when consumed is not spicy like red pepper but it gives an hot after effect in the mouth, to mellow down that impact yogurt is also added, and that yogurt adds to the smoothness of the gravy.
Its a pure co-incidence that I am drafting this recipe during the National Curry Week, here in UK. A perfect curry to celebrate this curry week.
Method
- First of all, marinate chicken with the ingredients mentioned under marination category. Cover and keep it in fridge for 30-45 minutes.
- Heat Oil in a pan and add marinated chicken pieces, fry them on high heat for 5-7 minutes until they are nicely coated and changes colour. Take this chicken out and keep them aside.
- Now, in the same pan, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, green cardamom, and cloves, and sauté for a minute. Add chopped/crushed onion and fry until soft and translucent. Now add ginger-garlic paste, sautè for few minutes until raw smell fades away.
- Add Chillies and coriander powder, pepper powder, and sauté for a minute. Now add yogurt and mix well. Add fried chicken, salt and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of water and cover the pan. Let it cook until chicken is well cooked. Add cream, garam masala, kasuri methi and cook for another minute. Switch off the heat.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve it hot with Rice or bread of your choice.
Serving suggestions
You can serve this kali mirch chicken with rice or indian bread. However I will recommend you trying this out along side laccha paratha, or butter naan. In case you going with rice, go with jeera rice or keep it simple with steamed rice. Eating with plain steamed rice will let you enjoy the real flavours of Kali Mirch Chicken.
Storage for kali mirch chicken
As this recipe has yogurt in it, I will recommend to not freeze it. Any yogurt based curry when frozen will tend to have make the curry flaky when you freeze it out, leading to unpleasant look and taste.
Kali mirch chicken is best to be consumed fresh, if you have any left over curry, keep it refrigerated for max for 2 -3 days and finish it.
Chicken Lover
If you are a chicken lover, you may like to try dry chicken curry, butter chicken, chicken dum biryani or chicken bhuna.
Below is the step by step recipe of Black Pepper Chicken. Check the video recipe to get an idea of the recipe.
Recipe Card
Chicken Kali Mirch
Ingredients
For Marination
- 1 Kg Chicken
- 1 Teaspoon Black pepper powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
For Gravy
- 1 Onion Big( finely chopped or crushed to make a coarse paste)
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 3 Tablespoon Yogurt
- 3-4 Red/ Green Chilli
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 2 Bayleaves
- 4-5 Green Cardamoms
- 2-3 Cloves
- 1/2 Tablespoon Coriander Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Black pepper powder
- 1/3 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 4 Tablespoon Fresh Cream
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Fenugreek Leaves / Kasuri Methi
- 3 Tablespoon Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Salt As per taste
- 1 Teaspoon Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- First of all, marinate chicken with the ingredients mentioned under marination category, cover and keep it in fridge for 30-45 minutes.
- Heat Oil in a pan and add marinated chicken pieces, fry them on high heat for 5-7 minutes until they are nicely coated and changes colour. Take this chicken out and keep them aside.
- Now, in the same pan, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, green cardamom, and cloves, and sauté for a minute. Add chopped/crushed onion and fry until soft and translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste, sautè for few minutes until raw smell fades away.
- Add Chillies and coriander powder, pepper powder, and sauté for a minute. Now add yogurt and mix well. Add fried chicken, salt and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of water and cover the pan. Let it cook until chicken is well cooked. Add cream, garam masala, kasuri methi and cook for another minute. Switch off the heat.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve it hot with Rice or bread of your choice.
Notes
- Use freshly crushed peppercorns in this recipe and keep them coarse not fine powder.
- You can use Desi ghee/Clarified butter instead of oil.
- You can make dry version of this recipe by simply avoiding adding water in the recipe.
Nutrition
If you a chicken lover, you may like to check some of these chicken recipes which range from curry to snacks to rice based, like Chicken Korma, Butter Chicken, Rosemary & Thyme Chicken, ghee roast chicken, etc.

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