Kali Mirch Chicken in a Rich White Gravy is a stellar chicken recipe that is comforting, satisfying and oh so delicious. This chicken curry is ready in less than 45 minutes and can easily make weeknights feel special.
This chicken kali mirch has turned out to be one of my favorite chicken gravy recipes ever. This recipe checks all the right boxes when it comes to comfort food. The broth is soft and delicious, but not heavy; it is warm, fragrant, with mild spices. The chicken pieces remain juicy and absorb all the flavor of the black pepper. The recipe is really simple and you don’t need any
This chicken curry is also known as murgh kali mirch or black pepper chicken gravy/curry. Although it is not a very popular restaurant dish, I guarantee you that it is one hundred percent worth trying! And you’ll be dubbed the curry master every time you try it.
skip to the section: horse chicken mirç
Ingredients for Chicken Kali Mirch
Here’s what you need to marinate the chicken, which is the first step in this recipe
Chicken: I recommend boneless, skinless chicken pieces for this recipe, commonly known as ‘curry cut’ in India. If you don’t have this cut available where you are, use drumstick thighs and drumsticks.
The rest is simple marinade e, pepper, lime juice and salt.
- Onions: Preferably red or white for that sharp and tangy taste. You can roughly chop them as they will blend later
- Ginger and garlic: For flavor, these are powerful flavors that form the base of the liquid
- Money: For celebration and enrichment. This recipe doesn’t use cream, so the cashews are what add to the gravy
- Whole spices: Cinnamon, cardamom and cloves make this curry really aromatic
- Black pepper: Ground black pepper is used when marinating chicken as well as in gravy. It adds a nice spice and a mild heat and flavor to the whole dish. It is the main ingredient of this recipe!
- Fenugreek Kasuri: This is a key ingredient that is added at the end to pull the whole dish together. I highly recommend trying to find it. It’s an ingredient I use often in Indian recipes, so in my book, it’s a must
- Garam Masala: A little goes a long way with this powerful spice blend. Highly recommended making your own garam masala if you can
- Yogurt: To add volume, sensitivity and acidity
- Cream: To add richness and make the overall curry really nice and creamy
Kali Mirch Chicken – Step by Step Recipe
Very simple – I’m breaking this into 4 parts
1. Marinate
1-2 marinate chicken pieces in lime juice, salt and pepper until chicken is well coated. Set aside for 20 minutes while you make the onion paste
2. Onion paste
3. Sauté the onions, ginger and garlic in oil to soften and cook
4. Look for a light golden brown color. We don’t want to caramelize the onions too much or the color of the stock will change
5. Cool the onion mixture completely and then grind it in the smallest jar of the mixer along with the cashews and a little water.
6. Mix into a smooth and creamy paste
3. Boil the chicken
7. While the onion paste is cooling, heat the oil in a pan and add all the chicken pieces. Cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side
8. Flip the chicken pieces over and cook the other side – we’re looking for a nice golden brown to seal in the flavors
4. Horse Mirch Gravy
9. Remove the chicken pieces and in the same pan heat more oil and add the whole spices. Fry for a minute
10 Add the onion paste and cook for a few minutes until reduced by half
11. Add the chicken pieces and coat them well with the onion mixture
12. Lower the heat, beat the yogurt and add to the pan along with the garam masala. Quickly toss this until the yogurt cooks a little and you see the oil separating from the sides. If you don’t keep whisking, the curd will separate and can give the curry a grainy texture.
13. Add green chillies and water and mix well
14. Cover and cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes until tender and cooked through
15. Add kasuri methi, ground black pepper and cream
16. Give it another mix and turn off the flame. Chicken Mirch horse is ready!
Richa’s Top Tips
- Marinate the chicken for at least 15 minutes. This helps the pepper and lemon juice work their magic and flavor the chicken from the inside out. Longer is better!
- Use the right cut of chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken pieces are best for this recipe. Chicken pieces are cut into 1.5-2 inch pieces. You can use boneless thigh pieces, but if you want to use chicken breasts, cook them in the broth for only 7-8 minutes.
- Take your time frying the onions. Fry the onions to a light golden color. The more you fry them, the deeper the color of the liquid will be. Which isn’t a bad thing, just different
- Be sure to whisk the yogurt before adding it to the broth. Add yogurt on low heat or turn off the flame. After adding the yogurt, stir immediately and continue to simmer on low heat until the yogurt is cooked.
- Don’t skimp on the pepper. If you want to tone down the heat, reduce the green chilies or omit them
- It is highly recommended to use kasuri methi. Kasuri Methi really brings this dish together and helps add the finishing touch. A little goes a long way.
- Make it vegetarian. Try mine Paneer Kali Mirch Recipe for an easy vegetarian version. Trust me, it’s just as good!
Suggestions for service
Storage tips
- Refrigerator: Allow the chicken kali mirchi to cool completely before storing. Then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2-3 days. Flavors deepen over time, so it often tastes even better the next day.
- Reheating: When reheated, add a little water to loosen the liquid and reheat gently. Alternatively, you can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until warm
- Freezer: For longer storage, freeze up to 1 month Note: the texture of the sauce may change slightly after thawing
If you’re looking for a mildly spiced but super tasty gravy (I always hear a lot of our international readers saying it’s too spicy etc) then this is it! The combination of onions, black pepper, yogurt and cream make this gravy so lickable, you’ll want to eat it right off the stove. I know you do!
Watch Paneer Kali Mirch Recipe Video
NEED THIS RECIPE? Sign up to my newsletter and be the first to receive all new recipes!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Marinating
-
Add the chicken, salt, pepper and lemon juice to a bowl and mix well. Set aside for 20-30 minutes and let them marinate.
Cashew paste with onions
-
Heat a spoonful of oil in a pan and add the sliced onions. Fry over medium heat for 4 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.
-
Add the minced ginger and garlic and continue to fry over medium heat for 1 minute.
-
Cook the onion mixture and then add to a mixer with cashew nuts. Grind it to a smooth mass, use 2-3 spoons of water if necessary. Set aside.
Broth
-
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and place the marinated chicken pieces side by side. Cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and set aside.
-
In the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and let it heat on a medium flame. Add all the spices and fry for 30 seconds to a minute.
-
Add the previously ground cashew onion paste and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium heat until you see oil separating from the sides.
-
Add the fried chicken pieces and fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes
-
Reduce the heat to low and add the grated yogurt, garam masala and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly until the oil separates.
-
Now add the green chillies and ¾ cup of water. Mix well, cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes until the chicken pieces are tender and cooked through.
-
Add pepper and kasuri methi, stir and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot.
Calories: 382kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 31g, Saturated fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated fat: 7g, Monounsaturated fats: 16g, Trans fats: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 55mg, Sodium: 567mg, Potassium: 304mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 219was, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 1mg
This article was researched and written by Urvi Dalal.