Chicken Kali Mirch is a simple yet flavorful Pakistani curry where tender chicken pieces are cooked in a rich, peppery sauce. With no onions or tomatoes to chop and just a few staple spices, it's a fuss-free meal that still packs plenty of punch from the freshly ground black pepper.
My dad makes some amazing dishes, and his Chicken Kali Mirch has always been one of my favorites. Being away from him, I often miss his cooking, especially this curry and his delicious saag. While I've never quite mastered the saag, I've managed to get this recipe pretty close to his version.
This is one of the easiest and healthiest curries you can make, using far less oil than most South Asian dishes. Plus, it comes together in 25 minutes, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
This dish is also known as Murgh Kali Mirch or Black Pepper Chicken Curry.
If you love easy chicken curries like this one, you might also enjoy my Hariyali Chicken Curry, Achari Chicken, or Chicken Handi.
Key Ingredients
- Chicken - I use boneless chicken thighs or breast pieces for this recipe, but you can easily use bone-in chicken if you prefer.
- Black Pepper - Use freshly crushed black peppercorns for flavor, and a hint of black pepper powder for color.
- Ginger & Garlic - I highly recommend using freshly grated ginger and garlic but for convenience ready-made paste works too.
- Yogurt - Use plain, full-fat yogurt. It forms the base of the gravy and balances the heat from the black pepper.
Step by Step With Photos
- Heat oil in a pot and sauté minced ginger, garlic and whole green chilies for 1-2 minutes.
- Add chicken and cook on medium heat until the pieces change color.
- Season with salt, crushed black peppercorns, black pepper powder, cumin powder and coriander powder; mix well.
- Increase heat to medium-high, add yogurt and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent curdling.
- Pour in warm water, reduce to the lowest heat, cover and leave on dam for 3-4 minutes until oil separates.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with rice or roti.
FAQs
The heat mainly comes from black pepper, so it's milder than red chili-based curries but still carries a good kick. You can adjust the black pepper to taste, though I recommend starting with a smaller amount.
When adding the yogurt, if you're not using a smooth variety, whisk it first. Make sure the heat is on medium-low, then add the yogurt to the pan. Keep stirring for 3-4 minutes until it's fully incorporated.
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📖 Recipe
Chicken Kali Mirch
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) cooking oil see note
- 1 ½ teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic minced
- 3 whole green chili peppers optional
- 1.6 lb (750 g) boneless chicken breast or thighs cut into cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon black peppercorns crushed
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ cup yogurt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) warm water
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add minced ginger and garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the whole green chilies and fry for another minute.
- Add chicken pieces and cook on medium heat until they change color and turn slightly golden.
- Mix in salt, crushed black peppercorns, black pepper powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder. Stir well to coat the chicken evenly with the spices.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, add yogurt, and cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring continuously to prevent the yogurt from curdling.
- Pour in warm water, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and the oil rises to the surface.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve chicken kali mirch hot with basmati rice or roti.
Video
Notes
- If you prefer lighter curries, you can reduce the oil to 2-3 tbsp, but the texture will be a bit less rich and the oil won't rise as cleanly.
- You can use bone-in chicken as well, but the cooking time will be slightly longer.
- For a creamier and richer texture, add a splash of heavy cream at the end.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days or freeze for up to a month. Avoid freezing if you've added cream at the end.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on January 7, 2019 and has been updated with new photos, clearer instructions, and a slightly improved recipe on November 12, 2025.
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Tariq says
Great recipe.
The only thing I would add is about the oil. As you say 4 tbsp. I tried converting taht to grams and ended up with too much oil. Note however I was using a really pure organic ghee. The next time I used half the calculated amount and it was fine...