Chettinad Pepper Chickenசெட்டிநாடு மிளகு கோழி

Name: Chettinad Pepper Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chettinad
Ingredients: 700 g Chicken, cut small (with bone); 2 tbsp Black peppercorns (மிளகு); 1 tbsp Fennel seeds; 4 Dried red chillies; 2 Onions, sliced; 2 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste; 3 sprigs Curry leaves; 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder; 3 tbsp Gingelly (sesame) oil; to taste Salt

⏱ Prep 20m🍳 Cook 25m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Non-veg

Video: HomeCookingShow (YouTube)

Chettinad pepper chicken is a dry, intensely peppery stir-fry from Tamil Nadu — chicken tossed in a coarse, freshly-pounded black pepper and fennel masala with curry leaves until it turns dark, glossy and clinging. Fiery, fragrant and made for hot rice or parotta.

📍 Make it in Plano

This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.

Finding Desi spots near Plano…

Ingredients

▪Chicken, cut small (with bone)700 g
▪Black peppercorns (மிளகு)2 tbsp
▪Fennel seeds1 tbsp
▪Dried red chillies4
▪Onions, sliced2
▪Ginger-garlic paste2 tbsp
▪Curry leaves3 sprigs
▪Turmeric powder1/2 tsp
▪Gingelly (sesame) oil3 tbsp
▪Saltto taste

🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions

The dish lives on freshly-cracked pepper — pre-ground pepper loses the aroma. Pound it just before cooking.
Boneless thigh works if you prefer; reduce the cooking time.
Adjust the chillies down for less heat — the pepper alone carries plenty.

Method

1Coarsely pound the peppercorns, fennel and red chillies in a mortar — keep it gritty, not powder.
2Marinate the chicken with turmeric, salt, half the ginger-garlic paste and a spoon of the pepper mix for 20 minutes.
3Heat oil, crackle a sprig of curry leaves, fry the onions until golden, then the remaining ginger-garlic paste until the raw smell goes.
4Add the chicken and cook on high, stirring, until it whitens and releases its water; cover and cook until nearly done.
5Uncover, add the rest of the pounded pepper masala and the remaining curry leaves, and stir-fry on high heat until dry, dark and glossy. Finish with a drizzle of raw sesame oil.

A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.