Pepper Chicken Recipe

Prepare and marinate chicken

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. In a large bowl combine yogurt, garlic paste, ginger paste, 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper, 1.5 tsp kosher salt, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Mix until smooth. Add the chicken, rub the marinade well into all pieces, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally 3–4 hours or up to overnight for best flavor penetration.

Toast seeds and sweat aromatics

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat. When hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds (if using). Let them sizzle for 15–20 seconds until aromatic. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and turning golden, about 8–10 minutes. Add slit green chilies and diced bell pepper and sauté 2–3 minutes until peppers soften but keep some crunch.

Cook tomatoes and spices

Add the chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp cayenne (if using), and 1 tablespoon additional freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine and cook until tomatoes break down and oil begins to separate from the mixture, about 6–8 minutes. Adjust heat so the spices don’t burn; add 1–2 tablespoons of water if the pan gets too dry.

Brown the marinated chicken

Increase heat to medium-high. Remove the marinated chicken from fridge and shake off excess marinade (do not discard marinade). Add the chicken pieces to the pan in a single layer, skin side down if using skin-on. Brown for 3–4 minutes per side until well caramelized. You may need to do this in batches to avoid crowding. If the pan is dry, add a teaspoon of oil between batches.

Simmer to finish cooking

Return all browned chicken to the pan. Pour in the reserved marinade and 150 ml water or chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and cook for 15–20 minutes until internal temperature of chicken reaches 75°C (165°F) and sauce thickens. Stir once or twice and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Finish and season

Uncover, increase heat for 1–2 minutes to reduce the sauce to desired consistency. Stir in 1/2 tsp garam masala, additional salt if needed (start with 1/2 tsp), and taste for pepper — add more freshly ground black pepper if you want it punchier. Turn off heat and stir in chopped cilantro.

Rest and serve

Let the pepper chicken rest for 5 minutes to allow juices to redistribute. Serve hot with steamed rice, naan, or roti, and garnish with extra cilantro and a wedge of lemon if desired.