Restaurant Style Pepper Chicken Fry Recipe

Restaurant style pepper chicken fry was in my to-do list for way too long simply because we both love this South Indian classic since the time we discovered it! Finally it is up here for all of you to make and enjoy!

If you love spicy preparations of chicken, then you have come to the right page today!

This authentic South Indian pepper chicken fry will blow your mind and also your taste buds with its incredible taste, flavor and texture!

We have had our fair share of this exemplary dish in many good restaurants in Bangalore and now it was high time to create it in my own kitchen and share with you guys.

Thanks to my love for spicy South Indian delicacies, I had already shared South Indian mutton sukka which has received immense love from my readers; hence it’s time now for another classic!

What is Restaurant Style Pepper Chicken Fry?

After moving to the Southern part of India more than a decade ago, we not only discovered, but also fell in love with a few unique dishes of the region and pepper chicken fry is definitely one of them!

As you can see from the stunning pictures, pepper chicken fry is an Indian stir fry dish made with small bone-in pieces of chicken infused with loads of black pepper along with a few other spices!

This is a classic South Indian dish which is super popular among the meat & spices lovers and that’s the exact foodie segment we fall in too!

Ingredients for Restaurant Style Pepper Chicken Fry

Chicken: Let’s talk about the chicken first! For making an authentic pepper chicken fry, you won’t need any fancy cut of chicken.

All you need is curry cut chicken pieces which is the most easily available form of fresh chicken anywhere in India.

Use bone-in but skinless chicken pieces as that gives you the best texture and flavor with the rustic pepper fry masala; just ensure to cut the pieces into small sizes.

Whole black peppercorn: Next comes the star of the recipe! Pepper chicken fry is all about black peppercorns that are freshly ground with a couple of more whole spices.

If you happen to live in South India, you are lucky to have your hands on the best black peppercorn as all South Indian states are the top producers of black peppers in India!

Cumin seeds / Jeera: Along with black peppercorns, you will need a teaspoon of cumin seeds aka jeera which will add deep earthy flavors to the pepper fry masala.

Fennel seeds / Saunf: This whole seed balances the heat of black peppercorn with its subtle sweetness creating the perfect combination of flavors.

Curry leaves: These signature green leaves of South Indian cuisine is a must in this pepper chicken fry!

The fresh herby flavor of curry leaves imparts a spectacular zest to the chicken which is next to impossible to describe in words, honestly!

Aromatics: Like any other Indian recipe, our restaurant style pepper chicken fry also demands the trio of aromatics i.e. onion, garlic and ginger!

Garlic deserves special mention here as you will see loads of whole garlic cloves added to the dish! These whole cloves get sauteed with the spices and adapt that amazing smoky makeover turning insanely addictive.

For the base of the pepper chicken fry, you will need to fry up a good amount of thinly sliced onion which will balance the strong heat of black pepper with their hint of sweetness!

To round things up (and also to aid digestion!), a tablespoon of ginger paste is added to the masala base along with the same amount of garlic paste.

Green chilli: To keep things completely transparent, let me call it out specifically that this pepper chicken fry is majorly going to appeal to the spice lovers as this dish is not for the faint hearted!

While freshly ground black pepper adds a good amount of heat, fresh green chillies take it a notch up! But you can surely adjust the amount of chillies as per your preference.

Powdered spices: Since the vital flavors of the pepper chicken fry come from the homemade spice mix, we will use very minimal powdered spices.

Just about a quarter of a teaspoon of turmeric powder for color and a similar amount of garam masala for depth of flavor are what you need here.

Canola/Sunflower oil: Use any flavorless oil in this recipe as then the oil will take in all the flavors of the freshly prepared pepper fry masala and transport it to the stir fried chicken!

Lemon juice: Pepper chicken fry is a dish with a very strong taste; so to bring everything together at the end, squeeze juice of half a lemon which will beautifully adjust all the strong flavors using the citrusy tartness from lemon.

Coriander leaves: Garnish your pepper chicken with freshly chopped coriander leaves to give that final touch!

How to make Restaurant Style Pepper Chicken Fry?

Step 1: To make the dry spice mix for pepper chicken fry, dry roast whole black peppercorn, cumin seeds and fennel seeds in a small frying pan until they start becoming fragrant. It would take about 2 minutes on medium-low flame.

Step 2: Transfer the roasted spices to a plate to cool down completely. Once cooled, grind the spices in a dry grinder to make a fine powder. Your pepper chicken fry spice mix is ready!

Step 3: Now heat a kadai/wok until very hot. Then reduce the heat to medium and add the oil.

Step 4: Once oil is warmed up, temper it with cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Then add half of the curry leaves and whole garlic cloves.

Step 5: Sauté the garlic on low flame for a minute or two but ensure garlic doesn’t burn. The garlic cloves will change their color and become light golden.

Step 6: Now add the sliced onion. Fry the onion on medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes until they become light golden brown.

Step 7: Add the ginger & garlic paste and the finely chopped green chillies. Give a good stir and continue to cook on medium flame for 2 minutes until the raw smell of aromatics are gone.

Step 8: Next add turmeric powder and garam masala making sure the flame is reduced to minimum. Stir them in to mix well.

Step 9: At this stage we will add the chicken pieces and also add salt to taste. Now continue to stir the chicken on high flame for a good 5 to 6 minutes.

Pro tip: This step is called ‘searing’ where you fry the chicken on high flame to get a nice brown color on the outside that develops a mind-blowing flavor. Keep stirring so that chicken doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Step 10: After the chicken pieces are nicely browned, add hot water to the chicken, about 1 cup, to cook them nicely. Give a good mix.

Step 11: Now cover the kadai/wok with a lid and let the chicken cook on low flame for 5 to 7 minutes until the chicken is almost cooked!

Step 12: After about 5 to 7 minutes, remove the lid and check the doneness of the chicken which should be almost cooked through by now.

Step 13: It’s time to add the prepared pepper fry spice mix! Add all the prepared pepper fry masala to the chicken along with the remaining half of the curry leaves and the sliced green chillies.

Step 14: Continue stirring the chicken so that the pepper fry masala coats each chicken piece evenly giving them that unique pepper chicken makeover.

Pro tip: Do not add any more water and let any excess water boil off while you continuously stir the chicken over medium heat.

Step 15: Cook for 5 more minutes on medium flame so that chicken is completely cooked through and oil will start to release slowly.

Step 16: Your chicken will take on that signature blackish color of restaurant style pepper chicken fry! Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 17: Squeeze juice of half a lemon and freshly chopped coriander leaves over your delicious restaurant style pepper chicken fry and give a final mix!

Step 18: Your pepper chicken fry is ready! Transfer to a serving platter, serve warm with Kerala parotta and enjoy!

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