Sri Lankan pepper chicken curry.
Using pepper as the key ingredient and Sri Lankan curry powders, here’s how you make a delicious black pepper chicken curry with a thick coconut sauce.
When you get tired of cooking a spicy Sri Lankan chicken curry using red chillies and need a change in taste, then this black pepper chicken curry will make a difference.

Cooking chicken with black pepper.
Black pepper is well-known for its health benefits.
When it comes to digestion and antibacterial quality, adding them to your cooking gives you a chance of getting more of the benefits into you.
Too much or too little will make a difference in how the pepper chicken curry tastes.
When making the dish, you need to keep an eye on the amount of Pepper you use(as per your taste) since pepper can be a tricky spice powder.
What I mean is, too little and the chicken curry doesn’t have much of the peppery flavour you are going for, too much and you’ll get a slight bitterness in the back of your throat.
I don’t know about you, but I also feel quite thirsty if I add too much pepper sometimes.

What to serve with pepper chicken curry.
- Rice dishes to serve with black pepper chicken curry.
- Paratha and bread recipes to serve with the chicken curry.
- Other vegetarian side dishes to serve with this black pepper curry.
- Breakfast– for a change, replace the usual red chilli chicken curry with this pepper chicken and serve with coconut roti or kiribath with lunumiris.

Tips & questions to cook pepper chicken.
- Substituting ingredients for Black pepper chicken curry.
- For the curry, I’ve mentioned 1 teaspoon of cumin powder and coriander powder; you can replace these two spices with a tablespoon of curry powder.
- Can I lightly fry the chicken, and at what stage do I fry them?
- You can lightly fry the chicken while you are simmering the chicken on low heat to get rid of the liquid.
- Once the liquid evaporates, pour in two tablespoons of oil and fry them until they turn slightly brown, making sure the spices don’t burn while you do this.
- Continue with the next step of adding coconut milk.
More chicken curry recipes.
Sri Lankan chicken curry.
Kalupol chicken curry.
Sri Lankan devilled chicken.
Pepper chicken in yoghurt curry.
Jaffna curry powder chicken curry.
Chicken curry without coconut milk.
RECIPE DIFFICULTY-LITTLE CARE NEEDED
Ingredients to cook pepper chicken curry.
The ingredients mentioned below use standard measuring cups and spoons.
- Chicken parts(can include legs and other parts).
- Tamarind juice.
- Oil.
- A handful of curry leaves substitute with a bay leaf.
- Pandan leaf(optional).
- Garlic and ginger paste.
- Cinnamon piece.
- Cardamom pods.
- Large onion, sliced fine
- Whole green chillies
- A medium-sized tomato sliced into four
- Turmeric powder
- Cumin powder
- Coriander powder
- Black pepper(start with 1 tablespoon and add more as per your taste).
- Salt to season
- Coconut milk
How to cook pepper chicken curry.
Wash, clean and place the chicken parts in a bowl.
Add one to half a teaspoon of salt and tamarind juice, mix and let it marinate for 15 minutes.
Over medium heat, place a cooking pan and pour in the oil.
Once the oil heats(1 minute), add the curry leaves, pandan leaf(2-inch), cardamoms, and cinnamon, followed by ginger-garlic paste.
Cook for 2 minutes and then add the sliced onions, green chillies and chopped tomatoes.
Saute the ingredients over low-medium heat until onions and tomatoes turn soft. 5-7 minutes.
Reduce the heat and add the chicken(with the marinade)to the cooking pan.
Cook until the tamarind juice is absorbed. Let the chicken brown with a little added oil.
Frequently mix the chicken with the spices to avoid the chicken parts sticking to the pan.

Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, and pepper powder over the chicken while the heat is low.
Mix all the ingredients in the pan for 3-5 minutes while cooking the meat with the spices.

Cover and let the curry simmer for 5-7 minutes until there is no liquid left.
If you prefer to fry the chicken at this stage, add 2 tablespoons of oil and let the chicken brown slightly OR continue to cook until all liquid evaporates and proceed to the next stage.
Pour in the coconut milk, reduce heat, season with salt if necessary, then cover and simmer until the gravy thickens and takes on a darker hue, 15-25 minutes.

Serve warm with your favourite rice and curry dishes.

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Sri Lankan Black pepper chicken curry.
Using pepper as the key ingredient and Sri Lankan curry powders, here’s how you make a delicious pepper chicken curry with a thick coconut sauce.
Ingredients
- 500g of chicken(can include legs and other parts)
- 2-3 tablespoons of tamarind juice(1 tablespoon of tamarind soaked in 1/4 water for 5 minutes)
- 4 tablespoons of oil
- A handful of curry leaves(substitute with a bay leaf)
- A 2″ piece of pandan leaf(optional)
- 1 tablespoon of garlic and ginger paste(3 cloves and a 1-inch piece of ginger can be minced for this purpose)
- 1″ cinnamon piece
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 large onion sliced fine
- 2 whole green chillies
- 1 medium-sized tomato sliced into four
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 3 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 tablespoons of pepper(start with 1 tablespoon and add more as per your taste)
- Salt to season
- 1 cup of coconut milk
Instructions
- Wash, clean and place the chicken parts in a bowl.
- Add 1 to ½ a teaspoon of salt, and tamarind juice(3 tablespoons), mix and let it marinate for 15 minutes.
- Over medium heat, place a cooking pan and pour in the oil(4 tablespoons).
- Once the oil heats(1 minute), add the curry leaves, pandan leaf(2-inch), cardamom(3), and cinnamon(1-inch), followed by ginger-garlic paste(1 tablespoons).
- Cook for 2 minutes and then add the sliced onions(1 large), green chillies (2) and tomatoes(1 medium).
- Saute the ingredients over low-medium heat until onions and tomatoes turn soft. 5-7 minutes.
- Reduce the heat and add the chicken(with the marinade)to the cooking pan.
- Cook until the tamarind juice is absorbed. Let the chicken brown with a little added oil.
- Frequently mix the chicken with the spices to avoid the chicken parts sticking to the pan.
- Add turmeric powder (1/2 teaspoon), cumin powder(2 teaspoons), coriander powder(3 teaspoons), and pepper powder(2 tablespoons) over the chicken while the heat is low.
- Mix all the ingredients in the pan for 3-5 minutes while cooking the meat with the spices.
- Cover and let the curry simmer for 5-7 minutes until there is no liquid left
- If you prefer to fry the chicken at this stage, add 2 tablespoons of oil and let the chicken brown slightly OR continue to cook until all liquid evaporates and proceed to the next stage.
- Pour in the coconut milk, reduce heat, season with salt if necessary, then cover and simmer until the gravy thickens and takes on a darker hue. 15-25 minutes.
- Serve warm with your favourite rice and curry dishes. meal ideas given above.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 571Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 118mgSodium: 313mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 33g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.
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Hesala
Friday 23rd of October 2020
Hi Jehan, I made this chicken curry just now. It's so delicious. Thank you so much with love xxx
jehan
Saturday 24th of October 2020
Much love and appreciation for trying out the recipes. and you are most welcome. stay safe. Regards J