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Chicken pieces cooked and stir-fried with pepper and spices. It is an easy recipe for Kerala pepper chicken fry preparation.
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3.32 from 35 votes

Kerala Style Pepper Chicken  (Nadan Kurumulaku Kozhi)

Chicken pieces cooked and roasted with pepper and spices. It is a perfect preparation to serve to your guests along with rice or chapati (Indian bread). Never replace whole black pepper with pepper powder in this recipe.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian, kerala
Servings: 6 serving
Calories: 377kcal
Author: Jane Jojo

Ingredients

Marination

  • 1 Kilogram chicken
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons pepper powder
  • ½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Masala

  • 4 Onions (medium)
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons ginger , crushed
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons garlic , crushed
  • 3 green chilli , slit lengthwise
  • 2 ½ Tablespoons black pepper Whole
  • 1 ½ Teaspoons garam masala
  • 1 ½ Teaspoon fennel powder ( Perinjeerakam powder)
  • 2 sprig curry leaves
  • 3 tbsps coconut oil
  • 1 cup Small Thin square size coconut slices (thengakothu, optional)
  • 2 teaspoon vinegar (optional)
  • salt

Instructions

  • Marinate the cleaned chicken pieces with salt, pepper powder, turmeric powder and lemon juice. Keep it aside for 30 minutes.
  • Crush the whole black pepper and keep it aside. Adjust black pepper according to your spice tolerance level. Thinly slice onions and green chilly. Grind ginger and garlic into a fine paste. Thinly slice the coconut into square, bite-size pieces. Check the notes for details on coconut bite-sized pieces.
  • Heat 2 tsps oil in a pan and fry coconut pieces until it becomes golden brown color. Keep it aside.
  • In a kadai/pan, heat the oil. When hot enough, add onions and curry leaves and saute well. Adding salt, helps the onion to get cooked fast.
  • When the onions are brown, add the ginger, garlic, and green chilli. Sauté well till the aromatics release their flavor.
  • Add garam masala, fennel powder, and crushed black pepper. Sauté well.
  • Add marinated chicken pieces and stir around till the chicken pieces are well coated with the masalas. Don't add water.
  • Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Now open the lid and cook until the water evaporates. Add fried coconut bite-size pieces.
  • Add 2 - 3 tsps oil and saute it until it gets roasted/fried well. If you like extra sourness, add vinegar. I like to add 2-3 teaspoon of vinegar at the end for sourness. It's optional. Add it, only if you want it more sour. Best served with rice :)

Video

Notes

  1. Use Fresh or Frozen Coconut: Bite-sized coconut pieces (not dried) add the right bite and depth. Frozen works just fine.
  2. Stick to Bone-In Chicken: Thighs or curry cuts give rich flavor. Boneless breast tends to be dry and less satisfying. Boneless thighs are okay—just cut into 2-inch chunks.
  3. Marinate for Flavor: A simple spice marinade for 30 minutes does wonders. It helps the chicken soak up all the flavors.
  4. Pepper Is the Hero: Peppercorn is the star—it gives the curry its signature punch. Don’t skip any of the listed spices; they each play their part.
  5. Brown Onions Well: Take your time. Well-caramelized onions create a sweet base that balances the heat beautifully.

Nutrition

Serving: 249g | Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 529mg | Potassium: 407mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 156IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 2mg