Clean and cut boneless chicken thigh meat into bite sized chunks / cubes. Set aside.
In a dry mixer, crush the black peppercorns & fennel seeds into a fine powder.
Add salt to this pepper & fennel powder, and mix well. The spice rub for marinating the chicken is ready.
Apply this spice rub to the chicken pieces, ensuring to coat the chicken pieces well. Let the chicken marinate in this spice mix for at-least 1-2 hours.
Making chicken kali mirch (dry)
In a wide pan, lightly heat up the oil, and add black mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds start crackling, add the curry leaves, and red chilies (each slit in two parts), and roast for 1-2 minutes, till they get lightly roasted.
Then add in the chopped onions & salt, and saute on medium flame, till the onions start to turn light brown (~ takes about 7-8 minutes).
After this, add in the ginger garlic paste & saute for 2-3 mins, just till it loses its raw flavor.
Finally add in the marinated chicken thigh pieces & mix well.
Cook covered on medium high heat, stirring intermittently, till the chicken is fully cooked ( ~ takes about 25-30 minutes).
Serve this chicken kali mirch (pepper chicken dry) hot.
Video
Notes
You can adapt this recipe to make chicken kali mirch using bone-in chicken too. But if you are using boneless chicken, then it's best to go with thigh meat, and not breast meat, for a juicier pepper chicken.
Please note: The nutrition values are best estimates provided as a courtesy. The exact values can vary depending on the exact ingredients or brands used. If you rely on them for your specific diet and/or health issues, please consult a registered dietician or nutritionist.