This Lemon Pepper Chicken Gravy is a delightful treat you absolutely must try if you’re looking to elevate your gravy game! Even your little ones, who might not be big fans of desi food, will enjoy it without any hesitation. You can add a little heat or keep it mild like I did; it’s up to you. It has a wonderful tang from the lemon and yogurt, along with a zesty kick from the black pepper.
What goes into the Lemon Pepper Chicken Gravy
Chicken
I used one whole chicken cut into 16 pieces. The size of the chicken after removing the fat and trimming was 2.2 lbs, which is 1 kg. You can also use boneless chicken or chicken quarters.
Marination
For marination, you’ll need some simple spices, yogurt, lemon juice, ginger and garlic paste.
Spices
I used salt, black pepper, and dry roasted cumin coriander powder. Those are the only spices you need to make this simple chicken.
Yogurt
I used 1 cup of homemade yogurt; regular yogurt is fine, or you can also use Greek yogurt.
Lemon Juice
As the name suggests, it’s a Lemon Pepper Chicken Gravy, so adding lemon juice is a must. I used the juice of half a lemon, which is about 2 tbsp. Lime juice will work equally well.
Ginger and Garlic
I can’t forget about my crucial ingredients for Desi-style gravy, which are ginger and garlic paste. I usually make mine and keep it in the freezer until ready to use. You’ll need 2 tsp of ginger paste and 2 tsp of garlic paste for this gravy.
Oil
To cook the chicken, you’ll also need about 4 tbsp of oil. Any neutral oil such as avacado, canola or light olive oil is perfect to cook this gravy.
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How Long to Cook Lemon Pepper Chicken Gravy
Heat oil in a nonstick pan, then add the marinated pieces of chicken; reserve the marinade for later. Don’t move the chicken around much. Let it cook for 5-6 minutes over high heat until the chicken has a beautiful golden color. Change sides and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Once all of the water dries out and the chicken has a golden color, add the remaining marinade and 1/2 cup of water. Mix it well and cover it. Let it cook over medium to low heat until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Garnish
I used some lemon slices, green chilies, and ginger slices to garnish.
How to Serve Lemon Pepper Chicken
This Lemon Pepper Chicken gravy has a decent amount of gravy. Serving it with naan or even fries is the best way to enjoy it. If you like more gravy, then after adding the marinade, don’t dry out all the water like I did; turn off the stove once you have the gravy to your liking.
How to Store Leftover
You can Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also freeze it for up to a month, but don’t add garnish if you are planning to freeze.
Lemon Pepper Chicken Gravy
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs chicken
Marination
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic paste
- 2 tsp ginger paste
- 2 tsp dry roasted cumin coriander powder
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 tbsp green chili paste optional
Other Ingredients
- 4 tbsp oil
- 1/2 cup water
Garnish
- 2-3 green chilies
- Lemon slices
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into 16 or 20 pieces, then marinate it with all of the mentioned ingredients for the marinade.
- In a pan, heat oil, then add the chicken (reserve the marinade for later) to the pan and cook it without moving it around. Once cooked on one side for around 5-6 minutes on high heat, then change sides and cook from the other side for another 5-6 minutes.
- Once it has color on both sides, add the remaining marinade and 1/2 cup of water.
- Mix it well, cover it, and lower the heat to medium. Cook the chicken for 15-20 minutes or until it is fully cooked through.
- Garnish with lemon slices and green chilies.