Chicken Saag (Palak Chicken)

Chicken Saag Recipe or Palak Chicken is a classic Indian curry of chicken cooked together with fresh spinach and spices. What a fabulous combination of flavors and nutrition it is! Intensely delicious, keto friendly and gluten free Chicken saagwala recipe ready in less than an hour.

Ingredients

Chicken: cut in medium size pieces.

Spinach: I have used fresh spinach leaves here which I have blanched and then pureed it.

Few of my readers have asked me if they can use canned spinach puree? So, yes, if you are in hurry or short of fresh spinach, then go on ahead with canned spinach. However, I would still say that fresh spinach puree tastes way better and is nutritious than canned ones.

Useful Tip: Usually, I keep stock of homemade spinach puree in my freezer. This makes my work much easier and cooking this spinach chicken curry or Palak Paneer or Chole Palak doesn’t take much time at all.

For marination: we will need whisked yogurt, onion paste, ginger and garlic paste, green chilies, salt and pepper.

Spice powders: We will be using the very basic, turmeric, coriander and red chilli powder along with little garam masala powder and grated nutmeg.

Tomato Puree: The ingredient that is key to give lovely Indian restaurants like taste is the use of tomato puree. I would say please do not compromise on this ingredient.

Whole Spices: We need back peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds, cloves and green cardamom.

The other ingredients we need are oil, ghee, salt, lemon juice and chopped green coriander.

Best chicken cut to use

Honestly, you have freedom to use any cut of chicken to make this luscious murgh saag. Personally, I prefer to go either for chicken drumsticks, chicken thighs or regular chicken on bone cuts.

Personally, I do not like using boneless chicken into this dish. That’s said, feel free to use boneless cut or chicken breasts if you like.

Chicken on bones, give nice juicy and intense flavor than the boneless cut. The extra flavors and juiciness that imparts zing to this dish comes from chicken thighs or drumsticks.

How to make chicken saag – two ways

Marination and preparation:

1. In a large bowl, combine chicken pieces and all the ingredients mentioned under marination.
2. Mix everything well, cover and refrigerate for an hour. Or at least for 30 minutes.
3. While the chicken marinates, clean wash and trim the spinach leaves. Boil enough of water in a pot and add soda, mix. Add the spinach leaves into boiling water.
4. Let the spinach blanch for 2 minutes.
5. Take the blanched spinach out and immediately put it into an ice cold water.
6. Add blanched spinach in a blender and blend it until you have smooth spinach sauce (purèe).

Making it in pot on stovetop

1. To begin with, heat ghee and oil in a large pot. Now, add bay leaf, cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon, black peppercorn and fry until fragrant.
2. Add marinated chicken and sauté on high heat for 2 minutes, stirring in between.
3. Then, add red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, tomato puree and mix well.
4. Add ½ cup of water, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
5. Add pureed spinach, garam masala powder, crushed nutmeg and mix well. Adjust the consistency of the gravy as per requirement, cook on medium heat for another 2-3 minutes or until done.
6. Add lemon juice, chopped coriander leaves and mix. Cover and let the curry rest for 5-7 minutes.
7. Dish out, serve it with hot phulkas, parathas or pulao.

Making it in Instant Pot

Prep: So, start off with marinating the chicken and blanching the spinach as mentioned in the preparation and marination section.

1. Switch on the IP and press ‘Sauté’ button. Once it displays ‘Hot’ add oil and ghee together. Then, add whole spices and fry for 30 seconds.
2. Add marinated chicken and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
3. Now, add red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, tomato puree, salt and mix well. Cook for another 1 minute. Ensure to deglaze if anything is stuck at the bottom.
4. Add ¼ to ½ cup of water depending upon the gravy consistency you need. Close the IP lid and seal. Cancel ‘sauté’ button and pressure cook the chicken on ‘high’ for 4 minutes.
5. Once the IP beeps, do quick pressure release with pressure valve in venting position. Carefully open the pot.
6. Now, switch on the ‘saute’ mode. Add pureed spinach, garam masala powder, grated nutmeg and mix. Simmer on low for 2-3 minutes.
7. Finally, add lemon juice and chopped cilantro, mix. Switch off the IP, let the chicken rest for 5-7 minutes. Dish out and serve hot.