Saag Wala Chicken or Palak Chicken
Are you bored of the same old chicken curry recipe? Let's dig into this outrageously delicious Saag Wala Chicken or Palak Chicken tonight. With a fantastic melody of spinach, chicken, and aromatic spices, this creamy, flavorsome, and nutrient-rich dish is sure to become your next family favorite.
Busy weeknight dinners - just got better!
About Saag Wala Chicken or Palak Chicken
"Saag" is a Punjabi term used for all leafy green preparations made with either spinach leaves, fenugreek leaves, mustard leaves, or collard leaves.
And saag wala chicken or palak chicken/spinach chicken is an authentic Indian recipe made with fresh spinach leaves.
Completely irresistible and a real keeper!
This recipe goes by many different names - like palak murgh, palak chicken, saag murgh, or saag chicken. They all mean the same. Palak means spinach, and murgh means chicken.
Growing up, my mom used to make THE best palak (spinach) chicken. She preferred to cook all her dishes from scratch and would spend hours in the kitchen to cook a particular dish to perfection.
She always encouraged my sister and me to join her in the kitchen and educate us about a LOT of her cooking skills.
In addition to palak (spinach) chicken, her other amazing dishes were chicken keema, chicken kofta curry, chicken seekh kebab, chicken kakori kebab, Chicken curry, and many other vegs and non-veg delicacies; the list is endless!
And that is what I will be sharing with you today -
'My mom's heirloom Saagwala chicken, a.k.a Palak Chicken recipe.' It's like opening a treasure chest of all her little secrets and knowledge.
Why this Palak chicken recipe works
» A year-round recipe - The beauty of palak chicken is that it's light and healthy enough to enjoy in the summer as well as in the winters. Plus, the nourishing characteristics of spinach will help you stave off the cold.
» Super easy to make - Don't let the long list of ingredients stop you from enjoying this yummy palak chicken. Trust me, it's super easy to make, and once you serve it on the dinner table, it will steal the show. Your family will be bound to go for seconds, maybe even third servings.
» Gluten-free and fresh- Made with wholesome ingredients, this saag wala chicken packs a delicious punch and you get to enjoy the maximum fresh flavor in every bite.
» Delicious and healthy - all the spices and aromatics work together and to create a d-licious Indian meal. The whole spices release their addictive aromas and impart intense flavors to our Saag wala chicken.
Ingredients for Saag Wala Chicken or Palak Chicken
This palak chicken recipe can be made with staples available in your pantry. Let's look at the ingredient list -
» Blanched spinach - takes this chicken recipe to a whole new level. Plus, it's a healthy way to incorporate leafy greens into your child's diet without them knowing about it. When cooked well, blanched spinach tastes so delicious with chicken that even the picky eaters won't resist this dish.
» Boneless Chicken Breast- rinsed ( in a bowl to avoid contamination) and cut into pieces.
» Raw Onion Paste
» Ginger-garlic- chili paste- Aromatics that adds tons of flavor. However, you can use the store-bought ginger-garlic paste.
» Whole spices - black cardamom and bay leaf for a more pronounced and earthy flavor.
» Staple spices like - cumin seeds, red chili powder, coriander powder, salt, and garam masala.
» Tomato puree - I have used pureed tomatoes for Saag chicken. Feel free to y=use diced tomatoes and cook them until tender and mushy.
» Kasoori Methi - sun-dried fenugreek leaves adds a delicious dimension to this dish.
» Cream - optional but delivers a rich and creamy touch.
How To make Saag Wala Chicken or Palak chicken?
This recipe is divided into 4 steps-
- Blanch Spinach
- Marinate Chicken and
- Cook the marinated chicken
- Assembling spinach and chicken
Step 1: Blanch Spinach
Begin the Saag wala chicken recipe by blanching spinach leaves.
1. Clean and trim spinach leaves. Wash them thoroughly under cold water to remove all the gritty things.
2. Boil water in a large pan, add rinsed spinach leaves to the pan and let them boil for 2-3 minutes.
3. After the desired time is over, use a slotting spoon to remove the spinach leaves from water and immediately drop them into a large bowl full of ice water.
Why blanch? Blanching is the best way to preserve the nutrients and flavor of the greens. Additionally, it removes some of the oxalates that spinach contains and preserves their beautiful green color when dropped in ice-cold water.
4. This will stop the cooking process. Let the spinach leaves rest in ice-cold water for a minute. Remove the cooled spinach leaves from water and tightly squeeze out all of the excess water from them.
5. Form a small ball and store it in a Ziploc bag. Freeze for future use.
6. But for this recipe, we will puree the blanched spinach in a blender until smooth. Set it aside and proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Marinate Chicken
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine yogurt (thick hung curd) with red chili powder, coriander powder, kasoori methi, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice. Whisk until combined.
2. Place the chicken cubes in a deep dish.
3. Pour the marinade over the chicken.
4. Rub the marinade all over the chicken cubes making sure it is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
Step 3: Cook the Marinated Chicken
5. After the resting time is over; heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan.
6. Add the marinated chicken to the pan.
7. Continue cooking on medium-high heat, frequently stirring until the chicken is cooked.
8. Remove from heat, and set aside.
Step 4: Assembling Palak Chicken
The final step is to assemble everything.
1. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Mustard oil has a robust flavor. Therefore, to get rid of that sharp flavor, cook mustard oil to its smoking point and take it off the flame. Let it cool.
2. When ready to make the masala – slightly warm the mustard oil and add whole spices and cumin seeds to the pan.
3. As it starts to crackle, add onion and ginger-garlic paste. Mix to combine. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the oil starts to separate.
4. Stir in the tomato puree. Mix to combine.
5. Stir in all the spices - coriander powder, chili powder, kasoori methi, garam masala, and salt.
6. Mix until combined. Cook the tomatoes for another 3-4 minutes or until the oil separates.
7. Pour in the blanched spinach puree. Stir to combine.
8. Add chicken pieces to the blanched spinach. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
9. Finally, add the cream. Give it a gentle stir and take it off the flame.
Recipe Tips and variations about Saagwala Chicken!
» Always allow ample time for marinating - at least 3 to 4 hours. If you have time on hand, you can even marinate up to 8 hours in the fridge. Marination will help the chicken to soak up all the wonderful flavors as it tenderizes.
» Mustard oil adds a depth of flavor to this dish but, feel free to use any other oil as a substitute.
» Chicken can be swapped with mutton, but the overall cooking time will vary as lamb takes longer to cook.
» I have prepared my fresh onion-ginger-garlic tomato base, but you can use a pre-made bhuna masala too to make this recipe.
» For extra creamy palak chicken, swap cream with cashew cream. Cashew cream will lend a rich, velvety texture to the chicken.
» Serve palak chicken with boiled rice, tandoori roti, or naan.
Should I rinse my chicken?
That is a very debated topic. So are you team rinse chicken or team no-rinse chicken?
I am team rinse chicken. I prefer to thoroughly clean the chicken before cooking it. To do that -
- Fill a large bowl with water, then add raw chicken pieces to it.
- Gently rub chicken in that water to remove the above slimy layer.
- Set aside on a clean plate.
- Before proceeding with the recipe, drain that water and clean the area thoroughly with warm soap and water to avoid contamination.
Storing Palak Chicken
This recipe makes delicious leftover lunches. To store, transfer the cooled saag chicken to a sealed container and refrigerate.
This chicken can last in the refrigerator for three to four days.
Can you freeze Palak Murgh?
Absolutely! Palak (spinach) chicken can be stored in the freezer for up to two to three months. The best part is, you can freeze palak chicken in individual-sized portions, too.
To freeze, transfer the cooled chicken to an airtight container and freeze.
LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
This Saagwala chicken tastes just like the ones served at a popular restaurant. Do give this recipe a try, and I am sure this easy-to-make Spinach chicken will surely find a special place on the dinner table every time you make it.
Should you make this Palak Chicken, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below.
And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
CRAVING FOR MORE, BE SURE TO CHECK THESE OUT:
| This recipe post has been updated from the archives, first published on February 22nd, 2015 |
Saag Wala Chicken or Palak Chicken
INGREDIENTS
BLANCH SPINACH
- 1 kg Fresh Spinach blanched
MARINATE CHICKEN
- 1 Lb Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 ½ inch in thickness
- 2 tablespoons Yogurt
- ½ teaspoon Deggi Mirch or Red chili Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1½ teaspoons Kasoori methi/ dried fenugreek leaves
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- - - Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1½ tablespoon Ghee to cook chicken
FOR GRAVY
- 3 tablespoons Mustard Oil
- 3 pieces of Moti Elaichi (Black cardamom)
- 2 pieces of Bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 3 medium Onions pureed
- 1 tablespoon Garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon Ginger paste
- 2 small Green chilies crushed (optional)
- 3 medium Tomatoes pureed
- ½ teaspoon Deggi Mirch or Red chili Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon Kasoori methi/ dried fenugreek leaves
- Salt to taste
- 1½ tablespoons Cream optional
GARNISHES
- - - Butter
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: BLANCH SPINACH
- Clean and trim spinach leaves. Wash them thoroughly under cold water.
- Boil water in a pan. Add spinach rinsed spinach leaves to it and let it boil for 2-3 minutes.
- After the boiling time is over, use a slotting spoon to remove the spinach leaves from water and immediately plunge it into a large bowl full of ice water.
- This will stop the cooking process. Remove spinach from water and tightly squeeze out all of the excess water from the spinach leaves. Form a small ball and store it in a Ziploc bag. Freeze for future use.
- Transfer the blanched spinach to a blender and blend until smooth. Blanched spinach is ready. Set it aside.
STEP 2: MARINATE CHICKEN
- In a large mixing bowl, combine yogurt (thick hung curd) with red chili powder, coriander powder, kasoori methi, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice. Whisk until combined.
- Place the chicken cubes in a deep dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken cubes.
- Rub the marinade all over the chicken cubes making sure it is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
STEP 3: COOK THE MARINATED CHICKEN
- After the resting time is over, heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the marinated chicken to the pan.
- Continue cooking on medium-high heat, frequently stirring until the chicken is cooked. Remove from heat, and set aside.
STEP 4: ASSEMBLING SPINACH AND CHICKEN TOGETHER
- Heat mustard oil in a pan. Mustard oil has a very strong flavor. Therefore, to get rid of that pungent flavor, cook mustard oil to its smoking point and take it off the flame. Let it cool.
- When ready to make the masala – slightly warm the mustard oil and add whole spices and cumin seeds to the pan.
- As the seeds start to crackle, add onion and ginger-garlic paste. Mix to combine. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the oil starts to separate.
- Stir in the tomato puree. Mix to combine.
- Stir in all the spices - coriander powder, chili powder, kasoori methi, garam masala, and salt. Mix until combined.
- Cook the tomatoes for another 3-4 minutes or until the oil separates.
- Pour in the blanched spinach puree. Stir to combine.
- Add chicken pieces to the blanched spinach. Cook for another 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Finally, add the cream. Give it a gentle stir and take it off the flame.
- Serve hot with warm rotis, naan or white rice.
Hi Ruchi
It’s been a while and pray you doing well and guess what, my son’s visiting from New York and I just remembered you fantastic recipe so my dear I replicated the same to perfection and the Saag Wala Chicken was devoured my all of us, thanks one again
Regards 😊
Thank you! So glad you liked the recipe. 😊
I have made this recipes so many times and every time its just gotten tastier. My husband and kids love this recipe. Follow the steps exactly and you wont be disappointed.
Thank you, Roanne, for your kind words. So glad you liked the recipe.
I want to make this recipe but have a question about the pureed onion. Do you simply purée 3 raw onions, or do you cook them first? Looking forward to trying this recipe. Thank you
Hello Brian,
Purée the 3 raw onions and then cook them. Do give it a try and share your feedback with us.
Thank you!
Hi Ruchi,
I want to try this - Fenugreek leaves on order since I don't have an Indian store nearby. BUT, I do have Fenugreek essential oil. Thoughts, since the quantity of leaves used is so little? I may try that. Will let you know.
Primrose, in that case, you can skip fenugreek leaves altogether and carry on with the recipe without it.
Hi Ruchi
I made your recipe last night, it was delicious 🙂 thank you. I didn't have mustard oil so added a large dessert spoon full of mustard with the spices, fabulous.
I will be looking through more of your recipes to make for my family.
Kind regards
Pam.
Thank you, Pam, for your kind words. So glad you liked the recipe. 😊
If I sustitute canned spinach puree, what size can should i use?
David, I haven't tried it with canned spinach, but I guess two 10 ounces of drained cans of spinach would be good for this recipe.
Hi Ruchi, what can I use instead of mustard oil? Ghee or sesame oil? Or coconut oil?
Leone, ghee would be great!
Hi Ruchi made your Saag chicken again and it came out even better as I followed the mustard oil method. I used 2 chicken breasts and 6 legs and it was a hit!!! so many levels of flavor here. Love this dish and I shall continue to make it. Also will check out your other recipes.
Thank you, Roanne, for your kind words. So glad you liked the recipe. 😊
Wondering how many chicken breast this will be
There are 4 chicken breasts used in this recipe.
Hi Ruchi! Would it be okay if I marinated the chicken for let's say 12-14 hours and refrigerate? I could marinate it before going to bed but sadly I don't start cooking until noon and won't have time to marinate in the morning as I usually have very early and busy first halves of the day.
Sure, Shrey, you can do that! Marinate the chicken a night in advance and cook it by noon. It's absolutely fine.
Ruchi, this was absolutely delicious. Wow, the blend of spices and flavours is gorgeous. I suspect the magic ingredient is the Kasoori methi. This is now permanently in my cooking repertoire.
My curry came out rather thick and I think it's because I used 1kg of frozen chopped spinach. To compensate for this I added 1 cup of cream which helped bring everything together. Next time I want to use a tin (410g) of tomato puree for the masala which will probably also help smooth out the curry.
I would like to increase the spices of the masala to balance out these additions and because I love the flavour! From your expertise, by what ratio should I increase the spices?
Thank you for the wonderful feedback, Gareth. So glad you liked the recipe.
You can scale all the 1/2 teaspoon spices to 1 teaspoon and 3/4 ones to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons. Taste and adjust the spices to your liking. 😊
Brilliant, thanks for your suggestion. I cannot wait to make this again! It's 100% my new favourite curry.
Thank you. 😊
Hi Ruchi. This is one of my favourite Indian dishes and I cannot wait to try your recipe - it looks delicious! I think there is a mistake in the ingredients for the gravy as "1 tbsp of garlic paste" is down twice. Is it meant to be "1 tbsp of garlic paste" and "1 tbsp of ginger paste"?
Thank you, Gareth! I hope you like the recipe. Do share your feedback once you give it a try.
I have fixed the typo. 😊
Thanks for fixing the typo - now I'm ready to rock 'n roll 😉
I'll definitely give feedback once I've made it, probably early next week.
Hi Ruchi,
You had another version of this recipe earlier in which the raw chicken was added to the palak gravy and then cooked. Any chance you can share that version? I’ve made that a lot of times and it comes out amazing ☺️
Thank you!!
Abhishek, skip stage 2, and stage 3. The rest of the recipe remains the same. Follow stage 1 - Blanch the spinach, then jump to stage 4- Assemble chicken and spinach.
There at step 8 - add the raw chicken to the spinach and cook until tender. Follow the remaining recipe as is.
I hope this helps!
Ahhh got it! And I think you’d mentioned that it’ll take about 20 minutes? Thank you again for an amazing recipe!!!
Hi Ruchi,
This dish looks so good. I can't wait to try it. I am curious about your choice of chicken breast. Doesn't that dry out more quickly? I do see you suggest other options.
Thanks!
Thank you, Alonna! The chicken doesn't dry out at all.
The spinach and cream will keep the chicken moist.
It was my first attempt and I was amazed. It's an effort dish but it pays off for sure. Thanks for your effort. My father in law liked it too.
Thank you for your feedback Amit!
So glad you liked the recipe.
The first time I made this it was delicious! The next 2 times have not been as successful- the dish has a pungent, bitter Taste. What went wrong after it being so successful the first time???
Thank you for trying the recipe, Kimberly.
Overcooking the spinach will result in a bitter taste. A little lemon juice will help to get rid of that bitter taste.
Turned out delicious. I liked the idea of marinating chicken. I did mine in a haste so only marinated for an hour. But was still tasty.
Awesome. So glad you liked the recipe, Ms. Trinette!
Yes, marinating the chicken makes a huge difference.
Just tried. Very delicious. And blanching idea is good as the colour remains bright
Thank you!
Blanching does make a huge difference.
Hi,
I have referred to this recipe a few times on your website but I think you have changed this recently. I am sure there was this step where you used to put yogurt in the spinach puree before putting the chicken in. There was a picture for that too. Now I can't find it in the steps anywhere. I remember this because this was the difference between my wife's recipe and yours and we used to fight over this. Now I am a bit confused.
Aditya,
Add yogurt after step 6 where it says - '6. Mix until combined. Cook the tomatoes for another 3-4 minutes or until the oil separates.'
Mix and cook until oil separates, then add the blanched spinach puree and continue with the recipe.
I hope this helps!
Thank you Ruchi 🙂