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.

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.

This recipe is divided into 4 steps- 

1. Blanch Spinach
2. Marinate Chicken and
3. Cook the marinated chicken
4. 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.

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.

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.

CRAVING FOR MORE, BE SURE TO CHECK THESE OUT: