Saag Chicken is one of those curries that earns a permanent spot on your dinner rotation the very first time you make it. Tender boneless chicken cooked in a vibrant, deeply flavored spinach gravy with warming spices, a touch of cream, and fragrant kasoori methi; this is restaurant-quality Palak Chicken made beautifully at home. The blanch-and-ice-bath technique is the secret to that gorgeous deep green color that makes this dish as stunning to look at as it is to eat.
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Saag technically refers to any leafy green, such as spinach, mustard greens, or bathua. For this recipe, I mostly use fresh spinach because it is available year-round, blanches beautifully, and gives the curry that luscious, silky texture we love.
While I am a huge fan of my Instant Pot Indian curries, Saag Chicken is one recipe I always make on the stovetop, and for good reason. Pressure cooking spinach can dull that beautiful, vibrant green significantly, and with this dish, the color is very much part of the experience. The stovetop method gives you full control and that gorgeous restaurant-quality green every single time.
Paired with Parathas or Basmati Rice, this is the Indian meal you'll want on repeat!
Ingredient Notes
- Spinach: I highly recommend fresh spinach for the best flavor, color, and texture in this curry, and I always reach for a bunch of spinach over baby spinach. Bunch spinach has a more robust flavor and holds up better through the blanching process, giving you a more flavorful and substantial spinach puree. Frozen spinach can be used in a pinch, but expect a more muted olive colored curry rather than that vibrant green.
- Chicken: Boneless chicken thighs are my strong preference for this recipe. They stay moist and tender through the cooking process and absorb the spiced spinach gravy beautifully. Boneless chicken breast can be substituted, but be careful not to overcook it, as it can turn dry quickly in a curry.
- Kasoori Methi: This is the ingredient that gives Saag Chicken that unmistakable North Indian restaurant quality. Crushed between your palms and stirred in at the very end of cooking, kasoori methi adds a subtle earthy bitterness that perfectly balances the richness of the cream and the brightness of the spinach. Do not skip it and do not add it too early; it goes in right at the finish.
- Heavy Cream - A modest pour of heavy cream at the end rounds out the tangy, spiced spinach gravy and gives the curry that silky, restaurant-style richness. For a dairy-free version, my homemade cashew cream works beautifully as a substitute.
Recipe Testing Notes
1. The Spinach - Bunch spinach consistently outperformed baby spinach, giving a robust, flavorful puree, and timing the blanch to no more than 30 to 60 seconds before immediately moving to the ice bath is what gives you that vibrant green. Go even a minute longer, and you end up with a dull-looking curry that no amount of cream can fix.
2. The Masala Base - The most common mistake I see with Indian dishes with chicken is rushing the masala, and Saag Chicken is no exception. Undercooking the onion-tomato base leaves a raw, sharp flavor that completely overpowers the delicate spinach. Give it the full 6 to 8 minutes until the oil separates and the raw smell disappears. And always pulse the onion tomato base to a coarse texture rather than blending smooth, it makes for a better balanced, more flavorful curry every single time.
How to Make Saag Chicken
Note: Avoid blending into a smooth puree, as this can intensify the raw onion flavor and overpower the curry's balance.
Serving
My favorite way to eat Saag chicken is with hot homemade Parathas and a side of pickled onions. Jeera rice also works really well with this curry.
Storing
Saag Chicken curry keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The color will deepen slightly on refrigeration, but the flavor actually improves overnight as the spices continue to develop. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a small splash of water if needed to loosen the gravy.
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Recipe
Saag Chicken {Classic Spinach and Chicken Curry}
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh spinach rinsed well
- 1.5 lbs chicken thighs skinless boneless, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons ghee or oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium yellow onion cut into quarters
- 1 plum tomato cut into quarters
- 8 garlic cloves
- 2 inch ginger root diced
- 2 green chilies
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- 2½ teaspoons kosher salt
Garnish
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Heat 6 cups of water in a saucepan over high heat. Add the spinach and blanch just until the spinach wilts.
- Add 2 cups of ice and 2 cups of water to a bowl. Scoop out the spinach and add to the bowl with ice water.
- Squeeze out all the water from the spinach and add it to the blender. For a smoother sauce, blend the spinach thoroughly. For a more rustic texture, pulse the spinach until you get the desired texture.
- Blitz onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, and green chilies in a blender to make a coarse puree.
- Heat ghee in a medium saucepan. Add cumin seeds and allow it to sizzle for 30 seconds.
- Add onion tomato puree, turmeric powder and coriander powder, half of the salt and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or just until the oil starts to separate.
- Add chicken, garam masala, and remaining salt and mix well. Cook covered on medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Add pureed spinach and mix well. Cook until the curry comes to a gentle boil.
- Garnish with cream and Kasoori methi.
Dr. Tess Thomas says
Can the sauces be made ahead of time? The spinach sauce and the onion etc pulse?
Archana Mundhe says
Yes! I often blanch and puree spinach ahead of time. You can also make the onion tomato puree ahead of time. I would keep them seperate in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.
Bern says
Best Saag Chicken I’ve ever had!!!
Archana Mundhe says
Thank you Bern!!
Kambham Bharathi says
Good recipe very nice blog
Poonam D. says
I made Saag Chicken recently, it was so yummy. Simple ingredients, easy to follow recipe, will definitely make it again!
Shejal says
Do you marinate the chicken beforehand?
Archana Mundhe says
I usually make this dish with chicken thighs and they do not need marination. If you are using chicken breasts, marinating them would be a good idea.
Bal says
What would you marinate the chicken breast in?
Thanks!
Bal
Archana Mundhe says
You can marinate it in lemon juice, salt and turneric.
Toni says
So easy, so quick and so very tasty! Really enjoyed this and will be making on repeat!
Archana Mundhe says
Thank you! I am so glad you are adding it to you repeat meals.
Mark Almeida says
Delicious, made it this afternoon and impressed the wife !