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chicken saag curry (spinach curry) in a bowl with a spoon
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Chicken Saag Recipe

This Chicken Saag is delightfully fresh, earthy and intensely flavorful. Made with fresh ground spices, spinach and a creamy coconut curry sauce, this recipe is both flavorful and easy to make!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 308kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken thighs boneless, skinless
  • 1 ½ tablespoons ghee
  • 1 cup chopped green onions white parts
  • 1 tomato diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 1 ½ teaspoon salt (plus 1 teaspoon to season the chicken)

Spinach Sauce:

  • 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach
  • ½ ounce cilantro (a handful)
  • 2 jalapenos sliced
  • 1 cup water

Spices:

Instructions

  • Thaw and drain the frozen spinach and squeeze out any excess water. Combine spinach, chilies, cilantro and water in blender or food processor. Process until smooth and set aside.
  • Toast the whole spices (not the bay leaf) in a sauté pan on medium low heat until fragrant. This takes about 2-3 minutes. Toss occasionally to ensure they don't burn.
  • Remove the spices from the skillet and grind with mortar and pestle OR a spice grinder. Combine with remaining ground spices and set aside.
  • Cut the chicken thighs into quarters and season with 1 teaspoon of salt. The pieces will still be larger than a bite, but that's ok as it helps keep it moist and tender. 
  • Heat the ghee in a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken thighs for 3 minutes on each side; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Turn the heat down to medium, add the green onions, garlic and ginger to the sauté pan and cook until they soften, about 2-3 minutes. 
  • Add the ground spices and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to ensure they don't burn.
  • Stir in the remaining salt, tomatoes, tomato paste and coconut milk.
  • Add the browned chicken thighs to the pan and pour the spinach mixture over top.
  • Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Use a thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 160F degrees. 
  • Add additional salt to taste and serve with basmati rice and/or naan bread.  

Video

Notes

  1. Be sure to squeeze out ALL the excess water you can from the spinach so you can control the water content.
  2. If the spinach sauce is too thick, add additional water until it is blendable. 
  3. When browning the chicken, let it cook without disturbing it to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
  4. Use a large covered skillet so the pan won't be overcrowded. 
  5. Use a thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 160F degrees
  6. To make it spicier, add 1-2 sliced jalapenos or ½ to 1 teaspoon more of chili powder.
  7. You can make this dish vegetarian by substituting tofu or paneer for the chicken.  
This dish is actually incredible made in advance as it gives time for the flavors to meld together. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in t a skillet over medium heat until warmed through, or in the microwave. 

Nutrition

Serving: 6oz | Calories: 308kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 710mg | Potassium: 547mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 6199IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3mg