Palak Chicken, also known as Spinach Chicken, is a flavorful Indian curry featuring tender chicken cooked in a rich, creamy spinach gravy. This dish pairs wonderfully with Jeera rice, naan, roti, chapati, or plain paratha.
This recipe for palak chicken is mildly spiced and highlights earthy flavors, making it a favorite in many Indian restaurants. It’s straightforward to prepare and requires basic Indian spices and ingredients that are easily found in any Indian grocery store.
There are two primary methods for making chicken palak: one involves chopping and sautéing the spinach with spices before adding the chicken, which is quicker as it skips the blanching and pureeing steps. The other method involves blanching the spinach and pureeing it before mixing it with seared chicken, resulting in a creamier and richer dish. In this recipe, we will use pureed spinach to create a luscious murgh palak.
For optimal flavor, fresh baby spinach is recommended; however, regular or frozen spinach can also be utilized. This dish is typically made with boneless chicken pieces (preferably thighs), but bone-in pieces can be used as well.
What is Palak Chicken?
Palak Chicken is a delightful, mildly spiced North Indian curry made with chicken cooked in either spinach puree or chopped spinach, combined with basic Indian spices, onions, and tomatoes.
Its popularity has surged in India, Pakistan, and other South Asian countries in recent years, offering a tasty way to incorporate leafy greens for those who may not enjoy spinach.
This palak chicken recipe is often confused with saag murg or chicken saag; however, they are distinct recipes. Chicken palak focuses solely on spinach, occasionally enhanced with coriander leaves and kasoori methi, while murg saag incorporates a variety of greens such as mustard greens (sarson ka saag), coriander leaves, fenugreek leaves (fresh methi), and wild spinach (bathua).
A well-known vegetarian counterpart to this dish is Palak Paneer, which follows similar preparation steps and ingredients but features paneer instead of chicken.
More Chicken Recipes:
- Chicken Masala
- Honey Garlic Chicken
- Grilled Rosemary Garlic Chicken
- Chicken Spaghetti Meatballs
- Chicken and Leek Clear Soup
Tips to Make the Perfect Chicken Palak
- Blanch the spinach before cooking. Blanching the spinach helps to retain the beautiful green color and flavor of the leaf.
- Use fresh baby spinach for the best flavors.
- Whole spices can be lightly toasted and then ground to a fine powder to avoid getting a bite of the whole spices when eating.
- Use boneless chicken thighs or chicken legs for best results if you want to make a boneless palak chicken. Chicken thighs when cooked are juicier and tender to eat, but chicken breast pieces can easily get overcooked and chewy.
- Add fresh cream or yogurt to the recipe of chicken palak to make it even creamier and richer.
- Use ghee or mustard oil to prepare this palak murgh for the best results.
Ingredients for Palak Chicken
Spinach: Fresh spinach leaves are blanched and then ground into a paste to make this recipe. Frozen Spinach can also be used, It should be thawed completely, and excess water must be removed before making the puree to avoid a runny sauce.
Chicken: Boneless and bone-in or with-bone chicken can be used for this recipe. The cooking time may vary with the type of chicken cut used.
Whole Spices: Very few whole spices are used for making spinach chicken, black peppercorn, cloves, green cardamom, and cinnamon sticks. But these aromatic spices add a lot of flavor to the dish.
Powdered Spices: Basic spice powders are needed, turmeric powder(haldi), red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala powder.
Ginger, Garlic, Green Chillies: Ginger garlic, and green chilies are used along with blanched spinach to make the palak puree. Ginger garlic paste is also used to make the masala for chicken curry.
Onions and Tomato: Onions and Tomatoes add thickness and flavor to the gravy. Chopped tomatoes can be substituted with tomato puree.
Fresh Cream: It is added at the end of the cooking, it makes the final dish creamier and richer. Fresh cream can also be substituted with thick coconut milk or coconut cream.
Other Ingredients: Coriander leaves, Lemon juice, ghee for frying, water for blanching the spinach, and salt as per taste.
Optional Ingredients: Bay leaves, Fenugreek leaves, cumin seeds.
How to Make Palak Chicken?
Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Marination
1. Place 800 gms of chicken (boneless or bone-in chicken) pieces in a large bowl.
2. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi), 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, and juice of 1/2 a lime to the chicken, and mix well so that each piece is well coated with the spices.
3. Marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Palak Puree
4. Thoroughly clean and wash the palak leaves.
5. Keep a large bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes ready. In a large pan boil 3-4 cups of water. Remove the pan from heat and add around 200 gms of fresh spinach leaves. Make sure the spinach is completely submerged in water. Let it sit for 8-10 minutes.
6. Remove the spinach carefully from the hot water using a tong or large spoon. Transfer the leaves immediately into the ice water bath. This will stop the spinach from overcooking and losing its beautiful green color.
7. After 5 minutes remove the spinach and transfer them into a grinding jar. Add 2 large garlic cloves, 1-inch piece of ginger, and 2 green chillies. Optionally you can also add a few fresh coriander leaves.
8. Grind these into a smooth puree and set aside.
Making the Chicken Spinach Curry
9. Heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil in a large pan or wok(kadhai) on medium heat. Add 3 cloves, 3 green cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera). Fry this for a few seconds.
10. Add 2 finely chopped onion (red or yellow). Fry the onions till it is lightly brown in color.
11. Now add 1 large tomato finely chopped. Cook till the tomatoes are soft.
12. Add the dry spices – 1 tsp turmeric powder(haldi),1 tsp red chilli powder,1 tbsp coriander powder(dhaniya powder), and 1/2 tsp cumin powder(jeera powder). Fry for 1-2 minutes. Add a splash of water if the spices are getting too dry and burning.
13. Now add the marinated chicken and mix the chicken well with the spices. Fry the chicken with the spices till the chicken changes color. Then add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 cup water and mix the chicken. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the chicken for 8-10 minutes.
14. Remove the lid and give the chicken a good mix. Then add the pureed spinach and stir well. Cover with a lid and cook till the chicken is cooked through. Add more water if you want more gravy in your palak chicken curry.
15. Add 1 tbsp fresh cream and 1/2 tsp garam masala and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
16. Remove from heat and serve hot with naan, chapati, or rice, and enjoy this delicious and creamy spinach chicken curry.
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Video Recipe
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this thick, creamy, and mildly spiced palak chicken with
- Rice: plain rice, Basmati rice, or flavored jeera rice.
- Bread: plain or garlic naan, butter-toasted bread slices, brioche, or any flatbread.
- Roti: Plain roti, chapati, puri, or plain paratha.
The recipe tastes even better for delicious leftover lunches. So prepare the dish in advance when short on time and reheat to enjoy!
Recipe Card
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars!
Thank you! Please Tag me on Instagram @kitchensavouries
Palak Chicken | Spinach Chicken Curry
Video
Ingredients
Palak Puree
- 200 gms Palak/Spinach
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 1 Inch piece Ginger
- 2 Green Chilli
- Few Coriander Leaves
Chicken Marination
- 800 gms Chicken
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric/haldi powder
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
- 1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
- Juice of 1/2 a Lime
Gravy
- 2 Tbsp Oil/Ghee
- 3 Cloves
- 3 Green Cardamom
- 1 Cinnamon piece
- 2 Large Onion finely chopped
- 1 Large Tomato finely chopped
- 1 tsp Turmeric/Haldi Powder
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tbsp Coriander/Dhaniya Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin/Jeera Powder
- 1 tbsp Fresh Cream optional
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1/2 cup Water
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
Marination
- Place 800 gms of chicken (boneless or bone-in chicken) pieces in a large bowl.
- Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi), 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, and juice of 1/2 a lime to the chicken, and mix well so that each piece is well coated with the spices.
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Palak Puree
- Thoroughly clean and wash the palak leaves.
- Keep a large bowl with cold water and a few ice cubes ready. In a large pan boil 3-4 cups of water. Remove the pan from heat and add around 200 gms of fresh spinach leaves. Make sure the spinach is completely submerged in water. Let it sit for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the spinach carefully from the hot water using a tong or large spoon. Transfer the leaves immediately into the ice water bath. This will stop the spinach from overcooking and losing its beautiful green color.
- After 5 minutes remove the spinach and transfer them into a grinding jar.
- Add 2 large garlic cloves, 1 inch piece of ginger, and 2 green chillies. Optionally you can also add a few fresh coriander leaves. Grind these into a smooth puree and set aside.
Making the Chicken Spinach Curry
- Heat 2 tbsp ghee or oil in a large pan or wok(kadhai) on medium heat. Add 3 cloves, 3 green cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera). Fry this for a few seconds.
- Add 2 finely chopped onion (red or yellow). Fry the onions till it is lightly brown in color.
- Now add 1 large tomato finely chopped. Cook till the tomatoes are soft.
- Add the dry spices – 1 tsp turmeric powder(haldi),1 tsp red chilli powder,1 tbsp coriander powder(dhaniya powder), and 1/2 tsp cumin powder(jeera powder). Fry for 1-2 minutes. Add a splash of water if the spices are getting too dry and burning.
- Now add the marinated chicken and mix the chicken well with the spices. Fry the chicken with the spices till the chicken changes color. Then add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 cup water and mix the chicken. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the chicken for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and give the chicken a good mix. Then add the pureed spinach and stir well. Cover with a lid and cook till the chicken is cooked through. Add more water if you want more gravy in your palak chicken curry.
- Add 1 tbsp fresh cream and 1/2 tsp garam masala and mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve hot with naan, chapati or rice and enjoy this delicious and creamy spinach chicken curry.
Notes
- Use fresh baby spinach for the best flavors.
- Whole spices can be lightly toasted and then ground to a fine powder to avoid getting a bite of the whole spices when eating.
- Use boneless chicken thighs or chicken legs for best results if you want to make a boneless palak chicken. Chicken thighs when cooked are juicier and tender to eat, but chicken breast pieces can easily get overcooked and chewy.
- Fresh Cream can be substituted with thick coconut milk or cream.
Nutrition (Estimates Only)
More Palak Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to Store Leftover Chicken Palak?
Store leftover palak chicken in an airtight container or box in the fridge for up to 2 days. You can also freeze the curry in freezer bags but it may lose some of its fresh earthy flavor.
Are Palak Chicken and Saag Chicken the same?
Palak Chicken and Saag Chicken are used interchangeably in many restaurants but they are different. Chicken palak is cooked only with spinach and sometimes some coriander leaves and kasuri methi whereas, saag murgh is cooked with a combination of different leaves like mustard greens (sarson ka saag), coriander leaves, fenugreek leaves (fresh methi leaves), regular spinach, and wild spinach (bathua saag).
My family loved this!
This was delicious! Thank you! Next time I want to try to keep the spinach green with fresh leaves, had only fried ones and it did not work out as I hoped.