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Indian · Dinner

Chicken saag

Non-vegEasy

Diet: Non-veg · Gluten-free · High-protein

Fold cooked chicken into a spinach sauce with ginger, garlic and cumin. Briefly blanch the spinach before blending.

Prep
20 min
Cook
30 min
Total
50 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Indian
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 4

Spinach

Base

Chicken

Equipment

Saucepan; blender; sieve; wide pan with lid; thermometer.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed recipe, not every substitution.

Steps

Blanch · About 5 min

  1. Bring 1500 ml water for blanching to a boil. Add 500 g spinach leaves; blanch for 1 minute. Drain, rinse under cold water and blend with a few spoonfuls of cold water.

Cook the base · About 12 min

  1. Heat 25 ml neutral oil. Cook 150 g onion, chopped for 6 minutes. Add 20 g ginger-garlic paste; stir for 1 minute. Add 200 g tomatoes, chopped, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander and ¾ tsp salt; cook for 5 minutes.

Cook the chicken · About 20 min

  1. Add 650 g chicken thighs, diced and 120 ml water. Cover; simmer for 18–20 minutes. Do not wash raw chicken.

    Check: For Chicken saag, verify 74°C / 165°F inside the thickest pieces.

Finish the spinach sauce · About 5 min

  1. Stir in the spinach puree, 1 tsp garam masala and 60 ml cream. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes.

    Check: The sauce coats the chicken and remains green.

Tips

  • Do not boil spinach for a long time after blending.
  • Wash spinach well to remove grit.

Substitutions

  • Use thawed frozen spinach, squeezed before blending.
  • Use coconut milk instead of cream.

Storage

  • Get perishable Chicken saag into the fridge within two hours, or within one hour above 32°C / 90°F. Eat Chicken saag within two days, keeping it covered at 4°C / 40°F or colder.
  • Bring cooked Chicken saag to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning it for even heating. When Chicken saag is part of the meal, serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts straight from safe refrigeration.
  • If Chicken saag includes a thick sauce or soup, loosen it with a little water during gentle reheating. Any crisp coating on Chicken saag becomes softer in storage.

Make ahead

  • Blend spinach one day ahead; refrigerate it.
  • Cook the onion-tomato base ahead and chill it.

FAQ

Can I use mustard greens?

They need longer cooking and taste sharper. This timing is for spinach.

Why is the spinach brown?

Long cooking reduces its bright colour. Add it near the end.

Can I leave out the cream?

Yes. If the saag puree needs thinning, mix in a small amount of water.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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