Meals · Punjab

Palak Chicken

Tender chicken simmered in a bright green, garlicky spinach gravy. A Punjabi home favourite that tastes rich but is easy going on the waistline.

Prep 20 min · Cook 40 min · Total 60 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

Spinach puree

• 500 g Fresh spinach (palak)
• 3 Green chillies

Curry

• 750 g Chicken on the bone, curry cut
• 3 tbsp Oil
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2 Onions, finely chopped
• 1 ½ tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 2 Tomatoes, finely chopped
• ½ tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp Ground cumin
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 1 ¼ tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp Fresh cream

Garlic tadka

• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 6 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 Dried red chillies

Method

1. Blanch the spinach. Drop the spinach into a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then straight into a bowl of iced water so it stays green. Squeeze lightly and blend with the green chillies and a few tablespoons of water into a smooth puree.
2. Fry the onions. Heat the oil and ghee in a heavy pan. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaf, then the onions, and fry until golden. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook until the raw smell goes.
3. Cook the chicken. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander, ground cumin and salt and cook until the tomatoes soften. Add the chicken and sear for 5 minutes, then cover and cook on low with 1/4 cup water until tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Add the spinach. Stir in the spinach puree and garam masala and simmer uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes, just until hot. Longer and the colour dulls. Stir in the cream if using.
5. Garlic tadka and serve. Heat the ghee in a small pan, fry the garlic until golden and add the red chillies. Pour it sizzling over the curry and serve with roti, naan or jeera rice.

Tips

The spinach goes in at the very end. Cook the chicken fully first, then add the puree and just heat through, which keeps the gravy vivid green rather than khaki.