Chicken Saag Recipes

CHICKEN SAAG (CHICKEN AND SPINACH CURRY)

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (if you plan to double the recipe, definitely use a pot instead of a skillet so you have room for all the spinach!). Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and saute until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring regularly, and lowering heat to medium-low if it starts to brown too quickly.
• Over medium heat, add the salt, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, cumin, cardamom, and chili powder, and stir on medium-low heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds or so. Dissolve the tomato paste in the water by stirring vigorously together in a measuring cup or bowl. Then stir into the spices in the pan, creating a thick spiced sauce, about 1 minute.
• Add the spinach and gently stir to combine, as the skillet will be very full. Cover and raise the heat to medium-high, allowing the spinach to start to wilt. Occasionally remove the lid, stir, and then cover again until most the spinach has begun to wilt, about 3 to 5 minutes (can depend on the size of your spinach leaves). Remove the lid and finish stirring the spinach until it is completely wilted but still bright green, another minute.
• Transfer spinach mixture to a blender and puree until relatively smooth but still a bit chunky (you don't want it to be super smooth, a bit of texture is good). Taste and adjust salt and spice if necessary.
• Meanwhile, wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel, return it to medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the cubed chicken pieces, sprinkle salt over the top to season, and cook until almost completely cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the spinach mixture back over the chicken, using a rubber spatula to get every last bit out of the blender, and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the chicken to finish cooking. Stir in the yogurt, and serve immediately with basmati rice and/or naan.

INDIAN CHICKEN SAAG

Steps:

• Drizzle chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon garam masala, salt, and pepper.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir until nicely browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from the skillet.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add spinach and season with salt; cook, covered, until spinach is wilted, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Heat butter in the same skillet used for chicken over medium-high heat. Saute onion and a pinch of salt in the hot pan until onion has softened, stirring to pick up browned bits left from the chicken, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, chile peppers, and ginger; cook for 1 to 2 minutes, adding olive oil if necessary. Add curry leaves, cardamom pods, mustard seed, and turmeric; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and continue to cook, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce, honey, and sauteed spinach; reduce heat to low.
• Blend sauce mixture in the skillet using an immersion blender until smooth. Continue to let simmer, 10 to 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Add chicken and stir in paneer and heavy cream.

CHICKEN SAAG

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and fry the chicken pieces until browned, about 8 minutes per side. Set the chicken aside.
• Place the spinach into a large pot with 1/4 cup of water, bring to a boil, cover the pan, and remove from heat. Allow the spinach to steam for about 10 minutes, then place into a blender, and blend until very finely chopped. Set the spinach aside.
• Place the onions, garlic, and ginger into the skillet, and fry over medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, and salt; stir in 1 tablespoon water, and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Pour in the milk, stir to combine, and return the chicken pieces to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir the spinach and garam masala into the skillet, and cook until the spinach starts to stick to the pan, about 15 minutes.
• Stir in sour cream, and bring the mixture just to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in butter.

SAAG CHICKEN

Steps:

• Fry the chicken in 4 tbs oil for around 3-4 minutes until lightly browned and set aside.
• Put the spinach in a pot, add 1/4C water.
• Bring to the boil and remove from heat.
• When cool, grind very well (almost to a paste) in blender and set aside.
• Heat the remaining 3 tbs oil in a pan and add ginger, garlic and onions.
• Fry until lightly brown.
• Add tomatoes, salt, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, turmeric, cloves and cardamom.
• Sprinkle with 1 tbs water.
• Cook for 10 minutes on a low heat.
• Add chicken and milk to the pan.
• Simmer until the chicken is tender (about 10 minutes).
• Add spinach and garam masala to the pan.
• Cook until spinach starts sticking to the pan (about 15 minutes).
• Remove from heat, add butter and cover until ready to serve with rice.

HOW TO MAKE BRITISH INDIAN RESTAURANT STYLE CHICKEN SAAGWALA

Steps:

• Start with the spinach. In a food processor, blend the fresh spinach, green chillies and lemon juice together with just enough water or stock from your pre-cooked chicken so that it blends to a smooth paste. Set aside.
• Now heat the ghee or oil in a wok or large frying pan.
• Pour in the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for about 30 seconds.
• Add the cumin, coriander powder and chilli powder and stir to combine.
• When the spices begin to fill the room with their magnificent aroma, pour in the hot curry sauce and chicken pieces. Always add the curry sauce hot.
• Allow this to cook for about three to five minutes until the chicken is warmed through and the curry sauce is bubbling nicely.
• Now pour in the spinach mixture and stir it in. The red and bright green colours will look amazing together as the spinach and curry sauce blend.
• Cook for about another two minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and then check for seasoning. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander and garam masala and serve with white rice or naans.

EASY CHICKEN SAAG

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in large non-stick saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, ginger and garlic, cover with a lid and fry for 8-10 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the lid, increase the heat a little and cook for 2-3 minutes more, or until the onions are lightly browned. Stir in the curry powder and chilli flakes (if using) and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the spinach, a handful at a time, and sprinkle with the salt. Pour over 150ml/¼ pint cold water and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Remove from the heat and blitz with a stick-blender until almost smooth. Set aside.
• Heat the remaining half tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Season the chicken with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper and fry for 5-6 minutes over a medium-high heat, turning regularly until lightly browned in places.
• Pour the spinach sauce into the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through, adding an extra splash of water if needed.
• Season with a little lemon juice and extra salt and pepper, to taste. Serve.