Easy Homemade Palak Chicken Recipe (Spinach Curry Sauce)
User Reviews
5
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
353 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Dinner
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Cuisine
Indian
Easy Homemade Palak Chicken Recipe (Spinach Curry Sauce)
Description
Beginning with pan-fried chicken thighs browned and cooked through, the recipe develops flavor by sautéing onions, garlic, ginger, jalapeño, and spices in butter. Fresh spinach leaves are added gradually to wilt in the pan before the mixture is blended with cilantro and water into a coarse sauce. Returning this sauce to the pan, heavy cream enriches it to a smooth, creamy consistency. The chicken is combined with the sauce and warmed through, seasoned with salt to taste.
The combination results in a mildly spicy, aromatic curry with tender chicken pieces immersed in a thick spinach and cream sauce. Suitable for serving alongside rice or flatbread to complement the sauce.
To help wilt the spinach quickly, adding a small amount of water to the pan produces steam, speeding the cooking process and ensuring the greens soften evenly. Careful blending avoids over-processing to preserve some texture in the sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon butter or ghee
- 1 c yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic minced, cloves
- 1 tablespoon ginger finely grated, fresh
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed and finely diced
- ¼ teaspoon chili flakes Use more or less depending how spicy you like it.
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 11 oz baby spinach about ⅔ lb, one large salad clamshell container
- 1 cup cilantro Use stems and leaves when blending, reserving a few leaves for garnish, fresh
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup heavy cream or more to taste
- 1 lb chicken thighs sliced into bite size pieces, boneless, skinless
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon butter and fry bite sized chicken pieces until lightly browned on both sides and just cooked through. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Put skillet back on the stove with remaining butter and heat to medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until transluscent and just starting to brown. Add in minced garlic, ginger, garam masala, jalapeno and chili flakes. Cook until fragrant, stirring frequently for approzimately 2 more minutes.
- Add spinach a handful at a time, stirring and letting each bunch wilt down before adding more. (*See note below) Once all the spinach is cooked down, remove from heat.
- Transfer spinach mixture to blender with cilantro and water. Remove center part of blender lid (hot ingredients will create steam that needs to escape), and cover with a tea towel. Blend for 20 seconds (stopping after first 10 seconds to scrape down the sides of the blender) until spinach becomes a coarse sauce, then return to skillet set to low.
- Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's as thick as you like it. Stir in cream and salt. Add cooked chicken and cook 2-3 more minutes until chicken is heated through. Season with additional salt and pepper if required, to taste and serve right away.
Notes
- If spinach is slow to wilt, add 1-2 tablespoons of the blending water to the pan to create steam and soften the leaves faster.
- Keep the center hole of the blender lid open and cover with a towel to allow steam to escape when blending hot ingredients safely.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 353 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 353kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 9g | 3% |
| Protein | 26g | 52% |
| Fat | 25g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 164mg | 55% |
| Sodium | 245mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 840mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 8383IU | 168% |
| Vitamin C | 31mg | 34% |
| Calcium | 126mg | 13% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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