Palak Chicken, also known as Saag Wala Chicken or Spinach Chicken Curry, is a flavorful, one-pot North Indian and Pakistani chicken curry cooked with fresh spinach (palak) and aromatic spices. This wholesome chicken curry is rich in nutrients, making it an excellent dinner option for entire family.
You can make this easy Chicken Palak on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot, or using a pressure cooker. It pairs perfectly with naan, roti, paratha, or basmati rice.
Watch Recipe of Palak Chicken
My mother cooked so many variations of saag, and making this recipe always brings back the warm flavors of home. If you’re a fan of hearty greens, be sure to try my popular Lamb Saag and the simple, rustic Aloo Saag, both inspired by those same homestyle flavors.
Jump to:
- About Palak Chicken
- Difference Between Saag and Palak
- How to Wash Spinach?
- How to Cut Spinach?
- Ingredients
- How to Cook Palak Chicken (Stovetop Method)
- Instant Pot Palak Chicken
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Palak
- Pro Tips
- How To Store, Freeze & Reheat
- Serving & Presentation Idea
- FAQs
- Related Recipe Ideas
- Palak Chicken Recipe
About Palak Chicken
Palak Chicken, also known as Chicken Saag, is a traditional Indian and Pakistani curry that brings together juicy chicken pieces and finely chopped spinach cooked in a spiced onion-tomato masala. The spinach adds a silky texture while boosting the nutrition, making the dish both wholesome and satisfying. Whether you cook it on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot, it’s a reliable family favorite that tastes even better the next day.
Restaurant-Style vs. Homestyle Palak Chicken
Palak Chicken can taste completely different depending on whether it’s made at home or in restaurants. Here’s how restaurant-style chicken saag compares to the traditional homestyle palak chicken you’ll find in Indian and Pakistani kitchens:
Restaurant-Style Palak Chicken: Restaurant versions tend to be richer, creamier, and more indulgent. Chefs often add cream, butter, kasuri methi, and blended spinach puree to create a smooth, glossy gravy. The chicken is usually cooked separately and then mixed into the spinach sauce, giving the curry a polished, silky finish. Restaurant-style palak chicken is slightly heavier, mildly spiced, and designed for that classic “creamy curry house flavor” perfect with naan or garlic butter roti.
Homestyle Palak Chicken: Homestyle versions are more rustic, nutritious, and deeply flavored. The spinach is usually ribbon-cut or roughly chopped, allowing the leaves to retain texture and color. Instead of cream, the thickness comes from slow-cooked spinach, tomatoes, and onions, making the dish lighter and naturally healthier. The chicken cooks directly in the saag masala, absorbing all the spices for a more earthy and authentic taste. Homestyle palak chicken is spicier, simpler, and perfect with rice or chapati.
Which One Is Better?
Both versions are delicious — restaurant-style for a rich, creamy curry-night meal, and homestyle for a nutritious, protein-packed dinner that’s easy to make on busy weekdays. This recipe gives you the perfect homestyle Pakistani + Indian fusion flavor with the option to make it creamier like restaurants.
Difference Between Saag and Palak
As a kid, I had difficulty distinguishing between saag and spinach. Whenever my mother cooked saag, it felt like spinach, so she helped me learn the difference. All vegetables with green leaves are categorized as saag, and spinach is also part of that group. Therefore, you can call this dish Palak Saag with Chicken.
How to Wash Spinach?
Carefully washing the spinach is important to get rid of all the dirt. Before I cook, I always inspect the spinach bunch to cut away any dirty parts. After that, I wash it in a colander with cold tap water. It's best to gently shuffle the leaves with hands to remove any dirt or grime. I usually wash it 2 to 3 times and then put it in the colander to drain the water.
How to Cut Spinach?
It's simple and easy to cut all the leaves by keeping them together in a bunch. You can watch in the video; Timespan: (02:16 - 02:34).
First, make a bunch and cut it in form of ribbons using a sharp knife on the cutting board. Then toss it to add in chicken curry.
Ingredients
Chicken (bone-in): Bone-in chicken adds natural stock to the curry, giving the palak a deeper, richer, meaty flavor.
Spinach: Fresh spinach cut into thin ribbons so it softens quickly and blends into a smooth, wholesome curry texture.
Spices: A simple blend of red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, and salt to season the base masala.
Garam Masala: A combination of whole spices for tempering and ground garam masala for warmth and aroma. (See recipe card for exact quantities.)
Yogurt: Used to marinate the chicken, adding tenderness and a mild, creamy tang that enhances the gravy.
Brown Onion: Crushed fried onions help thicken the masala naturally and add a delicious nutty depth.
Ginger & Garlic: Freshly ground ginger-garlic paste creates the signature flavor foundation of chicken saag.
Oil: Use neutral vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil. Extra virgin olive oil works but slightly alters the traditional flavor.
Julienned Ginger: For garnish — adds freshness and a light spicy kick on top.
How to Cook Palak Chicken (Stovetop Method)
1. Marinate the Chicken
Clean and cut chicken, drain excess water. In a bowl, mix 1 cup yogurt, ground garam masala, cumin powder, and salt. Coat the chicken and marinate for 1 hour.
Pro tip: Bone-in chicken gives the best flavor.
2. Prepare the Curry Base
In a pan, heat oil and add the whole spices: black peppercorns, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, and green cardamom.
Let them sizzle until aromatic.
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté until it turns light golden.
Mix in red chili powder, turmeric, and coriander powder. Cook for a minute to remove the raw spice flavor.
Add the marinated chicken and cook on high heat until it changes color and releases moisture.
Stir in the crushed brown onions, mix well, and add a little water.
Cover and cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken becomes tender.
3. Prepare the Spinach
Rinse spinach thoroughly and drain completely.
Cut it into thin ribbon-style strips, then gently separate the strands with your hands.
4. Add Spinach to the Chicken
Once the chicken is cooked, add the ribbon-cut spinach to the pan.
Cook on high heat for 2 minutes while stirring.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and steam the curry for 5–10 minutes, allowing the spinach to soften and blend into the gravy.
5. Serve
Your flavorful Palak Chicken (Saag Wala Chicken) is ready!
Garnish with julienned ginger for freshness and aroma.
This dish also makes a wonderful dawat-style curry — rich, aromatic, and truly “shaadiyon wala” in flavor.
Instant Pot Palak Chicken
Perfect for busy nights.
- Turn IP to Sauté Mode → heat oil.
- Add onions, ginger garlic paste, and sauté.
- Add chicken + spices → sauté 3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and spinach.
- Add ¼ cup water (very important!).
- Cook on Manual High – 6 minutes.
- Quick release.
- Add garam masala and simmer on Sauté for 3 minutes.
Pressure Cooker Chicken Palak
- Prepare masala as above.
- Add chicken + spinach.
- Add ⅓ cup water.
- Cook on medium flame for 2 whistles.
- Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Pro Tips
- Avoid adding too much water — spinach naturally releases moisture while cooking.
- Use fresh, leafy spinach for a vibrant, medium-light green color. Overcooking or using frozen chicken can darken the curry.
- Blanching spinach briefly helps retain its bright green color.
- Cook the chicken first before adding spinach for the best flavor integration.
- Bone-in chicken adds richer, deeper flavor to the curry.
- Add tomatoes only after the chicken has changed color to enhance the taste.
- If the spinach tastes slightly bitter, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of cream or yogurt.
- Both baby and mature spinach work well in this recipe — just ensure leaves are fresh and firm.
How To Store, Freeze & Reheat
Refrigerator: Cool down the dish and simply shift the leftover in airtight glass container. Place the container in refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To reheat, take out the portion and microwave it or reheat in a pan/skillet by adding a splash of water at slow heat.
Freezer: Make sure to use an airtight container that is safe for the freezer and freeze it for 2 months. Thaw it at room temperature or in the refrigerator before you use it. My personal hack for thawing frozen curry is to add a little water in a pan and heat it on the stovetop at a very slow temperature.
Serving & Presentation Idea
It's a traditional dish with dark green color so it's best to serve in a white ceramic dish to highlight the texture of rich and creamy gravy. Avoid dark color dishes as it will make dull in look! If you have better idea for presentation then share with me.
I love to pair up my palak chicken with:
- Roti, or tandoori naan: The hot, fluffy phulka with a layer of butter pairs perfectly with the curry, providing a comforting bite. The next day, try it with paratha or roghni naan, and I’m sure you’ll love this combination.
- Rice: It goes best with chana pulao, aloo tehri or steamed basmati rice especially when served with shami kabab.
- Sides: Laccha onion with lemon dressing, and yogurt or raita.
FAQs
It depends on the way of making it and the size and weight of the chicken. In this recipe, I took 500 g of chicken and 2 cups of fresh spinach. In terms of calories after cooking, it's around 314 Kcal.
Yes, it's low-carb and full of vitamins and minerals. Good source of folate and protein. Also, having low calories. Skip the oil option with olive or canola oil.
Spinach is one of the best forms of saag as it's a leafy green vegetable.
Yes! Add it directly — no thawing. Increase cooking time by 5 minutes.
Yes. Replace tomatoes with:
2–3 tablespoons yogurt
or 1 tablespoon cream
Spinach gets dark when:
- overcooked
- cooked on very high heat
- reheated multiple times
To keep color bright: cook on medium flame and add lemon at the end.
Both work, but bone-in chicken has more flavor.
Yes! Use the sauté mode for the base, then pressure cook chicken for 8–10 minutes before adding spinach.
Saagwala is a culinary specialty that incorporates leafy greens such as spinach, fenugreek leaves (methi), or mustard greens (sarson ka saag). It is prepared over high heat with ginger, garlic, fresh tomatoes, and spices, resulting in a rich flavor that goes perfectly with any Indian or Pakistani chapati or roti.
Indeed, you can create this dish with lamb, mutton, or beef by following the same recipe. The only adjustment will be in the cooking time, which will increase according to the type of meat you are using. Here is the recipe of one pan lamb saag cooked on the stovetop.
Related Recipe Ideas
- Chickpea curry
- Okra Curry
- Indian Lamb Curry
- Aloo Gosht
- Dal Palak
- Chana Saag
- Crustless spinach quiche
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Palak Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g Chicken skinless with bones
- 2 cups Spinach (Palak) Fresh, Ribbon cut
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Grated or paste
- 1 cup Yogurt (Dahi)
Whole Garam Masala
- 20 Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 stick Cinnamon Sticks: 3″
- 7 Green Cardamom
Powdered Spices
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder homemade
- ½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt – 1 Tsp
- 1 tablespoon Brown Onion (Crushed)
- 300 ml Water To thicken curry
- Julienne Ginger for Garnish
Instructions
Marinate The Chicken
- Clean and cut chicken, drain excess water.
- In a bowl, mix 1 cup yogurt, ground garam masala, cumin powder, and salt.
- Coat the chicken and marinate for 1 hour.
Prepare The Chicken Curry Base
- In a pan, heat oil and add the whole spices: black peppercorns, cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, and green cardamom. Let them sizzle until aromatic.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté until it turns light golden.
- Mix in red chili powder, turmeric, and coriander powder. Cook for a minute to remove the raw spice flavor.
- Add the marinated chicken and cook on high heat until it changes color and releases moisture.
- Stir in the crushed brown onions, mix well, and add a little water.
- Cover and cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken becomes tender.
Spinach Cutting
- Rinse spinach thoroughly and drain completely.
- Cut it into thin ribbon-style strips, then gently separate the strands with your hands.
Add Spinach to the Chicken
- Once the chicken is cooked, add the ribbon-cut spinach to the pan.Cook on high heat for 2 minutes while stirring.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and steam the curry for 5–10 minutes, allowing the spinach to soften and blend into the gravy.
Serve
- Now the delicious Palak Chicken (Saag Wala Chicken) is ready to serve!
- Garnish with julienned ginger for freshness and aroma.
- This dish also makes a wonderful dawat-style curry — rich, aromatic, and truly “shaadiyon wala” in flavor just because of adding fried onion.
Video
Notes
- Avoid adding too much water — spinach naturally releases moisture while cooking.
- Use fresh, leafy spinach for a vibrant, medium-light green color. Overcooking or using frozen chicken can darken the curry.
- Blanching spinach briefly helps retain its bright green color.
- Cook the chicken first before adding spinach for the best flavor integration.
- Bone-in chicken adds richer, deeper flavor to the curry.
- Add tomatoes only after the chicken has changed color to enhance the taste.
- If the spinach tastes slightly bitter, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of cream or yogurt.
- Both baby and mature spinach work well in this recipe — just ensure leaves are fresh and firm.
Ayesha Khan
Great Recipe - I love Palak Chicken
Hinz
The gravy of palak and chicken makes a perfect taste. Best palak chicken recipe for foodies to make at home. Punjabi style!
Laird
What is meant by Brown Onion (crushed)?
Hinz
I meant to say crispy brown onion (birista). Hand crushed version.. No paste!
Karen
This was excellent and my whole family loved it. Will definitely cook it again