Palak Chicken Recipe

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.

4.86 from 7 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani

Keyword: chicken with palak, palak chicken, palak chicken curry, palak chicken recipe, saag wala chicken

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Servings: Persons

Calories: 355kcal

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 355kcal