Chicken Saag

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb chicken breast (cut into bite-sized cubes)
• 3 tbsp oil (divided; referred to as 'food lube')
• 2 tsp red chili powder (divided (for marinade and gravy))
• 1 tsp turmeric (divided (for marinade and gravy))
• salt (to taste)
• 10 oz spinach (one big bag)
• 1 handful fresh cilantro (leaves and stems)
• 4 green chilies (adjust for spice preference)
• 4 green cardamom pods (whole spice)
• 1 cinnamon stick (whole spice)
• 3 cloves (whole spice)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (whole spice)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 0.5 tsp garam masala (for finishing)

Steps

1. 1

   Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized cubes.

2. 2

   In a bowl, marinate the chicken cubes with a bit of oil, red chili powder, turmeric, and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly until the chicken is fully coated.

3. 3

   Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a bit more oil. Add the marinated chicken and cook until fully cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

4. 4

   In a separate pot of boiling water, blanch the spinach for about one minute until wilted.

5. 5

   Immediately transfer the blanched spinach to ice-cold water to stop the cooking process and preserve the green color.

6. 6

   Add the cooled spinach to a blender cup along with a handful of cilantro (including the stems), green chilies, and a touch of water. Blend until smooth to create a spinach paste.

7. 7

   In the same pan used for the chicken, add more oil. Once hot, add the whole spices: green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and cumin seeds.

8. 8

   Add the chopped onions to the pan and sauté until softened.

9. 9

   Stir in the chopped tomatoes and ginger garlic paste.

10. 10

    Add the ground spices: red chili powder, turmeric, cumin powder, and coriander powder. Pour in a bit of water, cover the pan, and cook for a few minutes to cook out the raw spice flavor.

11. 11

    Pour in the prepared spinach paste. Add some hot water to adjust the consistency until it reaches a gravy-like texture.

12. 12

    Return the cooked chicken to the pan. Season with salt and a touch of garam masala. Stir to combine and heat through before serving.

Notes

The author emphasizes not discarding the cilantro stems as they are packed with flavor. The spice level can be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of green chilies.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• Indian
• chicken
• spinach
• saag
• healthy
• high-protein