Description
A flavorful and nutritious Chicken Saag recipe featuring tender chicken breast cooked with aromatic spices and fresh baby spinach, served alongside fragrant brown basmati rice. This wholesome dish combines traditional Indian spices with a creamy yogurt finish for a balanced and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Saag:
- 2 tsp rapeseed oil
- 1 onion (200g), finely chopped
- 10g ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 skinless chicken breast fillets (300g), trimmed of any fat and cut into pieces
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 160g baby spinach, chopped
- 3 tbsp bio yogurt
For the Rice:
- 120g brown basmati rice
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 3 cardamom pods, crushed and seeds removed
- Pinch of salt
- Enough water to generously cover the rice
Instructions
- Cook the Rice: Place the brown basmati rice, ground turmeric, and crushed cardamom seeds into a pan. Add a pinch of salt and enough water to generously cover the rice. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and set the rice aside, keeping it covered.
- Prepare the Aromatics: While the rice is cooking, heat the rapeseed oil in a large pan over low-medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, ginger, and garlic. Cover the pan and let them cook for 5 minutes until they begin to brown and soften.
- Add Spices: Stir the onions and aromatics well, then add the cumin seeds, ground coriander, garam masala, and ground turmeric. Cook for a short time, stirring continuously until the spices are toasted and release their fragrance, about 1-2 minutes.
- Cook the Chicken: Add the chicken pieces to the spiced onion mixture and stir-fry for a few minutes, allowing the chicken to brown slightly on all sides.
- Add Tomatoes and Spinach: Mix in the chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, and chopped baby spinach. Continue cooking, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes, until the spinach wilts and the tomatoes soften.
- Optional Freezing Step: At this point, you may remove the curry from the heat, allow it to cool completely, and freeze it for up to three months. When ready to eat, defrost fully before reheating.
- Finish with Yogurt: Stir in the bio yogurt to the chicken and spinach mixture, heating through gently for 1 minute without boiling to keep the yogurt from curdling.
- Drain and Serve: If necessary, drain the cooked rice. Serve the warm chicken saag curry alongside the brown basmati rice for a hearty and healthy meal.
Notes
- Use brown basmati rice for a nuttier flavor and added fiber.
- Adjust the spice quantities to suit your heat preference.
- Yogurt should be added off direct high heat to avoid curdling.
- This dish freezes well if prepared ahead of time.
- Cardamom pods add subtle fragrance to the rice but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Keywords: Chicken Saag, Indian Chicken Curry, Spinach Chicken Curry, Healthy Indian Recipes, Brown Basmati Rice, Low Fat Indian Dish
