• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop

Chili Pepper Madness logo

  • Recipe Index
  • RECIPES BY TYPE
    • BBQ/Grilled
    • Burgers
    • Chicken Wings
    • Chili
    • Curry
    • Dehydrator
    • Game Day
    • Hot Sauce Recipes
    • Jalapeno Poppers
    • Marinades
    • Pickling
    • Preserving
    • Quick and Easy
    • Salsas
    • Sauces
    • Seasonings
    • Stuffed Peppers
    • Tacos
  • COOKING TIPS
  • Pepper Info
    • Chili Pepper Types
    • The Scoville Scale
    • Hottest Peppers in the World
    • Growing Chili Peppers
    • Preserving
    • Health Benefits
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Buy Plants & Seeds
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • All Recipes
  • Pepper Info
  • Chili Pepper Types
  • The Scoville Scale
  • Growing Chili Peppers
  • Preserving
  • Chili Pepper Health Benefits
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Cooking Tips
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
  • About Us
×

Home » Recipes » Chicken Saag

Chicken Saag

by Mike Hultquist · May 11, 2020 · 30 Comments

Jump to Recipe Save Saved!
Chicken Saag Recipe

This chicken saag recipe is Indian curry at its finest, made with spinach or other greens, lots of chicken and the perfect seasoning blend simmered in a creamy sauce. Quick and easy to make!

Chicken Saag Recipe

Chicken Saag Recipe

It's curry time again in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends! You know we love curry around here. As a spicy food lover, curry is one of the "absolute musts" when it comes to recipe selection, as curry has it all - Big flavor, lots of spices and boldness.

The wonderful thing about curry is that there are so many different ways to make it! There are Indian curries, Thai curries, Americanized curries, red curries, yellow curries, spicy curries and mild curries.

But! Did you know there is a curry made with greens? Yes! There is!

We're talking about Chicken Saag Curry, and I think you're going to love it. If you love greens, this is the curry for you. Print this one and add it to your recipe folder, my friends. It just might be your new favorite.

What is Chicken Saag?

Chicken Saag is a curry dish with leafy greens hailing from northern India. You may have heard of the dish Saag Paneer, which is a leafy green dish with Indian cheese, and this is a chicken curry version of the dish. Saag typically refers to a combination of spinach and mustard greens, which is similar to another common dish, "palak", which uses only spinach.

You'll find chicken saag (aka sag or saga) in Indian restaurants or anywhere where Indian food is served. It's such a wonderful dish, and now you can make it at home. It's very easy!

Let's talk about how to make chicken saag, shall we?

Chicken Saag Ingredients

  • The Chicken: 1 pound chicken thighs. You can also use chicken breast, or a combination of boneless chicken.
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • The Vegetables: 1 medium onion, 1 jalapeno pepper, 1 serrano pepper (optional, for more heat), 4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger. You can use milder or hotter peppers to your own heat preference.
  • The Greens: 1 pound fresh spinach, chopped. You can also use other greens, like collard greens, fenugreek or others. See the recipe notes below.
  • The Seasonings: 1 tablespoon garam masala, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, salt and pepper to taste. Chili powder is a nice addition, too, if you'd like to sneak some in, maybe a teaspoon or so.
  • The Dairy: 1/2 cup milk (or use heavy cream)
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • Additional: 1 tablespoon butter, for added richness. This is swirled into the curry at the end.

How to Make Chicken Saag - the Recipe Method

First, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and set aside.

Add the oil in a large pan heat to medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook for 5 minutes, or until they soften.

Add the chopped chicken and cook, stirring a bit, for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is lightly browned and cooks mostly through.

Add the garlic and ginger and stir. Cook for 1 minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.

Add the spinach leaves a handful at a time and cook it down, stirring as you go. Cook for 5 minutes. The spinach will break down considerably.

Cooking onion and chicken, then stirring spinach into the pan to make chicken saag

Stir in the seasonings and the milk. Stir to make sure everything is evenly incorporated. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Bring the curry to a quick boil, then remove from heat. Stir in the yogurt until it is fully incorporated. This gives you a creamier chicken curry and lightens up the meal a bit.

Simmering the chicken saag in a pan and stirring yogurt into the chicken saag

Swirl in 1 tablespoon butter for added richness.

Garnish and serve!

Boom! Done! Chicken saag in the house! I hope you enjoy it. This is a chicken curry like no other. Or spinach curry!

Serving Indian Chicken Saag Curry

I like to serve mine with white rice. Basmati rice is great here. You don't have to season the rice outside of a bit of salt, but coconut rice is a nice addition. I also like to serve mine with torn naan or pita bread to sop up all of that wonderful creamy curry sauce. It's so good! Such a great recipe.

Storage and Leftovers

Store any leftover chicken saag in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 5 days. To enjoy it again, you can warm it in a small pot or pan on the stovetop.

You can also freeze it in vacuum sealed containers for 3 months or longer.

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • The Greens. Most recipes call for fresh spinach with chicken saag, but you can realistically use any types of edible greens with this recipe. The greens are what define this dish. I have made it with spinach, dandelion greens, collard greens and kale. Use your favorite greens, or a combination of. You will need to use a bit more liquid and simmer longer if you use more fibrous greens, so plan accordingly. Spinach cooks up very quickly.
  • The Chicken. I usually use boneless chicken thighs for this dish, though chopped chicken breast is great, too. Or use a combination. You can make this with bone-in chicken, though if keeping the skins on, sear them first to brown them up, then up your simmer time to allow the chicken to cook through. You may need to add more liquid to the curry.
  • Other Proteins. The name of this dish is "chicken saag", but it's great with other proteins, too. Try it out with chopped pork, lamb, beef or seafood. 
  • Go Vegetarian. Skip the chicken entirely for a vegetarian chicken saag. Toss in some chickpeas as a filler. Try it with tofu. You can also easily skip the milk and use vegetable stock instead. Delicious! Same great curry flavor.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy my Indian chicken saag recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!

Serve it up with my spicy chilli pickle recipe for extra spiciness!

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

  • Masoor Dal - Red Lentil Curry
  • Red Curry
  • Easy Chana Masala
  • Green Curry
  • Chicken Korma
  • Spicy Chicken Vindaloo
  • Spicy Thai Curry Chicken Soup
  • Coconut Chicken Curry
  • Chickpea Curry
  • Khao Soi – Northern Thai Coconut Curry Soup
  • Thai Shrimp Curry
  • Sweet and Spicy Cashew Chicken
  • See all of my Curry Recipes
Chicken Saag in a hot pan

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Chicken Saag in a hot pan with a serving spoon
Print

Chicken Saag Recipe

This chicken saag recipe is Indian curry at its finest, made with spinach or other greens, lots of chicken and the perfect seasoning blend simmered in a creamy sauce. Quick and easy to make!
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Indian
Keyword: chicken, chicken thighs, curry, spicy, spinach
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Calories: 283kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 4
Tap or hover to scale
5 from 15 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken thighs chopped, or use chicken breast
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 jalapeno pepper chopped
  • 1 serrano pepper chopped (optional, for more heat)
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger chopped
  • 1 pound spinach chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup milk or use heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a large pan to medium heat. Add the onion and peppers and cook for 5 minutes, or until they soften.
  • Add the chopped chicken and cook, stirring a bit, for 5 minutes, or until the chicken cooks mostly through.
  • Add the garlic and ginger and stir. Cook for 1 minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant.
  • Add the spinach a handful at a time and cook it down, stirring as you go. Cook for 5 minutes. The spinach will break down considerably.
  • Stir in the seasonings and the milk. Stir to make sure everything is evenly incorporated. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Bring the curry to a quick boil, then remove from heat. Stir in the yogurt until it is fully incorporated.
  • Swirl in 1 tablespoon butter for added richness.
  • Garnish and serve! I like to serve mine with rice and some pita bread to sop up the creamy curry sauce.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 283kcal   Carbohydrates: 12g   Protein: 28g   Fat: 14g   Saturated Fat: 5g   Cholesterol: 122mg   Sodium: 246mg   Potassium: 1084mg   Fiber: 4g   Sugar: 5g   Vitamin A: 11083IU   Vitamin C: 41mg   Calcium: 206mg   Iron: 4mg
Chicken Saag in a hot pan with a serving spoon
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Sam says

    August 30, 2023 at 7:45 am

    5 stars
    Delicious. I used the curried rice recipe with the chicken saag. And had roti on the side. Perfect spicy level. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 30, 2023 at 7:52 am

      Great! Glad you enjoyed them, Sam! I appreciate your comments!

      Reply
  2. Nita K says

    June 16, 2023 at 3:16 pm

    5 stars
    This was really good but very similar to a dish I make where I just use sour cream (light) instead of milk or cream and the yogurt.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      June 16, 2023 at 3:21 pm

      Sounds great, Nita!

      Reply
  3. Paul says

    June 09, 2023 at 4:43 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I used hot Kashmiri chili so didn't need the additional heat from the jalapeno (though I used them the second time for comparison). Pureed the spinach so my kids didn't see green leafy vegetables - they loved it! Highly recommended!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      June 10, 2023 at 6:30 am

      Awesome! Thanks, Paul!

      Reply
« Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

ALL. SPICY. RECIPES. Hi, I’m Mike and I LOVE Spicy Food! Say goodbye to bland and boring food with my easy-to-follow recipes. Let’s get cooking!

More about me →

Mexican Cajun Sauces Seasonings
Order The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND / BOOKS A MILLION

Order The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND

Footer

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Receive my "5 Essentials for Spicy Cooking" email series & new recipes

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

↑ back to top

About | Contact | Travel-Food | Ingredients | Stories | Privacy | Disclaimer | © 2024 Chili Pepper Madness

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER OF MEDIAVINE FOOD