Palak Chicken

Dipna Anand is back with another much loved Punjabi dish that her grandfather first served up in the 1950’s at his restaurant in Kenya. Palak chicken is a delicious dish of chicken on the bone (or off if preferred) cooked in an onion and tomato masala with spinach. Palak chicken is perfect with a paratha or chapatti and even goes with plain Basmati rice. When you blend the spinach masala, its up to you as to how much you want to go ahead and puree it and how smooth you want it. Either way the flavour is just perfect. It's finished with her grandfather’s unique 15 spice garam masala and for me is great at any time of the day.

4-5

Ingredients

275g baby spinach
Water for boiling
400g chopped tomatoes, tinned or fresh blended to a smooth paste
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 medium whole chicken, skinned and cut into pieces or 800g boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh, diced into 4cm pieces
30g butter
2 tablespoons ginger and garlic paste
2 finger green chillies, finely chopped or made into a paste or to taste
2 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander and a little for garnish
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ¼ teaspoons salt + 1 teaspoon for blanching spinach
150-200ml water

Spices

2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
¾ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 ¼ teaspoon garam masala

Method

Print Recipe

Boil water with 1 teaspoon of salt to blanch spinach. Once water is boiling, roughly break the spinach and add to water. Blanch spinach in water for 2 minutes until it starts to boil. Remove from heat, strain water (do not squeeze out all of the water, just strain), leave to one side
Heat the oil in a saucepan, once the hot has heated, add the cumin seeds
Once cumin sizzles, add onions and cook for 4-5 minutes
Once onions are caramelized and very brown, add green chilli, ginger and garlic paste and tomatoes, cook for 30 seconds
Add turmeric, red chilli, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and black pepper, put the lid on to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes (stirring now and again)
Once the masala is sizzling and the oil has seeped out of the edges, add the blanch spinach leaves, cook for 2 minutes with the lid on
Remove the spinach and tomato masala from the heat and purée using a jug blender or hand blender until smooth (do not over-purée)
Put the spinach masala back on to the heat and add the butter, cook for another 4-5 minutes with the lid on (mix occasionally)
Add the chicken pieces to the spinach masala and coat well
Add in 100ml of the water and put the lid on to cook the chicken for 12-14 minutes on a medium heat (mix occasionally)
Remove the lid from the saucepan, add garam masala and fresh chopped coriander, add more water if needed and cook until the chicken is fully cooked, this should take another few minutes
Adjust the season accordingly before removing from heat, garnish and serve

Ingredients

275g baby spinach
Water for boiling
400g chopped tomatoes, tinned or fresh blended to a smooth paste
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 medium whole chicken, skinned and cut into pieces or 800g boneless skinless chicken breast or thigh, diced into 4cm pieces
30g butter
2 tablespoons ginger and garlic paste
2 finger green chillies, finely chopped or made into a paste or to taste
2 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander and a little for garnish
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ¼ teaspoons salt + 1 teaspoon for blanching spinach
150-200ml water

Spices

2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 ½ teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
¾ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 ¼ teaspoon garam masala

Method

Boil water with 1 teaspoon of salt to blanch spinach. Once water is boiling, roughly break the spinach and add to water. Blanch spinach in water for 2 minutes until it starts to boil. Remove from heat, strain water (do not squeeze out all of the water, just strain), leave to one side
Heat the oil in a saucepan, once the hot has heated, add the cumin seeds
Once cumin sizzles, add onions and cook for 4-5 minutes
Once onions are caramelized and very brown, add green chilli, ginger and garlic paste and tomatoes, cook for 30 seconds
Add turmeric, red chilli, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and black pepper, put the lid on to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes (stirring now and again)
Once the masala is sizzling and the oil has seeped out of the edges, add the blanch spinach leaves, cook for 2 minutes with the lid on
Remove the spinach and tomato masala from the heat and purée using a jug blender or hand blender until smooth (do not over-purée)
Put the spinach masala back on to the heat and add the butter, cook for another 4-5 minutes with the lid on (mix occasionally)
Add the chicken pieces to the spinach masala and coat well
Add in 100ml of the water and put the lid on to cook the chicken for 12-14 minutes on a medium heat (mix occasionally)
Remove the lid from the saucepan, add garam masala and fresh chopped coriander, add more water if needed and cook until the chicken is fully cooked, this should take another few minutes
Adjust the season accordingly before removing from heat, garnish and serve