This delicious Chicken Saag recipe by Jamie Oliver is a flavorful and nutritious dish that’s surprisingly simple to make. Perfect for a hearty dinner, it combines tender marinated chicken with a creamy spinach sauce, infused with fragrant spices. You can easily adjust the heat level and use everyday ingredients to create this comforting classic at home.
Ingredients Needed
For the Chicken and Curry Base:
- 850g / 1lb 13oz skinless chicken (on the bone, cut into medium pieces)
- 400g / 14oz spinach leaves (washed and trimmed)
- 4cm / 1½in ginger root (roughly chopped)
- 5 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
- 1 green bird’s-eye chilli
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 green cardamom pods (whole)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2.5cm / 1in cinnamon stick
- 250g / 9oz white onions (finely chopped)
- 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée (paste)
- 1 heaped tsp ground coriander
- Salt (to taste)
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro, to garnish)
- Ginger root (cut into matchsticks, to garnish)
For the Spiced Yoghurt Marinade:
- 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder or mild chilli powder
- 1½ tsp cumin seeds (coarsely crushed)
How To Make Chicken Saag
- Prepare the marinade: Mix Greek yoghurt, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, and cumin seeds in a bowl. Make cuts in the chicken pieces, coat them with the marinade, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 30 minutes.
- Blend the spinach: Add spinach and 3 tbsp water to a blender and blend into a smooth paste. Do this in batches if needed.
- Make the ginger-garlic paste: Blend ginger, garlic, and green chilli with 2–3 tbsp water into a paste. Set aside.
- Cook the base: Heat oil in a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Fry the cardamom pods, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks for a few seconds. Add the onions and fry for 15 minutes, stirring, until golden.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste: Stir in the ginger-garlic-chili paste and fry for 2 minutes. If it sticks, add a splash of water. Stir in the tomato purée and ground coriander, frying for another 2 minutes.
- Cook the chicken: Add the marinated chicken to the pan and fry for 7–8 minutes, ensuring the pieces are well sealed. Lower the heat, season with salt, cover, and cook for 15–17 minutes, stirring halfway to prevent sticking.
- Add the spinach: Stir in the puréed spinach and simmer over low heat for 5–7 minutes with the lid on.
- Finish and garnish: Sprinkle garam masala, garnish with chopped coriander and ginger matchsticks, and stir well.
- Serve: Pair with naan, pulao, raita, and pickled onions for a complete meal.
Recipe Tips
- Marinate the chicken well: Let the chicken sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is best. This helps the flavors soak in deeply and makes the chicken more tender.
- Cook onions slowly: Fry the onions on medium heat for 15 minutes until they turn golden. This step is crucial for building the base flavor of the curry.
- Add water when frying spices: If the pan gets too dry while frying the ginger-garlic paste or tomato purée, add a splash of water to prevent sticking and ensure the spices cook evenly.
- Finish with garam masala at the end: Adding garam masala in the last step enhances the aroma and flavor without overpowering the dish. Don’t skip this step for the perfect finish.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover Chicken Saag cool to room temperature. Transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Allow the Chicken Saag to cool completely, then place it in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To use, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheat: Pour the Chicken Saag into a pan and reheat on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes or until hot and bubbling.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 260 grams
- Calories: 310
- Total Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
- Sodium: 320mg
- Potassium: 550mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 11g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.1g
- Sugars: 4.1g
- Protein: 22g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Leek Risotto
- Jamie Oliver Chicken In Tomato Sauce
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Fried Rice
- Jamie Oliver Chicken Filo Pie
Jamie Oliver Chicken Saag Recipe
Description
This delicious Chicken Saag recipe by Jamie Oliver is a flavorful and nutritious dish that’s surprisingly simple to make. Perfect for a hearty dinner, it combines tender marinated chicken with a creamy spinach sauce, infused with fragrant spices. You can easily adjust the heat level and use everyday ingredients to create this comforting classic at home.
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Curry Base:
For the Spiced Yoghurt Marinade:
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade: Mix Greek yoghurt, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, and cumin seeds in a bowl. Make cuts in the chicken pieces, coat them with the marinade, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 30 minutes.
- Blend the spinach: Add spinach and 3 tbsp water to a blender and blend into a smooth paste. Do this in batches if needed.
- Make the ginger-garlic paste: Blend ginger, garlic, and green chilli with 2–3 tbsp water into a paste. Set aside.
- Cook the base: Heat oil in a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Fry the cardamom pods, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks for a few seconds. Add the onions and fry for 15 minutes, stirring, until golden.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste: Stir in the ginger-garlic-chili paste and fry for 2 minutes. If it sticks, add a splash of water. Stir in the tomato purée and ground coriander, frying for another 2 minutes.
- Cook the chicken: Add the marinated chicken to the pan and fry for 7–8 minutes, ensuring the pieces are well sealed. Lower the heat, season with salt, cover, and cook for 15–17 minutes, stirring halfway to prevent sticking.
- Add the spinach: Stir in the puréed spinach and simmer over low heat for 5–7 minutes with the lid on.
- Finish and garnish: Sprinkle garam masala, garnish with chopped coriander and ginger matchsticks, and stir well.
- Serve: Pair with naan, pulao, raita, and pickled onions for a complete meal.
Notes
- Marinate the chicken well: Let the chicken sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes, but overnight is best. This helps the flavors soak in deeply and makes the chicken more tender.
- Cook onions slowly: Fry the onions on medium heat for 15 minutes until they turn golden. This step is crucial for building the base flavor of the curry.
- Add water when frying spices: If the pan gets too dry while frying the ginger-garlic paste or tomato purée, add a splash of water to prevent sticking and ensure the spices cook evenly.
- Finish with garam masala at the end: Adding garam masala in the last step enhances the aroma and flavor without overpowering the dish. Don’t skip this step for the perfect finish.
Jamie Oliver Chicken Saag Recipe