Palak-Dhonepata Chicken (Saag Chicken/Spinach-Coriander Chicken)

 If I don't post this, it will be injustice to this dish. Palak or spinach being the main ingredient of this dish, which is a winter green in India, I cooked this dish few times during winter and took the pictures but couldn't post the recipe yet. Today, I was determined to post the recipe before winter finally says goodbye to us. Though Spinach is nowadays available throughout the year, but it tastes best during winter and I practice seasonal food eating habit and only love the fresh taste of seasonal food.

Saag Chicken or Spinach/Green Chicken is basically a semi-thick Chicken curry cooked along with combination of greens or only with one type of green. Sometimes, Spinach, fenugreek, kale, mustard all these greens are combined and cooked with chicken. You can also cook with just one type of green, i.e., with only spinach(palak) or only fenugreek greens(methi Saag). In any way you cook, it is going to give you a flavourful and nutritious chicken dish, full of nutrients loaded with iron, calcium and protein.

Do not think that it is a difficult dish to cook, if you go thru the recipe below, you'll know how easy it is to cook. You do not need much ingredients and it can be served within an hour, just like any other chicken dish. Let's check what all we need to cook this delicacy.....

All You Need ::
Chicken(whole chicken) : 1, cut into medium pieces
Spinach : 1 bunch
Coriander leaves : 1 bunch
Yogurt/Dahi : 2 tblsp.
Onion : 2-3, finely chopped 
Ginger-garlic paste : 2-3 tblsp.
Green chilli paste : 1 tblsp.
Tomato Paste/puree of 1 big tomato
Turmeric Powder : 2 tsp.
Cumin Powder : 3 tsp.
Coriander powder : 3 tsp.
Red Chilli Powder : to taste
Grounded Black Pepper Powder : 1 tblsp.
Nutmeg Powder : 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Oil : 2 tblsp.
Fresh Cream : 2 tblsp.(optional)
Fresh coriander leaves : to garnish

Whole spices :
Bay leaves : 1-2
Cloves : 2-3
Cardamom : 2
Cinnamon Stick : 2
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp.
Black Pepper seed : 7-8 no.(optional)

How To :

• How To Puree the spinach :: Clean the spinach leaves well. Boil little water in a pot. Add a pinch of salt and allow the spinach to cook for 2-3 minutes. Take the pot from heat, drain and allow it to cool. Then place them in a blender and puree with a bunch of fresh chopped coriander leaves. Keep aside.
• Marination :: marinate chicken pieces with yogurt, half of the ginger-garlic paste and green chilli paste, little salt and black pepper powder for at least one hour. Overnight marination gives excellent flavour and taste.
• Cooking :: Heat oil in a pan, temper the oil with ingredients listed under "Whole Spices". Immediately, add chopped onions and saute them till they start to caramelize, add rest of the ginger-garlic paste and green chilli paste. Saute for a minute and then add all powdered spices except nutmeg powder and pureed tomatoes. 
• When spices are cooked and oil separates the masala mix, add marinated chicken pieces in the pan and keep cooking till masala get mixed with chicken. Add 1 cup of warm water. Add seasoning and let it cook, covered with a lid. 
• When chicken is almost done and add pureed spinach. Mix well and let it cook for another 5-7 minutes. Check the seasoning, lastly add nutmeg powder. The gravy would be of semi-thick consistency which goes well with plain rice, pulao or even with any kind of Indian bread.  
• Lastly, when you have your desired consistency of gravy, add fresh cream and mix well with the gravy. This step is totally optional but it adds a great taste to the gravy, I think. Serve in the serving bowl and garnish it with some more fresh cream and fresh coriander leaves.

So are you going to prepare this dish before the season of Spinach/palak ends? Do it and get the goodness of iron and protein from one single dish. Enjoy.................