Palak Chicken

Palak Chicken is a Muglai style chicken dish with a gravy made of blanched and ground spinach leaves. It tastes yummy with Indian bread or with Jeera Rice (Click here)

Serves: A Family of Four

Prep. Time: 15 Mins.

Cooking Time: 30 to 35 Mins

Ingredients:

[ Standard Measure: 1 cup = 250 ml ]

• Chicken – 500 gms
• Palak Leaves [Spinach] (washed) – a big bunch (+/- 250 gms cleaned)
• Onion (finely chopped) – 1 large
• Tomato (finely chopped) – 1 large
• Green Chillies (slit) – 2
• Lime – 1 ½
• Ginger-Garlic Paste – 1 tsp.
• Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp.
• Chilly Powder – ½ tsp.
• Corriander Powder – 1 ½ tsp.
• Garam Masala Powder – ½ + ¼ tsp.
• Cumin Seeds – ¼ tsp.
• Cinnamon – ½ inch
• Cloves – 4
• Bay Leaves – 2
• Milk Cream – ¼ cup
• Butter – 1 tbsp.
• Oil – 4 tbsp.
• Salt – 1 ½ tsp. or to taste

Step 1:     Wash and drain the chicken and apply the juice of one lime and ½ tsp. salt to it and leave aside.

Step 2:     Blanch the palak leaves in boiling water for 5 minutes (click here for reference) and then transfer the leaves to a vessel with ice cold water. When cooled, drain and make a puree of the leaves and keep aside.

Step 3:     Heat 4 tbsp. oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves and sauté for a few seconds on medium heat.

Step 4:     Next add the chopped onion and sauté till the onions turn soft.

Step 5:     Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few seconds. Add the corriander powder, chilly powder and garam masala, ½ tsp. salt and sauté for a minute on low heat.

Step 6:     Now add the chopped tomato and and saute till it turns soft.

Step 7:     Add the chicken and the 2 green chillies and cook on medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes while turning over in between.

Step 8:     Add 1 cup hot water and ½ tsp. salt and cover and cook for 15 minutes to 20 minutes on low heat till the chicken is almost cooked.

Step 9:     Add the palak puree and mix. Check for salt and add if required. Cover and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes on low heat.

Step 10:     Now switch off the heat and add the milk cream and butter and mix. Sprinkle ¼ tsp. garam masala powder and the juice of ½ lime and mix. Serve hot.