Chicken Saag (Whole30, Keto, Instant Pot)
Chicken Saag is a classic Indian dish featuring tender chicken cooked in a creamy-spicy spinach sauce. It’s a one-pot dish that you can cook on the stove or Instant Pot!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- ¼ cup ghee or avocado oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 serrano chili pepper or jalapeno pepper finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt divided
- 2 teaspoons garam masala divided
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground kashmiri chili powder or cayenne pepper
- ½ cup tomato puree
- 1 pound spinach finely chopped or 12 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Stovetop Chicken Saag
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the ghee when the pan is hot.
- Toss in the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes. (If you have extra time, cook the onions for 30 minutes or until golden brown to develop even more flavor.)
- Add the green pepper, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant—about a minute.
- Toss the chicken with 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Add the chicken to the pot.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 to 8 minutes. (If you’re using chicken breast, the cooking time will be closer to 3 to 5 minutes.)
- Stir in the coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, turmeric, and ground Kashmiri chili powder. Cook, stirring well to distribute all the spices, for about a minute.
- Pour in the tomato purée and ½ cup of water and stir to combine.
- Increase the heat to bring the sauce to a boil. Then, cover the pot and decrease the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender. (Using chicken breasts? The cooking time will be around 5 minutes.)
- Stir the chopped spinach into the pot and mix well. Cover the pot and simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the spinach is tender and absorbs all the seasoning.
- Stir in the remaining teaspoon of garam masala and add the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Enjoy!
30-Minute Instant Pot Chicken Saag
- Turn on the saute mode on the Instant Pot. When the insert is hot, add the ghee.
- Toss in the onions and cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the serrano or jalapeno pepper, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- In a medium bowl, combine the chicken with ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Add the salted chicken to the Instant Pot.
- Stir in the coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, 1 teaspoon garam masala, turmeric, and ground Kashmiri chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Pour the tomato puree on top of the seasoned chicken and do not stir to combine. (No water is needed in the Instant Pot version.)
- Lock the lid and cook under high pressure for 5 minutes. When the Instant Pot is done cooking, release the pressure manually.
- Stir in the spinach. Lock the lid and cook under high pressure for 2 minutes. When the Instant Pot is done cooking, release the pressure manually.
- Open the Instant Pot and stir in the remaining teaspoon of garam masala and lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Video
Notes
- Leftover chicken saag can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 4 months. I always make extra because it reheats amazingly well!
- If using chicken breasts in place of chicken thighs, make sure you don’t overcook it!
- Chicken saag is normally served with basmati rice and/or an Indian flat bread like naan. To keep things Whole30, keto, and paleo, you can serve chicken saag with cauliflower rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 15g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g